It was night fall and the Avatar team stood in the Earth Kingdom tavern wanting to talk to a bounty hunter. June kicks an empty seat and sits down drinking her cup.
"Hey, I remember her. She helped you attack us!" Sokka pointed out
"Yup, back in the good old days." The prince said walking over to her
June sees someone out of the corner of her eye "Oh great, it's Prince Pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa?"
"He's my Uncle, and he's not here." He simply stated
She looks up and smirks "I see you worked things out with your girlfriend."
Katara and Zuko blush and quickly spoke up "I'm not his girlfriend!" "She's not my girlfriend!" they said at the same time "If Azula heard that she would kick her ass" Katara quietly thought.
"Okay, okay, sheesh. I was only teasing; so what you want ?" June asked
"I need your help finding the Avatar." Zuko stated
"Hmph. Doesn't sound too fun." She said taking a drink
"Does the end of the World sound like more fun?" Zuko said causing June to look at him
Outside the tavern Appa and Nyla stand face to face growling at each other, then Appa licks her face and both quickly settle down lying in front of each other. Then she looks up seeing her master.
"Nyla" showing a piece of meat then throws it at her which is quickly eaten "Who's my little snuffly wuffly." She cooed while petting her then Nyla shoots out her tongue "Whoa! Careful there." Gently closing her pets mouth "Okay, who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?" the bounty hunter asked
"I have Aang's staff." Katara said handing it to her.
June takes the staff and places it in front of her shirshu letting her smell the Avatars scent. Nyla sniffs the air first then paces around the gang trying to catch something. She takes a quick sniff in Appa's saddle then lies on the ground covering her nose.
"Well, what does that mean?" Zuko asked puzzled
"It means your friend's gone." The bounty hunter said comforting her pet
"We know he's gone, that's why we're trying to find him." Toph plainly said
"No, I mean he's gone gone. He doesn't exist." She said looking at the group causing then to look worried
Azula quickly sits up in bed breathing heavily feeling a bit of sweat glide down her jawline. She slowly calms herself and lies back down in her bed looking up at the ceiling. She had a nightmare that her father beaten her. It felt so real; she remembered the pain so well. And she remembered what he said to her.
She slowly gets out of bed and walks into her private bathroom; she pulls a rope by the door and in minutes two older female servants walk in bowing their heads to her.
"You called princess?"
"Yes, fix me a warm bath. No soaps or anything, I just want to spend some time alone" she said
They nodded and started getting her bath ready. Once that was done they bowed their head and left that bathroom. Azula watched the closed door for a moment then slipped off her robes and sinks into the warm waters. She closes her eyes and submerges into the water trying to clear her thoughts.
"What do you mean Aang doesn't exist? Do you mean he's… you know, dead ?" the wolf warrior asked feeling hopeless
"Nope, we could find him if he were dead. Ah, it's a real head scratcher. See ya." June said walking away from the group and jumping onto Nyla's saddle.
The young earthbender felt her walk away "Helpful, real helpful."
"Wait, I have another idea. There's only one other person in this World who can help us face the Fire Lord." The prince said to the group "I'll be right back with a smell sample" Looking at the bounty hunter.
Zuko runs off quickly to get something from Appa's saddle then comes back carefully lifting it up with the tips of his fingers.
"You saved your Uncle's sweaty sandal?" Sokka asked covering his nose from the strong odor along with everyone else except the young earthbender
Toph smiles crossing her arms "I think it's kind of sweet."
The shirshu smells the sandal getting its scent "Let's do this." And with that the bounty hunter took off.
"Hey, wait up!" the prince said and quickly got onto Appa along with the rest of the group quickly following June.
The princess of the Fire Nations opens her eyes and slowly comes back out of the water. She rubs her head squeezing her eyes shut getting frustrated. Was her dream real are not? Yes she does remember when she was younger that her father did leave scars on her feet.
