Bitter Sweet
Zuko pulled away.
"We need to help them." Katara glanced at Zoe's lifeless body.
"We can't just leave her here."
"We have to." Zuko said firmly. Katara folded Zoe's hands over Zoe's chest. Toph walked over to Katara.
"Sugar Queen. We need to go." Toph sighed.
"Do you even care about her? We can't just leave her!" Katara sobbed. Zuko kneeled down next to Katara.
"She's dead. We can't help her." Katara sobbed harder.
"I should have healed her! I'm a healer!" Katara cried. Zuko hugged Katara. Toph started to bend a way out. Zuko stood up, even though he would have liked to hold her forever.
"Katara… Zoe would have wanted us to go and fight." Zuko offered his hand. Katara sighed and stood up and followed them out of the dark cave. Zuko stopped to turn back. Zoe was still pouring blood unto the floor, his knife lying in that crimson puddle. Zuko walked on, and fought back the overwhelming urge to kick something.
The Trio resurfaced. It was pouring rain. Katara laughed hollowly. Zoe would've loved this. Mai, Ty Lee and Aang where standing opposite Hama, Azula and Ozai. The Dai Lee were everywhere.
Azula laughed when she saw Zuko's grief stricken face.
"I killed her didn't I?" Azula laughed. Zuko clenched his fists.
"I killed her! I killed Zoe! The invincible Zoe! I killed her! I killed Zoe! I killed Zoe! I killed-"
"SHUT UP!" Zuko yelled. Mai and Ty Lee turned around.
Katara grabbed Zuko's hand.
"She's trying to provoke you." Katara warned. Zuko broke free of Katara's grasp.
"Then it's working." Zuko charged at Azula. Toph and Katara fought the Dai Lee. Mai and Ty Lee ran towards Hama.
Zoe rubbed her eyes and sat up. She was very aware of many things, like she was completely healed and she was wearing a long white dress with white silk, wrapping around her arms that dropped at her wrists. Zoe stood up. It was very cold. Zoe exhaled and saw her own breath. It was very quiet. A bunch of people seemed to wander around and disappear. Ghosts.
A wall of fire erupted from the ground, pushing Zoe back. Zoe backed up into a forest of cobwebs. Zoe heard a voice. A voice she hadn't heard in years. Zoe began to run throwing cobwebs aside. Tears of joy ran down Zoe's face. For the first time in years, Zoe felt truly happy, as though the weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulders.
Azula laughed as Zuko ran towards her.
"Why are so angry Zuzu? Did you love her?" Azula mocked. Azula dodged the series of attacks Zuko had thrown. Zuko looked Azula dead in the eye.
"Yes. Yes I did." Zuko said quietly. Zuko remembered when Azula had threatened to kill Zoe. He had been so angry and wanted to protect Zoe from everything.
"Zuzu! Did you think she'd ever love a thing like you?" Azula laughed.
Katara's blood ran cold. Zuko loved Zoe. Not me. He loves her. Not me. Katara stopped. Toph looked back at her.
"Uh Sugar queen? Can you stop well stopping?" Toph yelled as she dodged one of the Dai Lee's attacks.
"Brothers usually love their sisters Azula."Zuko replied calmly as he redirected lightening.
Zoe pushed back a final cobweb. Hope stood behind a pond of water. Hope was wearing a dress identical to Zoe's except Hope's dress was blue. Hope had the same eyes as Zoe, except Hope's were kind and trusting instead of guarded and sad.
"Hope?" Zoe couldn't believe her eyes.
"Hello Sister." Hope's voice was like an angel's but sounded very far away and faint. A tear ran down Hope's cheek.
"Why are you crying?" Zoe asked. Zoe stepped out of the cobweb forest and closer to the pond. Hope smiled sadly.
"Because Dear Sister, you can't stay for very long."
Aang dodged Ozai's latest attack. Aang knew it would only take a second to end this war. He could move his hand and Ozai would die. But for some reason he couldn't. He couldn't kill this man, who had ended so many lives, destroyed thousands of homes ad wiped out his entire nation. But Aang couldn't bring himself to end Ozai's life.
Toph was sweating like crazy. Toph raised her hand and five Dai Lee went flying. Katara bended the sweat off of Toph and used it t create a water whip.
