Disclaimer: I own this story and everything within it! Well, except for the majority of the cast, the environment, the abilities, the personalities, the... I own this story!

Rated M for blatantly obvious reasons in past chapters. In other words, if you made it this far, you shouldn't need to ask.

Aang: ZOMG another new chapter in a row? It's a record!
Katara: No it isn't. At one point it was almost a chapter a day.

Sokka: I remember that. Those were the days when we were moving along nicely.

Toph: I remember when we first started. I was a star of chapter one.

Sokka: Doesn't ring a bell.

Toph: What are you talking about! Go back and read it if you don't believe me!

Sokka: Sorry Toph, but that requires work. You know better than to ask me that.

Toph: Sorry, I forgot. I will read it to you then.

Sokka: Really?

Toph: No, you hog-monkey! I'm BLIND remember?

Sokka: Who are you again?

Author: One point for Sokka.

Toph: That buffoon isn't getting any points off me!

Author: Sorry Toph, he just did. You should have been more careful.

Toph: Like when Sokka blew himself up?

Author: Yeah, something like that.

Chapter 33: A Past Secret

Aang remained alone on the deck for the remainder of the day and returned there the next morning. Sokka, Hokoda and Kita had taken to taking turns watching over Katara as she rested. Aang had not known just how badly removing the blue mist would be for her. He remembered Ao's words, "Removing the blue mist requires both airbending and waterbending to accomplish. Luckily, you possess both. When I removed it from you, you were in no position to learn. I will teach it to you now. But I must warn you; here in the spirit world, you are only feeling it being removed from your soul, and though painful and quite unpleasant, it's nothing to worry about. If you were to be cured in the mortal plane, however, the pain would be beyond endurance for most."

"Why is that?" Aang asked curiously.

"The mist works by polluting the connection between ones body and soul, using ones connection to the leylines of power. That is why it will only affect a bender. When you are here, the mist came with your spirit and as such was cleansed without the need to expunge it from your physical body. If it were removed on the mortal plane, the pain caused would be more than most could bare. It would be like having your soul turned inside out as it was being torn up within you. I warn you, young avatar; do not do so lightly. Whomever you try to cure may rather deign to remain as they are than to risk such a horror."

Aang had not fully understood the warning until he had seen Katara's anguish. He almost regretted it; but in honestly he knew that it was necessary. Katara had wanted to be cured and, like him, probably would have shrugged off the warning as something bad to be tolerated. Now, more than a day later, she had still not risen from the bed where he had left her. He could not bare to be near her; not with knowing the pain he had caused her. Her mind, her body, her soul; they all were a part of what made her who she was; who he loved. He had torn part, if not all of her apart in his attempt to restore her to normal.

Hakoda had given everyone orders to leave Aang alone, not that he had noticed. He had not sought to speak to anyone, and was unaware that no one really wanted to speak to him.

"How is she?" Hakoda asked, entering Katara's cabin. Kita was at her side as usual, checking on her.

"The same." she replied tiredly. She had not slept more than a few rough hours in her chair since taking vigil over the fallen girl.

"No sign of improvement then?" Hakoda asked crestfallen.

Kita shook her head. "It's hard to tell. I have never before seen a malady like what happened to her and Aang. If I were to simply go by what I do know, she appears to be relatively healthy. She could pass as having a small cold or flu. Her temperature is a bit high, and she is sweating it out."

Hakoda sighed. "What about your..." he hesitated to say gift, knowing that Kita did not really think of it as such most of the time.

She shook her head again. "I have already tried; the power will not come. It is almost as if whatever was afflicting her was immune to the healing art of waterbending. Even though it appears to be gone, my power can not heal her."

Hakoda took a seat in a chair beside Kita. "So we wait?" he asked.

"So we wait." Kita replied.

The ship returned to Kyoshi island shortly after, and Katara remained aboard, with Kita by her side. Suki, Ty-Lee and Sokka headed back into the village to try and locate the medallion that they had originally come for. It did not take them long; they split up to check the statue of Avatar Kyoshi, the village, and the burial grotto. Suki had decided that she would question the people. Ty-Lee was sent to the grotto, just in case Sokka got an itchy grip regarding the gemstones embedded there.

