"Gather around, Team Avatar," Sokka calls us to a mountain later that day. He put some spare clothes from the attic and a giant watermelon onto a pike and stuck it in the ground. "In order to take out the Fire Lord—or in this case, the Melon Lord—Our timing has to be perfect." He grabbed a stick to draw in the dirt. "First, Suki and I will draw his Fire. Then Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy-hot offense. And while the Melon Lord is distracted, Aang swoops in and BAM!" he draws the stick through the smiling melon's face. "He delivers the final blow."

"Uh, what about me?" Toph asks.

"Right now, you're the Melon Lord's forces," Sokka explains.

"So I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?"

"Whatever makes the training feel more realistic."

"Sweetness."

I hold up my hand. "And what about me?"

"Same as Toph, you're the forces."

"How come I'm not part of the offense?" I stand up, angry. "Everybody else is!"

"Because everybody else will actually be there when we attack!" Sokka rises as well.

If he had told me to vacation to Mexico, I couldn't be more confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you told us when you first came that you could be pulled away at any moment the Spirits deem right, and we'll never have you back! You won't even remember us. How could we possibly count on you when you could be gone in the blink of an eye?"

I hadn't even thought of those words since my mother said them to me a month ago. But he spoke the truth. When would I get pulled back? I had no control over Spirits, or when I came and left. I resign myself to Co-Melon Lord with Toph. "Fine."

"To your battle stations!" Sokka whoops to the rest of the group. As they race down the mountain, Toph and I take our positions. Just before they reach the tree line, Zuko looks back and gives me a sad smile. What does me leaving mean for us? How could I possibly go back home and forget all of this? Would I always know that something is missing in my life?

No, I decide. I will not forget Zuko. Let me forget Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Azula, the Fire Lord, and all of this war madness, but let me keep Zuko.

"Mwahahahaha!" Toph cackles at the signal from Sokka. In the midst of my day dreaming, she's concocted a circle of oil cover rocks for her use surrounded by the flaming torches left by Sokka.

I see Sokka and Suki coming, as per the plan, and Earth bend some rock soldiers to attack. Toph lights one of her rocks and sends it flying toward them as well, narrowly missing Sokka.

"Watch it Toph!" He shakes his fist at us.

Toph is too caught up in her excitement. "I'm not Toph! I am Melon-Lord! Mwahahahaha!"

She readies another rock and sends it flying towards Katara and Zuko. I bring up more rock soldiers and, one by one, they're taken out with Fire and Ice.

I keep attacking with rock soldiers, occasionally sending jets of white hot flame to ease my anger. Soon, Sokka gives another signal and I spot Aang out of the corner of my eye. I shoot a wall of Fire at him, but he powers through it with some Water bending and lands easily in front of the Melon Lord. Just as the Avatar's about to smash his head in half, he stops and lowers his staff.

"What are you waiting for? Take him out!" Zuko shouts from across the mountain.

Aang only shakes his head. "I can't."

Katara and I share a look. She looks like she wants to help, but doesn't move. I catch Zuko's eye and he shakes his head.

"What's wrong with you?" Sokka storms up to the kid. "If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lightning right now."

Aang keeps his head down. "I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself."

Sokka takes out his sword and deftly slices the melon in two. Aang closes his eyes and winces.

"There," Sokka snaps. "That's how it's done."