"That really is gross. You know that right?" Toph smiled. Katara laughed. Katara created a tidal wave and knocked about half of the Dai Lee down. A little splashed on Mai.
"Watch it. Hey where's the ying yang girl?" Mai asked in her bored tone. Katara felt sick to her stomach. Mai noticed the look on Katara's face.
"Ah."
"Why are you on our side?" Katara asked as she dodged the Dai Lee.
"We betrayed Azula at the Boiling Rock." Mai was distracted by Ty Lee screaming as Hama made Ty Lee run into a wall.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Mai screamed as she charged at Hama.
"What do you mean?" Zoe asked.
"You have to go back." Hope said quietly.
"What? I'm dead! I can't go back!" Zoe yelled. Hope smiled her sad smile.
"They told me you turned me in." Hope looked pained, as if she wanted to believe Zoe but she couldn't.
"No! I would never! Hope I love you! I would never do that." Zoe pleaded. Hope wiped away her tears.
"Really?" Hope asked.
"Of course. I might not be able to protect you, but I love you." Zoe said quietly. Hope sniffed.
"I love you too."
"Can you forgive me? For letting Zuko order the Guards on you?"
"Zuko didn't order the guards."
"What?"
"Azula did. Zuko took the blame. He didn't want you to go into the heart of the Fire Nation and get hurt." Zoe sat down. She felt very faint and weak.
Nate punched his door again. He wasn't taking the news very well. His arm stung from the burn he had received. His village was under attack. He had serious injuries and his friends had made him wait in the infirmary. And all he could think about was Zoe. He picture was lying on the table next to him. Her laughter rang in his head.
Zoe betrayed everyone. She joined Ozai. And now she's probably fighting for him. She imprisoned the Avatar and her friends. She's evil.
Zoe was laughing at Nate's attempt to set the hay bale on fire.
"That was sure something." Zoe's eyes sparkled.
"I missed on purpose." Nate grunted. Zoe raised her eyebrow.
"Really? Well then I shouldn't have to tell you that your form was pathetic." Zoe walked over and assumed a fighting stance and set the hay bale on fire.
"Show off." Nate mumbled.
"Who are you?" Zoe asked.
"Nate. And you are…"
"Zoe." Zoe said.
"Ok."
"Why can't I get this right?" Zoe screamed.
"Because your form's all wrong." Zoe shot Nate a death look.
"Ha Ha. Seriously."
Nate looked at Zoe.
"Zoe I …" a loud rumbling was heard in the distance. Zoe stood up.
"NO."
"What?" Nate asked.
"They're here for me. I…I have to go." Nate grabbed Zoe's arm.
"No. Let someone protect you for a change."
"You did help me. Now it's my turn. Pretend you don't know me. Play dumb. Forget me."
"I can't." Nate grabbed Zoe's wrists.
"Why?" Zoe asked, Zoe closed her eyes, she knew what was coming and it hurt.
"Because I…" the fire Nation Soldiers burst in.
Nate punched the door again. Lee walked in.
"You okay?"
"No." Nate grunted.
"You got something against the door?"
"Shut up Lee."
"Sorry. Just trying to get you to stop thinking about...her."
"I can't and I'm not sure I want to."
"She betrayed us. She betrayed everyone. Maybe you should forget about her. She probably forgot everyone else." Nate punched the door again.
"Dear Agni! Just kill me now!" Nate yelled. Lee walked out of the room and left Nate standing there.
"Sokka!" Suki cried as one of the Fire Guards charged at Sokka. Suki drew her sword and fought by Sokka's side. Together the pair knocked out the enemy.
"Your footwork stinks." Suki teased.
"Oh shut up!" Sokka moaned.
Hadoka smiled at the couple. Hadoka knew Suki would keep his son out of trouble. If only he knew who Katara loved. He promised he wouldn't hurt the man, but he wanted to know who he was.
Hadoka sighed and went back to fighting.
"I failed them." Zoe sighed.
"No you didn't. But they need you now more than ever. Save them."
"They hate me."
"Bend the water into a mirror." Hope pointed to the pond.
"Why?"