Sokka had examined the statue in every way he could and came up empty handed. He returned to the village where Suki was still asking elders about anything they might know. Soon she too was out of options, and they waited for Ty-Lee to return.

Ty-Lee had entered the submerged tomb of Avatar Kyoshi without difficulty but had found nothing. The gems were all still glittering in their sockets, but there was no sign of a medallion anywhere. Just as she was about to give it up as a bad job, something caught her eye; a gray opal the size of a fist, right over the back of Kyoshi's stone sarcophagus's' hand. Ty-Lee walked over to it and examined the stone and was surprised to find that it was not an opal at all, but a normal stone. Carefully, she pried the stone loose; and revealed the glint of the medallion beneath it. Cartwheeling for joy, Ty-Lee returned the stone to its resting place and headed back for the village, happy she was able to help.

"I found it!" Ty-Lee replied happily as she cartwheeled around Sokka and Suki.

"Really?" Sokka asked excitedly. Ty-Lee handed the medallion over to him and he examined it. "It's just like the one Aang brought back; a symbol on the front, but the Spirit King's crest on the back!" he exclaimed.

"Ty-Lee;" Suki asked the girl, "Where did you find it?" Suki herself had explored the cavern hundreds of times; she couldn't believe that Ty-Lee had found something that she didn't.

"It was on the stone sarcophagus." Ty-Lee told her. "I almost missed it."

Suki knew all about the sarcophagus. There was no way... "Where exactly was it?" she asked curiously.

"Under one of the stones." Ty-Lee answered immediately. "At first, I thought it was an opal, but the stone was just a stone; the only one in the whole cave that wasn't sparkly. It came loose, and the medallion was under it."

Suki was shocked. She had told Ty-Lee along with Sokka not to touch those stones. Still...

"Alright. Good job, Ty-Lee."

Yue had taken over. Suki was still so wrapped up in the idea of desecration that she had failed to reply, or keep Yue from exerting her control. "We should get back to the ship. With the ones Aang and Katara have, we have three now. We are getting closer to our goal." she said.

"Right." Sokka agreed. He carefully pocketed the medallion and started off towards the ship. Yue began to follow, but Suki stopped her.

'I have to go to the tomb.' Suki said seriously.

'Why?' Yue asked in turn. 'Ty-Lee already told you what she found there.'

'I... I have to.' Suki insisted.

'Alright.' Yue replied curiously.

"You guys go on ahead. I will be right behind you." Yue said in Suki's body. Sokka nodded and he and Ty-Lee headed off to the ship alone. Suki waited until they were out of sight and then headed for the tomb, now in control of herself again. She quickly found herself submerged and accessed the familiar hideaway. The sparking gemstones dazzled her eyes as they always did, reminding her of just how powerful Kyoshi was.

Suki slowly, deliberately stepped towards the sarcophagus until she halted a few feet away.

'Suki, what is it? What's going on?' Yue asked in concern.

Suki did not reply. She couldn't. She couldn't bare the thought that... Quickly she mustered the courage to cross the remaining distance and set foot beside the stone basin that held the remains of Kyoshi.

'Suki, what...'

Suki placed her hand gently atop the stone hand carved on the lid of the tomb that bore Kyoshi's form. She felt the stone Ty-Lee had mentioned and twisted it free, revealing the gap that had held the medallion. Laying there and missed by Ty-Lee, a small, tightly wound scroll lay concealed. Yue remained silent as Suki gently retrieved the scroll. As she lifted it from its hiding place, a small box also became visible. Suki took that as well, and now empty, she resealed the gap with the stone that had stood vigil upon these items for more than a hundred years.

Suki slowly broke the seal off the scroll, scared of what she may find. Both girls held their breath as Suki carefully unrolled the scroll and began to read. Her eyes widened as she went, though Yue was unable to read the writing. When it was done, Suki dropped the scroll to the floor, following it as she fell to her knees. Tears streamed from her eyes.

She took the little box now and held it to her face, afraid to open it; knowing what must be inside. She opened the box and gasped; an emerald ring lay on a velvet cushion. An emerald that seemed to glow with its own inner light took up the center of the ring. Surrounding it in a pattern were rubies, sapphires and turquoise, obviously representing the fire nation, water tribe and air nomads. Kyoshi's ring. Suki broke down and cried.