"But why would he do it to me now? Why now? What did I do?" she growls in frustration and blows steam of her nose heating up the bath water. "Maybe when the sun rises and I can meditate with Agni. I can get answers from there." She said to herself
"Nothings making sense to me. I see this woman in my head and now I'm having nightmares of my father beating for something." She thought to herself and carefully gets out of the water "I need to figure this out soon before this gets to me" slipping her silk robe back on and heads back to bed.
"Agni will help. I can't go to father and ask him about this. He'll either deny it or think I'm crazy." She lay's in bed looking out to the closed doors that lead out to her balcony. She turns to her side and tries to go back to sleep.
Morning slowly comes in and the young prodigy is already sitting at the edge out the balcony with her legs crossed and eyes closed. She could feel the sun rise inside her. "Agni hear my thoughts and tell me what's happening to me?" "You do know what's happening; you're just not thinking clear enough" now she was confused but she kept her eyes closed.
"What the heck was that?" "I'm you expect the part you lost" "the part I lost? I never lost anything before" "Yes you have you just let daddies so called love throw it away" "But I thought-" "Yea well you thought wrong. You can't trust anybody in the palace anymore got it" "Why? And why should I listen to you?"
"Oh for the love of- damn you're an idiot" "Excuse me you just called yourself that because your me." "Yea I already know that. Look just listen got it. The reason why you should listen to me is because I know what really happened to you. And the reason why you can't trust anybody in the palace anymore is because they are keeping secrets from you."
"How do you know this?" "Because I'm the smarter part of you too idiot. Now open your eyes and leave before someone spots you. Reason why; their keeping an eye on you." "But why?" "No time to talk. Open your damn eyes now!" The princess opens her eyes and quickly looks around trying to spot anyone.
She sees no one but she feels it. She walks off the balcony and walks back into her room closing the doors behind her. Two agents slowly come out from their hiding spots and stealthily go back into the palace.
As time went on noon came. Katara sits quietly in the saddle looking at the sky then she looks over at her brother and friends. Sokka was taking a nap along with Suki who was leaning against him. Her blue eyes shifted looking over a Toph who seems to have fallen asleep as well lying on her back with her feet hanging out the saddle. Then she carefully looks over at Zuko whose still steering Appa.
She lightly sighs and takes out a gold coin; she couldn't help but smile seeing the coin. It was the gold coin that Azula gave her the night before she took off to find the man that killed her mother. She looks over at the coin and traces the patterns with the tips of her fingers.
"She hasn't sent a message or anything yet. Last time she was away that long without a sigh is when Ty Lee attacked her" she looked at the coin and places it over her heart "Please be safe for me Azula, I don't want anything happening to you" she gently kisses the coin and carefully places it in a small pouch she made for it.
She closes her eyes and starts to rest like the others. She drifts off into a light sleep till the night sky started to take over. Everyone woke up to see if they were at their destination yet. They looked puzzled seeing the walls of Ba Sing Se
Zuko looked at the wall puzzled "We're going to Ba Sing Se?"
Nyla scratches the rubble of the broken wall "Your Uncle's somewhere beyond the wall. Nyla's getting twitchy so he can't be too far. Good luck." And with that she takes off
Zuko watches her leave then looks back at the group "It's been a long day. Let's camp and start our search again at dawn."
Meanwhile in the middle of the ocean Aang walks around the small island trying to figure out where he is. He walks over a small his and sees a large hold in the certain shape.
"It's a hexagon." He said walking into the center of it "It doesn't seem like normal rock." He does an earthbending move but nothing happens "It's not made of earth. This is so strange. I wish I had some help right now. I wish I had Roku." Feeling a bit sad then sits up "I do have Roku"
He sits down with his legs crossed and his eyes closed. He carefully breaths in and out concentrating then a blue human shape of smoke comes out of him and sits in front of him forming into Avatar Roku.
"You're right, Aang. All the past Avatars, all their experience and wisdom, is available to you if you look deep inside yourself." The Avatar said
"So where am I, Roku? What is this place?" the young monk asked
"I…don't know, Aang." He said looking a bit puzzled as well then he looks back at the young boy "But I see that you are lost in more ways than one right now."
