Time seemed to drawl on without much happening. Piper tried going on with a normal routine, hoping she looked somewhat convincing. After the news of the Avatar's resurfacing, Piper seemed to intensify in her Firebending training, she couldn't understand why, though. It was like she was preparing herself for something.

What Piper hadn't realized was that Kaia had noticed the increase in her Firebending training. Kaia had been keeping a close eye on Piper, still feeling a little unsure about Piper's reaction to the Avatar's return.

Piper remained unaware of her cousin's worry and observing.

-0-0-0-0-

A week had soon gone by and when Piper realized it, she felt her stomach churning anxiously. She'd noticed the looks Rei and Imani were giving her; it made Piper feel even more anxious. Piper tried keeping herself occupied, keeping herself distracted so she wouldn't have to notice the looks her mother and sister were giving her! She didn't want to feel like the odd man out, like she was being singled out.

Piper tried telling her mother that she was going to go practice her Firebending, but Rei wouldn't have it. She wanted Piper to stay in the house.

"But I need to practice," Piper exclaimed, looking at her mother pleadingly. "Mom, please!"

"No." Rei put her hands on her hips, standing between Piper and the door. "The Sages might be coming today, I don't want to hunt you down."

"Well, I don't want to see the Sages!" Piper exclaimed defiantly. "You're all blowing this out of proportion."

Rei let out a slightly defeated sigh. "Piper, this is important," she said exhaustedly. "Dr. Chen wouldn't have contacted them if it wasn't."

"Dr. Chen can't seem to handle an ordinary fainting spell." Piper's heated look went to the ground.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Rei let out another sigh. "Please stop being so difficult," she said, looking at Piper. "There's nothing about this that's being 'blown out of proportion', and Dr. Chen knows what's good for you."

When someone's telling you that they're contacting the Fire Sages over a fainting spell, come back to me and talk about how much sense it's making.

Piper wouldn't meet her mother's gaze. She didn't want to. Nothing was making an ounce of sense and it was getting Piper irritable. She'd been able to distract herself for the most part, but when the days started getting closer for the Fire Sage's arrival, Piper became aware of her family's attention going to her.

A heavy knock on the front door caused Piper and Rei to jump. Imani, who'd been in her room for most of the day, poked her head out of her room, looking at the front door worriedly.

Piper crossed her arms over her chest, hoping the ground would open up and eat her.

Despite the apologetic look that came across Rei's face, she opened the front door, greeted with the faces of the Fire Sages. Bowing slightly, Rei stepped aside to allow them into her home.

"You must be Piper," one of them murmured. Piper's gray eyes went to them, the heatedness in her stare unwavering. As Piper studied the older men who'd surrounded her, she felt a knot of dread fill her. The Sage who spoke turned and looked at Rei expectantly. "Tell me, what happened?"

Rei's eyes flickered to her daughter before regarding the Sage. "I sent her to go get some items from the market, then she fainted." Rei's voice trembled slightly, intimidated.

"The doctor who contacted us said that she felt it was more than an ordinary fainting spell." The Sage turned to face Rei head-on.

"I-I wasn't entirely sure why she would've said that," Rei stammered, "until I found out about the Avatar's return."

The Sages looked at each other silently, as if having some sort of unspoken conversation.

"Piper," one of the Sages said, looking at her with slightly narrowed eyes. "How much do you know about the Avatar?"

Narrowing her eyes, Piper looked at them carefully before answering. "Only the Avatar can learn all four elements," she said, "and is reincarnated into a new Nation after their death. The Avatar restores peace and balance to the world."

The Sages shared another look.

"Have you ever heard of the Avatar's Guardian, Piper?" another asked.

"Guardian?" Piper's brows narrowed in confusion. "What?"

"The Avatar's Guardian is a person born to a different Nation than the Avatar itself," the Sage who'd asked the earlier questions said. "Avatar Roku had a Guardian from the Earth Kingdom."

"I don't understand...," Piper exclaimed.

"The Guardian has a sole duty to their Avatar." One of the Sages stepped forward, looking at Piper closely. "The Guardian is their Avatar's teacher and protector. And like the Avatar, the Guardian has their own reincarnation cycle; though it has no pattern like the Avatar's."

Piper let out a disbelieving scoff. "You think I'm this Guardian?" she exclaimed.

"The Avatar and the Guardian have a spiritual connection," the Sage closest to her explained. "We haven't had an Avatar in a hundred years, and after finding out he's alive after all these years, you, Piper, lose consciousness."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Piper looked at the Sages before looking at her mother. Rei was as pale as a ghost, her hands over her mouth. Piper's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Piper." The Sage closer to her put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll need you to come with us to the Capital."

"What?" Piper squeaked.

"The Fire Lord has already been told of the Avatar, he'll need to know about you."

(A/N):

Hopefully this made sense! Sorry if it didn't. Also, I am so sorry it took so long to post this chapter, I've been having trouble concentrating and focusing on what I wanted to write. I might have a bit of writer's block―I'm writing four other stories plus this one―so that could be why. I don't know.

Nothing in the ATLA universe belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the bed I sleep on.

So, the Fire Sages told Piper about the Avatar's Guardian, they want her to go with them to see Ozai, Piper's having a bit of a crisis, etc., etc., etc. What do you think should happen? If you've got an idea on what could or should happen to Piper, leave a review or PM me! I'm all for your ideas and/or suggestions.

Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.

Many blessings,

Indigo Callahan