Suki remained frozen that way on the ground until Yue exerted control and guided her out of the Grotto. Yue as always was happy to find that Suki's body was much stronger and durable than her own had been. She held her breath easily twice as long as she otherwise could have. Breaking the surface into the warm sunny day, Yue swam to shore and used her bending to dry herself off, watering the nearby plants and trees with the shiny droplets that emerged from her clothing.

Walking back to the village, Yue continued to try and get Suki to talk to her, but remained unsuccessful. Something had seriously upset her about finding that ring and scroll, but Yue could not fathom what it could mean.

As she passed through the village, various residents of the island stopped her to greet or thank her. A few children came to her and a little girl gave her a wreathe made of wildflowers as a thank you for saving the village. Tue was polite to them all, but since she did not really know them, she quickly moved on before she would be forced to give herself away.

Once was through the village and half way through the pass leading back to the ship, Suki forced herself back into control of her body and Yue felt herself disembodied roughly. 'Suki! What...' Yue began, but Suki shook her head.

'I can't go. I need to stay here, with my people.' Suki replied tearfully in her thoughts.

'What was in that scroll? What does it mean?' Yue asked.

Suki took a moment to reply. Yue could feel her body shaking. 'I... I can't...'

'Suki, who would be better to talk to than me?' Yue comforted. She had to get Suki to open up. Something had shaken her badly, and though they hadn't known each other long, Yue knew that it took a lot to get Suki to lose her sense of self.

But it was no good; Suki remained quiet and refused to move on. She refused to talk to Yue. The best Yue could do was hope that someone would come back and find them and hopefully talk some sense into Suki.

Katara awoke to the slow breathing of her father sitting in a chair next to her. The cabin was dim but she could see well enough. He appeared to be asleep. Sitting up slowly, Katara tried to get her bearings. Her entire body felt like it had been beaten to within an inch of death, but a quick once over showed her nothing out of the ordinary. It hurt to move or do much, however. She watched her father's breathing a moment more before sliding her legs over the side of the bed and out from under the covers. She stood up; only to fall back on the bed. Her legs felt like jelly and would not support her weight.

The movement jostled Hakoda from his nap and he opened his eyes to find his daughter grimacing as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Katara!" Hakoda exclaimed quietly and leaned forward to hug his daughter. She stiffened at his touch and he quickly took notice and backed away. "Are you alright?" he asked in concern.

"I think so." Katara replied with another grimace. "I am just really sore I think. What happened?"

Concern was etched on Hokoda's face. "What do you remember?"

Katara thought a moment. "I remember Aang..." she gasped. "Aang! He was captured by the pirates! We have to..."

"Calm down Katara." Hakoda said gently. "Aang has already returned. You seem to be missing a few days of memories at the least."

"What happened to me, dad?" Katara asked.

Hakoda told her about the affliction that had taken her and Aang, and about what had transpired since. "The Avatar managed to cure your illness, but it nearly killed you."

Katara had listened attentively to her father's story. So Aang had run off alone again. When was he going to learn that he needed her... them. The affliction Hakoda described that stole her bending and made her appear as a harpy... that was just bizarre. She definitely felt like she had nearly died though; her body was still screaming in protest and her mind was still a bit foggy.

"So where is Aang?" Katara asked curiously. She wanted to thank him for saving her. Just to test her ability, she raised the water in the glass by her bedside and it hovered before her; her bending was normal it seemed.

"Aang... Aang has been staying away from everyone lately." Hakoda told her with a sigh.

"Why?" Katara asked. Surely he cared if she was okay?

Hakoda drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "When... When you were ill... When Aang came back from his trip to the Southern Air Temple, you were furious that he had run off. You calmed down a little after he apologized, but you were still very upset. He tried to warn us all that the process of curing you would be painful and you refused to do anything until he accounted for himself. After he had, you and he came down here to your room. He cured you..." Tears were now in Hakoda's eyes.

Katara reached out and brushed a tear from his beard. "Dad, I'm okay."

He nodded and sighed. "You have no idea, Katara. Your screams..."

At this Katara blinked in surprise. "My screams?" she asked curiously. "You mentioned he said it would be painful."