"I am. I need to figure out what to do once I face the Fire Lord." Aang spoke
Back in Ba Sing Se the group sleeps peacefully till Toph wakes up feeling vibrations heading her way. She earthbends her tent away then the whole group in surrounded by fire. Everyone looks around trying to find the enemy when the see four people appear in white and blue uniforms. Looking closely the four people were Piandao, Jeong Jeong, Pakku and Bumi.
Bumi smiles happily "Well, look who's here." And laughs making Sokka and Katara looks happily at each other while the rest of the group is puzzled
The princess of the Fire Nation sits up in bed pondering on what happened to her this morning. Was it really the side of her that she lost? Or was she just going crazy trying to find a solution? She looked around her bedroom and carefully got up and started locking her doors along with closing the heavy curtains which covered her room in darkness.
She walked around her room easily without the lights. Opening a small drawer next to her bed she pulled out six candles then she walked over to a spacy area of her room. She sat down with her legs crossed and surrounded herself with the candles then lit one by one.
She closed her eyes and carefully breathed in and out. "I need answers and I need answers now. What's happening to me? It feels like something's missing or missed placed" "You catch on quickly" Azula was a bit surprised by the voice again "Who are you really? And why are you inside my head?" "That's a stupid question to ask, I already told you I'm you except the part you lost and the reason why I'm in here is because this is my body as much as it is yours" "I don't believe you. I want proof or something" "Damn your stupid" there was a pause as Azula frowned at that remark "Fine you want some proof here's your proof"
Azula's eyes kept closed but she was shocked at what she was remembering. She quickly opened her eyes and let out a heavy breath "whoa". She sat up and looked around her room for a moment then back at the blue flames comes from her candles.
"Blue eyes" she quietly mumbled looking at her flames.
Aang sits in the same position and spoke "Avatar Kyoshi, I need your wisdom." Right after he said that she appears in front of him.
She spoke "In my day, Chin the Conqueror threatened to throw the World out of balance. I stopped him and the World entered a great era of peace."
"But you didn't really kill Chin; technically he fell to his own doom because he was too stubborn to get out of the way." Aang pointed out
"Personally I don't really see the difference but I assure you, I would have done whatever it took to stop Chin. I offer you this wisdom, Aang. Only justice will bring peace." And with that she disappears.
"I knew I shouldn't have asked Kyoshi." Aang said a bit annoyed by it.
Azula sits quietly on the floor while the candles still burned, she sat there with her arms crossed over her chest and scowling at the flames. The second voice has yet to respond to her, and she was starting to get bothered by it. After showing a small flash back of a young woman with blue eyes and dark skin she wanted more answers.
"Who is she to me? Was she someone that special to me to make me feel something?" she shakes her head "No, nothing good would come of this. Even if she did love me I couldn't love her back. I mean look where she's got me" She gritted her teeth thinking about it "I lost part of myself and now I can't trust anyone in my own home. If I ever saw that woman again I will make her pay."
She stood up and turned that candles off with her firebending then walked off to bed trying to get more sleep.
Aang sat there thinking "I need to look deep inside myself." He closes his eyes concentrating then a new Avatar appears wearing water tribe warrior clothing
"I am Avatar Kuruk. When I was young, I was always a "go with the flow" kind of Avatar. People seemed to work out their own problems and there was peace and good times in the World. But then, I lost the woman I loved to Koh, the face stealer. It was my fault, if I had been more attentive and more active, I could have saved her. Aang, you must actively shape your own destiny, and the destiny of the World." He said and disappears
Aang looks at the same spot were the Avatar's before him sat. He felt hopeless and closed his eyes covering his hands with his face.
As the group continues to follow their masters to the camp area King Bumi earthbends a rock making the wall lower and walk into the area.
