Chapter Twenty Five

A New Beginning

I stared at the familiar door, tugging at the hems of my shirt. I don't know exactly why Katara thought Aang would listen to me, after rejecting her, Sokka, Hakoda, Toph, and many more people. He was in a state of distress…He probably felt lost. He needed time alone. But after getting into an unintentional argument with Sokka and Katara over it, and in which Sokka lost, I was booted here to try.

Try? How was I supposed to do that? I frowned, looking down at my feet. I wasn't a very good advice-giver, or comfort person. I never was, and probably never will be.

Lifting my eyes, I knocked gently on the metal door. I stared at the doorknob, half-expecting it to turn. Of course, it didn't. I dropped my hands in defeat, turning to leave.

Suddenly, the door flung open. I turned back around in surprise, peering hesitantly into the room. My eyes rested on a single silhouette sitting on the bed, back to me. I stepped slowly into the room, closing the door quietly behind me.

"Aang?" I ventured carefully, walking over. I sat down next to him on the bed, observing his expression. His mouth was set in a firm line, his brows furrowed together in anger. "Aang, it will be okay."

His fists clenched the quilt underneath of us suddenly, before he rose to his feet. Wincing, he turned away. "How is it okay?" He asked me, his voice harsh. "The whole world thinks I'm dead. I've failed them. Again."

I looked up at him, "You didn't fail them."

"I did! You don't understand, Vinca. You don't have the whole world depending on you!" Aang snapped, his shoulders sagging as his mouth curved in a sad frown. "How am I supposed to defeat the Firelord if I can't even defend Ba Sing Se?"

I crossed my legs underneath of me, staring at my wrists. "When I was little, my grandma used to tell me stories about the Avatar. Legends, they were. While other kids thought that the Avatar was the most powerful human being on the entire planet, who could defeat anyone and anything with a blink of an eye, I thought different." I paused to see that Aang had sat down on the chest across from me.

"I always thought that it would be hard being the Avatar. Of course, being the Avatar meant that you were the more powerful human being, it also meant that tons of people counted on you to bring balance back. To save them from this and that." I absentmindedly ran a finger across one of the scars on my wrist, "The Avatar is just another human being with feelings and doubts and thoughts, too." I glanced at him. "And I know why you think you've failed everyone."

"I did fail them." His voice faltered.

I ignored him, "Just because we lost to the Fire Nation with Ba Sing Se doesn't mean that people have lost hope. Katara told me that you were frozen in an iceberg for one hundred years. Over that time, people never lost hope. Just because of one defeat doesn't mean that they will."

Aang looked at me, "But if they think I'm dead…"

"Then we'll just have to show them that you're not."

"How?"

I smiled, catching his gaze and holding it, "Sokka has a new plan that I think you might want to hear."

We all sat down in a circle around Sokka, who was perched on a wooden crate holding a map and his disguise, which was a Fire Nation helmet. I fixed my red cloak before crossing my legs underneath of me again, picking at my bowl of noodles. Katara sat to my right, and to my left sat Aang. Momo sat on my shoulders and Toph sat by Aang.

"So…what now?" Aang inquired, looking up at Sokka and Hakoda.

Hakoda smiled kindly, placing a hand on Sokka's shoulder, "We've been working on a new invasion plan. We won't be able to carry through a massive invasion, because we lack the Earth King's armies. However, with the solar eclipse coming up that will leave the Fire Nation vulnerable, firebenders will not be able to use their bending."

Sokka quickly picked up, "So, we're planning a much smaller invasion. Basically, just a few of our friends we have made overall. See, we already have Pipsqueak and The Duke!" He exclaimed, nodding towards the two who were standing behind him. They grinned widely, waving. I smiled back.

"And, the best part is…" Sokka continued, motioning towards Aang dramatically, "The eclipse is just part of our invasion. The biggest surprise, " He paused, smiling, "Is you." He pointed towards Aang.

Aang's shoulders sagged tremendously, but he nodded.

"The Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore! And, they won't expect you on the Day of Black Sun." The water tribe warrior explained.

Suddenly, a large horn sounded in the distance. Everyone turned, and I narrowed my eyes upon seeing another Fire Nation war ship sailing our way.

"I can handle this." Aang said determinedly, flicking open his glider. He winced, holding his chest in pain.

I stepped forward, "They don't know we're Fire Nation." I warned.

"We need to act normal." Toph said.

Chief Hakoda put on his helmet, motioning towards his friend. "Bato and I will handle this. Everyone stay calm."

Quickly, Pipsqueak covered Appa with a large blanket, and everyone headed under deck except for Bato and Hakoda. We watched carefully from a distance.

"I hate this." Aang muttered softly as we watched the two men speak with the other two who had stepped onto our ship.

I shifted uncomfortably as they turned to leave. Toph tensed beside me, and she suddenly jumped out of the hiding place. "They know!" She yelled, hitting the metal deck. The bridge that they had used collapsed underneath of the men, sending them into the ocean waters.

Katara quickly bended a large wave of water, expertly driving it towards the enemy ship. With enough distance between the two ship, ours hurriedly sailed away.

I leapt out, pointing to the sky, "They're shooting fireballs!" I said. One hit the side of the ship and everyone moved to the other side as the boat rocked threateningly. More came at high speeds.

I turned to Toph, who was hurling her own rocks at the opposing ship. It hit the catapult, but not before another fireball was launched.

I gritted my teeth as the catapult was joined by another weapon. The new weapon hit the side of the ship and it lurched back. Katara quickly bended the water to conceal the damage done.