"Yes, but we had no idea. Katara, your screams sounded throughout the ship. It sounded like you were being slowly and brutally tortured to death. Aang had locked us out and before we found a way in, you finally stopped screaming. We had no idea what was happening to you."

"Was I really screaming that loudly?" Katara asked in shock.

Hakoda nodded. "The men are weary of Aang now. You're screams... Every man on board would have given his life to stop your suffering."

"It was really that bad?" Katara asked scoffing. She looked into her father's eyes and realized he was not joking. If anything he was underplaying the truth. "I see. So now everyone thinks that Aang is a monster?"

"Not entirely, but that is a bit of the impression." Hakoda admitted.

"I must not remember the last few days because of the cure also. Aang must be staying away from me because he's feeling guilty. I am going to put a stop to that right now." She stood again, only to weave a bit and fall back on the bed. She looked up sheepishly at her father. "Could I get a hand?"

Katara managed to get up on the main deck thanks to her father walking beside her and keeping her upright. He was almost holding her up with sheer strength, though he refused to admit that. When Katara first came out on the main deck, she saw Aang immediately. He was sitting in his meditative state at the front prow of the ship. She also noticed that no one was in fifteen feet of him and staying well out of that radius if they could manage it. She nudged her father and they moved straight towards Aang. However, one of the sailors saw them first and intercepted them. "It's good to see your alright, Ms." the man told her cheerily. He turned his face a bit towards Aang and frowned, seeing they were heading towards him, but courteously stepped aside and went back to his work.

Aang did not move at all Katara and Hakoda's approach. "Aang?" Hakoda asked to get his attention. He still did not move.

Katara carefully let go of her father and moved forward, placing a hand on Aang's shoulder. "Aang." she murmured. Immediately Aang jumped up and turned to see Katara up and about. His eyes lit up as if by a thousand suns... and just as quickly died as his guilt reasserted itself. He turned his gaze away.

"Are you alright?" he asked glumly. He was obviously concerned, but knew better than to get excited.

"I think so. It appears I owe you my life." Katara replied. Aang would not look at her. He continued to gaze out to sea.

"Not really." Aang said quietly.

"Of course really." Katara said. "You cured me. I owe you my life."

"I nearly took your life!" Aang snapped and turned his back on her.

"Aang, why won't you look at me?" Katara asked gently.

Aang froze. He was shaking. Katara knew he was struggling within himself. Once again she reached out and lay her hand gently on his shoulder. He flinched at her touch; something he had never done before.

"Aang; look at me. Please?" Katara said gently.

Very slowly, Aang turned to face Katara. He kept his gaze low at first, seeing her boots and the hem of her clothing before slowly bringing his gaze upward. He stopped around her knees, however.

Katara reached out and gently cupped Aangs cheek and chin in her palm and forced him to raise his gaze. She brought it up until they were looking into each others eyes. Aang saw immediately that he was forgiven, but he didn't forgive himself. He couldn't. He tried to turn away again, but Katara held him firm. Their eyes locked once more.

"It is not your fault, Aang." Katara said with a tone of finality. "Even if I had known the risks, I would have gone through with it. To be honest, I do not even remember anything after we charged the pirates."

Aang blinked. "Really? You don't remember anything?"

"Not a thing. My dad told me most of it though. It seems that it all worked out. We have the medallions, and neither of us was permanently harmed." she returned.

"Then you can bend?" Aang asked.

Katara nodded, leaned against the rail carefully, and performed a simple bending maneuver. A line of water came up over the raid and circled them twice before returning to the ocean. "I am just very sore and weak. I need some rest and I will be as good as new."

"Katara!" Sokka called as he raced over to their side. "Are you..."

"Yes Sokka, I'm fine." Katara smiled at him. "I think you had better make a public announcement before I am asked that question fifty times." she told her father.

"Right away." Hakoda said with a grin and walked towards the men working on deck.

"Look, I am really glad your alright, but I need your help." Sokka said quickly after Hakoda strode off. His expression had gone from the typical happy-go-lucky Sokka to the serious worried Sokka.

"What is it, Sokka?" Katara asked quickly.

"It's Suki. Something is wrong with her." he replied.