"Well, here we are. Welcome to old people camp." The crazy earthbender said was everyone walked in
Zuko looked around for a moment "Where…where is he?"
"Your Uncle's in there, Prince Zuko." The sword master said pointing out Iroh's tent
Zuko walks over to the tent then he puts his head down and sits on the ground just outside his uncle's tent. Katara notices this and walks up to him.
"Are you okay" she ask
"No, I'm not okay. My Uncle hates me, I know it." Katara sits beside him "He loved me and supported me in every way he could and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?
"Zuko, you're sorry for what you did, right?" She asked with a caring smile
"More sorry than I've been about anything in my entire life." The prince stated
She smiles "Then he'll forgive you. He will." "Just like I forgive your sister." She thought. She watches in stand up and walk inside the tent "Hopefully after this war is over you can forgive your sister too Zuko" she got up and walked away
As soon as Zuko walks into the tent he calls his name "Uncle." He opens his eyes seeing his uncle sleeping. He lightly smiles and sits down by him waiting for him to wake up.
Aang sits in the hexagon still lost "All these past Avatars, they keep telling me I'm gonna have to do it. They don't get it." Momo takes a noise speaking to him "You're right, maybe an air nomad Avatar would understand where I'm coming from."
His pet looks at him puzzled "I know you can't really talk. Pretending you can just helps me think." Momo chatters something "I'm going to pretend I didn't pretend to hear that."
The young monk closes his eyes and beings to concentrate, looking deep within himself to ask an airbender for advice. A smoky blue figure appears in front of him and speaks.
"I am Avatar Yangchen, young airbender." She said
"Avatar Yangchen, the monks always taught me that all life is sacred. Even the life of the tiniest spider-fly caught in its own web."
"Yes, all life is sacred." She spoke
"I know, I'm even a vegetarian. I've always tried to solve my problems by being quick or clever and I've only had to use violence for necessary defense and I've certainly never used it to take a life." The young Avatar said proudly
"Avatar Aang, I know that you're a gently spirit and the monks have taught you well. But this isn't about you,this is about the World." The Air nomad pointed out
"But the monks taught me that I had to detach myself from the World so my spirit could be free." He concluded
"Many great and wise air nomads have detached themselves and achieved spiritual enlightenment but the Avatar can never do it because your sole duty is to the World. Here is my wisdom for you, selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to protect the World." And with that piece of advice she disappears
"I guess I don't have a choice, Momo. I have to kill the Fire Lord." He said sadly
As the sun rises above the camp site near the Ba Sing Se walls, General Iroh awakens. He yawns and stretches then out of the corner of his eye he sees his nephew. He looks away not wanting to turn around.
"Uncle, I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me. But I want you to know, I'm so so sorry, Uncle. I'm so sorry and ashamed of what I did." Zuko said with tears running down his cheeks "I don't know how I can ever make it up to you but I'll-"
He was cut off at what he was saying by his uncle who pulled him into a loving hug. Iroh's tears show and he smiles holding his nephew close.
"How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you would be furious with me." Zuko said still crying
Iroh spoke in a gently voice still holding him "I was never angry with you. I was sad because I was afraid you lost your way."
"I did lose my way." Parting from him uncle looking at him
"But you found it again. And you did it by yourself. And I am so happy you found your way here." His uncle said and pulls him back into a hug again
"It wasn't that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent." He said hugging his uncle back
Back at the Fire Nation two Dai Li agents appear before Phoenix King Ozai and kneel down before him. He turns around and looks at the agents.
"Your report" he ordered
"Nothing has changed so far my King. She's is as you asked for." The first agent spoke
"But she has been waking up before the sun rises sitting on her balcony meditating" the second agent spoke a bit worried
"Leave her be. She has been doing that since she was a child. It shows discipline and respect. That just goes to show you that she is just the way I want her to be." Ozai said turning away from them
"Is there anything else you will be needing Sir?" the first agent asked
"No, this will be my last order. Now you are under her care" the Phoenix King said
"Yes Sir." They both said and disappeared
Back at Ba Sing Se the order of the White Lotus are awake and walking around. There the gang sits with General Iroh eating their food.