"It will show you." Zoe bended the wanted into ice, and looked into the ice.
Zuko was holding Katara. Katara was sobbing over Zoe's dead body.
A tear was trickling down Toph's cheek.
"Why are so angry Zuzu? Did you love her?" Azula mocked. Azula dodged the series of attacks Zuko had thrown. Zuko looked Azula dead in the eye.
"Yes. Yes I did."
"Brothers usually love their sisters Azula."
Zoe bended the water back into the pond.
"They forgave me." Zoe wiped away her tears.
"They love you." Hope smiled. Zoe stood up.
"I can't go back."
"You have to."
"I'm dead."
"Then you will go back to the world of the living."
"I can't."
"You will." Hope said firmly. Zoe touched her necklace.
"How?" Zoe asked quietly.
Azula was laughing hysterically.
"I killed her! I killed her! I killed her!" Azula screeched. A wave of blue fire erupted from Zuko's fists.
"Ooh looks like someone's angry!" Azula sent a wall of blue fire crashing over Zuko.
Iroh smiled as Master Pakku fought off a whole regiment of Fire Nation Soldiers. King Bumi was having fun reclaiming the city. The city was almost theirs.
"What's on your mind?" Jeong Jeong asked.
"Is it a certain firebender/waterbendeer with a ying yang necklace?"
"Yes." Iroh sighed. He was scared that the gang wouldn't believe Zoe had been working as a double agent. She had supplied them with all the information they could ever want.
Katara was getting tired. She couldn't keep this up anymore. The pouring rain was hurting her vision.
"Zoe…if you're out there…help." Katara prayed. She saw a huge boulder coming down on her. The boulder suddenly smashed to bits. Katara looked up.
"Haru?"
"Yes. I need to go and help Chit Sang. You okay?" Haru asked.
"Fine." With that Haru ran off. Katara couldn't help but wonder if Zoe had made Haru come that way.
"Drink the water. It will bring you back."
"No." Zoe whispered.
"What?"
"I can't. I failed them. You go back instead."
"We've already discussed this. I will not go back. I belong here. I died for a reason. I was not meant to go back. You need to re enter the world of the living."
Nate grabbed his sword. Lee walked back in.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Fire Nation."
"Why?"
"Zoe."
"Nate! She betrayed us! She'd let us die."
"I don't care." Nate stood up. Lee grabbed his arm.
"I can't let you go back. You're only going to get hurt." Lee protested. Nate broke free from Lee's grasp and walked away.
Lee sat down and wrote a letter.
Dear Zoe,
Nate was killed in a battle. He hated you after you betrayed the Avatar. He burned everything that reminded him of you. If I see you I will kill you. This village hates you. Step foot here and you will die. Lee folded up the letter and tied it to a messenger hawk.
"Drink the water." Hope pleaded.
"I'm better dead. Now I can't hurt them. I'd hurt them eventually. Just like I hurt you." Zoe protested.
"NO! You doubt yourself. Snap out of it! You've made mistakes. You have done bad things! Forgive yourself. Zoe it hurts to see you like this! Everyone has to face demons, Zoe. You are you own worst enemy. You're scared you'll hurt those around you. Wasn't it easy just to hate them all? But they love you Zoe. Let them help you. Unlock your heart, Zoe. Let down your walls. Let someone in." Hope said softly. Zoe stood up.
"I'm sorry Hope." Zoe whispered. Hope floated over the water and hugged Zoe.
"I love you. Remember that." Hope floated back over the water. The water rose up from the pond and spun around Zoe.
"Bend it and drink it."Zoe moved her hands and the water followed her. Zoe cupped the water in her hands and drank it.
Hope smiled.
"I would say good luck, but you don't need it." With that Zoe felt like she was spinning, she flew over the cobweb forest, the ghosts and the hell fire. Zoe saw her body. Zoe felt her spirit melt back into her body. For the briefest moment she saw Hope at her pond, standing there, smiling. Zoe picked up Zuko's knife. She thought of how it was very ironic. She finally saw Hope, and now she couldn't stay with her.
"Bittersweet." Zoe said quietly. With that Zoe climbed out of the dark cave where she died, and re-entered the biggest clash of the elements mankind has ever seen.