Katara immediately went into serious mode herself. "What do you mean by something is wrong with her?" Could it be Yue?

"I don't know! She was supposed to come back to the ship behind me and Ty-Lee, but she never came, so I went back to get her. She's just standing in the pass, staring off into space and she won't talk or move or anything!"

Katara looked at Aang. "We need to go to her."

Aang nodded and drew a whistle from his shirt. He blew a silent blast into the little artifact and Appa was hovering by the rail a moment later. Aang nodded to Sokka and hopped onto Appa's head. Sokka picked Katara up and gently put her in the saddle before climbing in himself.

"Yip Yip!" Aang called, and Appa flew off in the direction of the pass. It was a very short flight. They found Suki still standing in the pass, alone and staring blankly ahead. Aang and Sokka gingerly carried Katara down to the ground and Sokka let her lean on him as they approached Suki.

Katara took a quick look at her then turned to Sokka. "I need my bag. Can you run back to the ship and get it for me?"

"Sure I will be right back." he said, starting towards Appa.

"Sokka, leave Appa here. I may need to bring Suki to the ship in a hurry. Just run." she told him. Sokka grumbled something that sounded vaguely like errand boy before dashing back down the path.

Katara turned back to Suki and began a quick cursory examination, careful to maintain her weight on Aang, who was now supporting her. She nodded and turned to face Aang. As she currently leaning on him, their faces were mere inches apart. A short, awkward moment passed between them. Finally, Katara turned away and spoke. "I don't know if you know or not, but back at the North Pole when Suki fell into the spirit oasis..."

"Yue's spirit joined hers in her body." Aang finished for her. "She told me back at the North Pole. She was the reason I knew where the medallions were." Aang gently moved Katara over to a big rock laying squat on the ground to one side and helped her sit. "It was a good idea to get Sokka away from here. Now we can see what's going on without him finding out about Yue." Aang stepped back over to the frozen Suki and placed a hand to her forehead.

Aang found himself in what he was coming to find was typical for the place between the material plane and the spirit plane. He was surprised to find himself at the edge of an interesting representation of the spirit oasis. The oasis and the area around it was the same, but instead of icy walls and ground on the outskirts, it was lush grass and a clear blue sky. Suki was sitting by the water, her arms around her knees rocking back and forth. Yue was beside her, trying desperately to comfort her. When she saw Aang, she stood and approached him.

"Avatar! Thank the spirits!" Yue exclaimed.

"Actually, thank Sokka. He got worried when you didn't return to the ship and came to find you." Aang told her.

"Then he knows?" she asked with a slight frown.

"Not yet. He came and got Katara and me and brought us to you. Katara was smart enough to send him on an errand to get him out of the way."

Yue smiled and nodded. "I will thank Katara when I see her."

"What exactly is going on here, Yue?" Aang asked, glancing at Suki.

Yue explained to Aang about the medallion's hiding place and how Ty-Lee had found it. She then told him about Suki demanding to go there on her own and what she found.

"So something she read on that scroll did this to her?" Aang asked in surprise. "I have never seen Suki this way."

"I have tried everything I can think of to get her to speak to me, but she refuses. She won't even let me have control of her body until she is well. She has shut me out completely." Yue said sadly.

"Let me try." Aang said and headed over to the still slowly rocking form by the pool. He tried to get her attention by saying her name, laying a hand on her shoulder; he even tried poking her. Nothing worked.

"I guess it's time for desperate measures." Aang said to Yue. He knelt down behind Suki, quickly grasped her with his arms and heaved her up and into the pool. She didn't even let out a scream as she flew headfirst into the water. Aang and Yue waited for over a minute. Aang was beginning to wonder if she would come up at all and wondered if here in the mind if breathing was even necessary.

Suddenly Suki erupted from the water in a geyser and landed on the shore. Her eyes were ablaze with fire as either tears or remaining water trickled down her cheeks; Aang could not tell which. Her stance was that of a warrior and Aang knew he had no choice. He too took a defensive stance.

Suki dashed at him and Aang tried to bend her away with a blast of air. He was surprised to find he could not, and barely managed to roll aside as Suki came down on his former position. She looked at him fiercely as he stood. "Get out of my head Aang." she demanded.