Zuko speaks up "Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord."
"You mean the Fire Lord." Toph said correcting him
"That's what I just said." He shot back
Uncle looks at his bowl unsure "Hmm…"
"We need you to come with us." The prince stated
"No, Zuko. It won't turn out well." He said
"You can beat him and we'll be there to help." Zuko said looking at his friends
"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could. It will be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord." Iroh explained
"And then…then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne" his nephew asked
"No. Someone new must take the throne, an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. It has to be you, Prince Zuko."
"Unquestionable honor but I've made so many mistakes." The prince said surprised by this
"Yes, you have. You struggled, you suffered but you have always followed your own path, you restored your own honor. And only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation." He explained
"I'll try, Uncle."
Toph spoke up "Well, what if Aang doesn't come back ?"
"Sozin's Comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation so the Earth Kingdom can be free again." The grand lotus explained
"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus." Suki pointed out
"Yes." He looks back at his nephew "Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you."
"I can handle Azula." He said strongly
"Not alone. You'll need help." His uncle pointed out
"You're right." He looks at the waterbender "Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place ?"
Katara smiles "It would be my pleasure." "This isn't good, something is wrong if she's waiting there." She thought putting her bowl of food down
"What about us?" Sokka asked "What's our destiny today?" he asked
"What do you think it is?" Iroh asked smiling
"I think that…even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet." The young warrior said
Toph speaks up smiling "And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us."
General Iroh smiles at this. As soon as everyone was done with their own plans for the upcoming battle Sokka's master gives him a giant lizard like creature for him and his team to travel on.
"Nothing runs faster over land or swims quicker than a giant eel-hound." He explained then hands his student a scroll "The airship base is on a small island just off the Earth Kingdom shore. You should be able to intercept the fleet within a day's journey." He said
Sokka saves up the scroll "Thank you, Master" he bows then gives Piandao a surprise hug.
"So if I'm going to be Fire Lord after the war is over, what are you going to do?" Zuko asked looking at his uncle
"After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop and I'm going to play Pai Sho every day." He said proudly
Zuko and Katara look back at Sokka who nods ready to go.
The young waterbender speaks "Goodbye, General Iroh."
"Goodbye, everyone. Today, destiny is our friend. I know it." He said with great hope
After that was said Sokka took off with Suki and Toph on the eel hound heading towards the airship base. Then Zuko and Katara fly away on Appa heading to the Fire Nation to face Azula.
Meanwhile back at sea Aang discovers that the small island was moving, he dives into the water and discovers it was a large animal that was moving it was never an island. He surfaces and tells Momo he'll swim around to get a look at this creatures face.
He dives under again and looks around. I large eye opens and the young monk was surprised by it. Then the creature moves his massive claw and makes Aang surface with him. The Avatar is surprised at what he sees.
"A lion turtle" He said and bows his head in respect "Maybe you can help me. Everyone even my own past lives are expecting me to end someone's life. But I don't know if I can do it."
"The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginningless time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light." He said then brought forth his two claws and touched Aang's forehead and chest at the same time causing a glowing green light to appear.
After he was done the giant lion turtle swims near shore and drops Aang off at the edge of the cliff. Aang steps back and looks at the large creature.
"Wait for him, he will come." The lion turtle said and drops back under water.
The Avatar bows to him and watches him swim away. Then he leaves getting ready to fight the Fire Lord.
Night falls and the Fire Nation airships are resting inside an dormant volcano. There the Phoenix King stands on the edge of the volcano waiting for Sozin's Comet
"It's time for this World to end in fire and for a new World to be born from the ashes." He said watching the skies.
The comet arrives barely touching the earth's atmosphere causing the night sky to turn bright orange. Ozai watches and waits. Not too far from there the young Avatar waits as well feeling the comet getting closer.