"I'm going to give us some cover!" Katara yelled, right before a huge cloud of fog came over us.

All was eerily quiet.

A sudden sizzle was heard before another fireball came hurling down. I narrowed my eyes before moving in a semi-circle, creating a ball of air, then shoving it forward. The ball of air collided with the ball of fire, and the fire let out a hiss before dropping down embers to its disappearance.

Then, the fog broke just to see another fireball hit the deck. Katara quickly put it out with water, but they continued launching more.

"How are we doing?" Toph called.

"Couldn't get much worse," Sokka replied hastily, but right on cue a large creature rose from the water.

"Seriously?" I muttered under my breath as I moved away from the side that the creature was on.

"The universe just loves proving me wrong, doesn't it?" Sokka cursed aloud.

"You make it so easy!" Toph replied and I giggled quietly.

But just then, one of the fireballs hit the sea monster right in the face. Letting out an enraged screech, it disappeared under the water. Seconds later it was attacking the other ship.

"That went well." I noted with a smile upon seeing the monster attacking the opposing ship.

Sokka stared up in the sky in awe, "Thank you The Universe!" he cried, bowing down.

I was in my bedroom when I heard a soft knock. "Come in," I called, rising off my bed.

The door flung open to reveal Toph. "Hey Sparkles. We just came to a port. Wanna come with us to get some dinner?"

I smiled, "Sure." I grabbed my red robe and joined Sokka and Toph out in the hall. I glanced around. "Is Aang and Katara coming?"

Sokka shrugged before walking down the hallway. Toph and I followed. "They're going to meet up with us-"

All of a sudden, footsteps where heard pounding down the hall. "Sugar Queen?" Toph inquired, blankly staring down in the direction. Katara nearly ran into Sokka, who caught her just in time.

"Katara. What's wrong?" He asked. She was shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

"I-It's Aang. He's gone."

"I'll miss you, dad." Sokka said solemnly, hugging his father before mounting Appa. I sat by Appa's reins, absentmindedly running my fingers over the smooth, used reins. Katara gave her father one last hug before climbing up as well.

Rain poured fiercely down, soaking my clothes and my hair. I blinked away the rain drops before giving the reins a flick. "Yip-Yip." I said. The flying bison let out a roar, his large tail hitting the deck. We sailed up into the stormy sky, rain pelting us from above.

"Where could he be?" Sokka yelled, joining me by the reins. He squinted against the rain, turning his head to Katara.

Katara wiped the rain from her eyes, "He just took his glider and left! I don't know." She replied, her shoulders slumping.

My eyes narrowed as I glaced upwards. The full moon was clouded by the rain but it clearly shone down. It would be morning soon, and I could feel the rain ceasing. I prayed that we would find him. Safe and sound.

"What's that?" Sokka's voice drew me from my sleep. I rubbed my eyes, moving into a sitting position. The sun was rising, and the sky was a soft golden color. I gusted myself up by Sokka, who was holding the reins.

Following his pointing finger, I saw what he was motioning towards. It was a small crescent shaped island, seemingly created by a smoking volcano perched upon it. "Let's land." I suggested, and the water tribe warrior nodded, and we descended down into the air.

Appa landed with a grunt, and I felt my heart soar as my eyes rested on a familiar silhouette outlined on the harden lava beach. I leapt off of the bison, running over and sliding to a stop.

"Hmm…?" He moaned sleepily, his eyes opening. A small smile curved on his lips as I embraced him tightly. I felt arms wrap around us as our friends joined the hug. Momo wrapped himself around Aang, and I giggled as Appa licked us with a slobbery tongue.

"You're okay." Katara sighed happily, and everyone pulled away.

Aang shifted uncomfortably, his eyes distant. "I have so much to do…" He trailed off.

I smiled kindly, "I know, but this time you'll have our help."

Toph snorted, punching him lightly in the arm, "You couldn't have thought that you got out of training just because you came to the Fire Nation, didja?"

Aang grinned softly, but it faltered, "The invasion…what about that?"

Sokka nodded, "We'll join up with the others on the Day of the Black Sun." He replied.

Suddenly, Toph interrupted, "Hey…what's this-?" She frowned as she realized what it was. "Oh…"

It was Aang's glider. It was torn and broken, barely holding together.

Aang's lips set into a firm line, his shoulders straight as he looked at each of us. "It's okay. If someone saw it, it would give away my identity." And with that, he bended himself up by the volcano, stabbing his glider into the rock. As he joined us, I watched as the staff was engulfed in flames.

"A new beginning." He said with a determined nod.

AN: eeeh. I'm guilty! I'm sorry, I couldn't resist...I stole an episode! And by this I mean I pretty much followed the exact plot sequence in the episode "The Awakening". I used direct quotes and everything...(sigh). I don't think it turned out badly, though. I didn't like using some of the actual quotes, but...yeah. Expect more plot following chapters from now on, because I kind of have to go along with the series for a while to get the chapters to follow my plot. ^^' I tried to change some of the quotes up, in which I kinda had to because of Vinca being suddenly in the series. Haha.

Also expect some filler chapters, because basically that's all the next 5-10 (or whatever, i dunnooo) chapters are going to be until I get to the next big climax, the Day of the Black Sun stuff. Don't worry, I'll add in some mini-adventures. I have some ideas up my sleeve, if I must say so myself. (evil cackle)

Anyway, thank you all again for the reviews! :)