"Suki, what's wrong? What's going on?" Aang asked her, not relaxing even slightly.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Suki told him harshly.

"Suki, your standing still in the middle of the pass. You won't let Yue help you, and your fighting me. You've withdrawn completely into yourself. Something is bothering you. What is it?" Aang asked her again.

The look in her eyes changed to that of a scared little girl, but her stance remained unchanged. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." Aang said.

Suddenly a scroll appeared in the air in front of Aang. He grabbed it and unrolled it. It was written in the earth kingdom hand. He had been taught the script, but it was a rarity, even back when he was younger. As he read it, he began to understand. When he had finished, he continued to stare at the scroll in utter surprise.

"Now get out of my head!" Suki screamed. Aang dropped the scroll, which vanished in mid air just before hitting the ground. He started towards Suki, sympathy etched on his face.

"It's not your fault Suki." Aang said gently. A torrent of water streamed up from the imaginary oasis and streamed towards him. Aang did not even flinch as they stream seemed to hit something solid a foot from him and sprayed out to water the ground. "You didn't do anything wrong." Aang added, another jet of water slamming into him and again being somehow repelled.

"How..." Suki began, lunged forward at Aang. A huge crack formed beneath Aang and opened wide. Aang continued his march forward as if walking on air. Suki just watched in shock as Aang reached her, looked into her eyes, and then gave her a hug. Suki broke down and cried.

When Sokka finally returned, Suki was sitting with Katara on a rock and Aang was sitting cross-legged at their feet. They were all talking quietly.

"Suki! Your okay!" Sokka exclaimed happily, throwing himself at her and enveloping her in a bear hug.

"Sokka; let her breathe." Katara said with a smile. Sokka relinquished his grip slightly, but continued to brush up against her and rub his cheek to hers.

"So what happened?" he finally asked, releasing Suki to take her seat.

Aang and Katara shared a glance. Luckily they had time before Sokka returned to come up with a story. "Suki was hit with something like what hit me and Aang." Katara explained. "Aang cured her though."

"So then the attackers still out there somewhere!" Sokka exclaimed. Aang and Katara shared another glance, unknown to Sokka, who had begun monologuing about what he was going to do when he caught the bastard. "Let's go!" Sokka started back towards the village at a good pace.

"Um... Sokka?" Katara said quickly. Sokka turned to her curiously. Katara shook her head. "Suki was just attacked and I can barely walk. Let's get back to the ship."

Sokka nodded and picked Katara up gently. "But what about the rest of the villagers?" Sokka asked. "We can't leave an attacker on the loose."

"Don't worry Sokka. Some of the boys were coming to see us off and I sent them back to warn the village. The Kyoshi warriors will handle it." Suki told him calmly.

"Oh. Well alright then." Sokka said simply and headed to Appa. Aang and Yue exchanged a glance. Aang grinned as Suki smiled and they followed Sokka back to the Sky Bison.

Aang and Yue were with Katara in her room. Kita had joined them and given Katara a medical checkup to make sure she was alright. Sokka had wanted to be there, but Aang had asked Hakoda to keep him occupied.

"Everything appears to be alright." Kita told Katara as she withdrew her hands and replaced the water in her flask. "I can tell your sore, but that will fade on it's own."

"Thank you, Kita." Katara said sincerely. "I figured I should get a second opinion."

"You may want to stay in bed for at least another day or two though. It will help keep the pain down and give your muscles more time to rest." Kita suggested as she got ready to leave.

"I will and thanks again." Katara said. Kita left the room and Aang quickly got up and locked the cabin door behind her.

Katara let her breath out. "I thought she would never leave. Now we can get to the bottom of this."

Yue smiled. "You really don't like Kita, do you?" she asked Katara.

Katara shook her head. "No, I like her just fine. I admit that I wasn't a fan at first... I just really want to know whats going on." Katara replied.

Suki filled Katara in on what had transpired at the tomb just as she had told Aang before. "So now she refuses to talk to me or Aang, but at least she let me take control of her body in the mean time."

"What did that scroll say?" Katara asked Aang. Yue nodded at him also.

Aang sighed. "I can't read it to you exactly, but it aid some really... surprising stuff." Aang said.

"Summarize as best you can." Yue prompted him.

Aang shrugged. "It seems that Avatar Kyoshi is Suki's ancestor. The letter tells the truth about the battle that created Kyoshi Island and how she became it's ruler."

"It's ruler? I thought the Avatar was supposed to be free from all nations." Katara said.

Aang nodded. "It seemed that Kyoshi had a want for power and a need to prove that women made better warriors than men. If not for the fact that her people needed men to..." Aang blushed. "To make babies, they would have been an entirely female nation. It's true that she needed to stop the conqueror from taking the entire earth kingdom, but she also did it as a sign of power and to forge her own nation."

"So Suki's upset her ancestor created Kyoshi Island on false pretenses?" Katara asked.

Yue shook her head. "I think it's more than that. I have been with Suki long enough to know that she and the rest of her people idolize Kyoshi as their role model. Learning that your hero is somewhat a villain would shake anyone I think."

"Not to mention that you came from that fallen hero." Aang added. "The note said that her line should continue her mission to take control and make women the dominant gender. It mentioned her grandson, who Suki knows is her great-great-grand-something or other."

"So Suki thinks that she is supposed to do that?" Katara asked in surprise. "I would think she's doing a fine job leading her people as they are."

"Suki is the leader of her people now. Her ancestor, the original leader, gave her the task of making men subservient. She lost her way." Yue said sagely. "I think I understand now. Suki is torn between what she was raised to believe, what she believes, and familial obligation while also losing her role model. It's no wonder she retreated into herself."

"Luckily, I was able to get this information from her." Aang nodded.

"Avatar, how did you avoid her attacks in her mind?" Yue asked Aang with a curious glance.

"The Ancient One explained it to me. When in a person's mind, anything they can imagine can occur. The only way to beat it is to keep your focus and not let anything else matter. Keep your focus, and you keep your thoughts to yourself. If you don't share thoughts, you are like a wall within their mind; impenetrable to anything they can come up with."

"Interesting." Yue said skeptically. "I admit I was a bit shocked when I saw you walking on air like that."

Katara arched an eyebrow. "Walking on air?" Yue told her what had happened. Katara laughed.

"What's so funny?" Aang asked.

"Just imagine if you walked on air in front of everyone. You would go from the Avatar to the Spirit King himself!"

Yue laughed and Aang hung his head low as the girls laughed. "I have enough trouble being the Avatar. I don't want a promotion!" The girls laughed harder.

Yue continued to control Suki as the ship sailed towards the rendezvous to pick up Toph and Jet. Hakoda had insisted that he escort them at least that far. It took them a little longer to reach the point, but they were ahead of schedule regardless with three amulets in tow. If Toph had recovered even a couple more, they would have what they needed.

Katara: I'm CURED!

Sokka: Thank the spirits. I couldn't stand you as a harpy. I thought you looked bad as a human, but...

Toph: One for his side.

Sokka: Of course.

Katara: I will get you for that, Sokka.

Sokka: I wouldn't be surprised. But by the time you do, I will have gotten you at least two more times, and myself at least once.

Suki: How do you get yourself?

Sokka: Well, you see; the way it works is...

Toph: If it's possible, trust Sokka to figure it out.

Suki: Isn't that cheating though? I mean, if he can score points off of himself, he can pass everyone!

Author: They have a point Sokka. I am gonna have to make it a rule that you can't score off yourself.

Sokka: That's not fair!

Aang: All is fair in love and war... and scoring points.

Toph: One for his side.

Sokka: Why does HE get a point for that?

Mai: Cause he called you on your whining.

Sokka: I do NOT whine. I complain in a high pitched voice.

Zuko: That IS whining Sokka.

Author's Corner:

Hello again ladies and gentlefolk. Slowly but surely I am plugging along. Things getting interesting yet? So Suki is a descendant of the Avatar. Does that make her a relative of Aang? Aang may have been a tyrant in a past life? Weird.

Questions, concerns, comments, commentary, suggestions, criticisms or whatever else you got; please feel free to throw them my way in the form of reviews. I miss getting the feedback and the friendly mails and stuff. /sniff.

Thanks to those who have been reviewing. I also have a few new favorites. Good to see that my story is still having a following. I always reply to my reviews so if I am a bit slow to reply, my apologies.