A/N: Now, I'll be the first to admit that last chapter was not my best work. And it seems that some of you realized that. I received a review last chapter that really had me thinking about this story and what I was doing with it. I agree, I have been sticking a little too close to canon for the past few chapters. I'd forgotten about my original policy to spice up boring episodes. Thanks to Megii of Mysteri OusStranger, I was able to fix an upcoming chapter. I promise, things will start to get very interesting soon.

Thank you to all those who reviewed, subscribed, and favorited.

Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA, but Mira remains mine.

Chapter Eleven

Abandoning Hope

Mira was fully expecting another catastrophe as they sailed out of the desert, but it seemed that the spirits were looking kindly upon their group for once. There was no remarkable incident that marred their exit from the desert. They abandoned the sailer on the edge of a sand dune and after a quick check of the map, they started hiking their way to Ba Sing Se. The transition from travel by flight to travel by foot was rather unsettling, but Mira knew Aang was getting the worst of it. But even so, he was remarkably cheerful after leaving the desert. And Mira was beginning to think she knew the reason.

After traveling with Aang for several weeks, Mira had begun to see a pattern in his behavior. When Aang was faced with something unpleasant, or difficult to accept, he ran away from it. The story of his reaction regarding his role as the Avatar (and his subsequent imprisonment in ice) confirmed her suspicion, but Mira also saw this trend when it came to psychological matters. When she'd pointed out that Aang had been indirectly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Fire Nation soldiers, he'd balked at first. But five minutes later, he'd seemed alright (if a bit shaken up). Mira was now beginning to think he'd packaged up that painful truth and shoved it deep into the recesses of his mind, where he didn't have to think about it. He might have been doing the same thing with the impending battle against the Fire Lord. Aang was mentally running away from thoughts that were just too painful. Appa's kidnapping looked like it fell into this category. Aang was so focused on rescuing him, so convinced that they could find him, that he was able to fall back into his usual lighthearted behavior.

At least, that may have been what everyone else saw. Mira was a bit more observant than the others, so she was able to catch the flickers of unbearable sadness that passed over his face when he thought no one was looking. Katara seemed to be catching a few of them as well, but she was keeping quiet. Mira decided to follow her lead. No need to force Aang to confront any worst-case scenarios about his best friend. If Appa's abduction was his motivation right now, who was she to take it away?

It was on their first full day of hiking after leaving the desert when they found the river. The decision to stop had been unanimous. They were all still covered in sand, sweat, and buzzard-wasp blood. At the very least, they all needed a good, long soak. The group had stripped to their underclothes on the river bank, and quickly scrubbed their dirty clothing. Their laundry was hung up on a tree overhanging the river to dry. Next was the actual bathing itself. Mira and Katara had to practically shove Toph in the river (the earthbender seemed to have something against bathing), but they'd finally gotten her clean. She'd scrambled out as soon as they'd let her go, and had snatched her clothes off the tree branch the moment they were dry enough to wear. Surprisingly, Sokka had climbed out soon after and dressed as well. He'd unrolled a scroll from the spirit library and was scrutinizing it carefully. He'd wanted to get a quick start after the river, and was mapping a route to Ba Sing Se.

Instead of climbing out with the others, Mira had decided to stay in the river and soak. She floated across the top of the water, closing her eyes and enjoying the rare opportunity for her to just relax. She didn't even care that all her scars were exposed. She'd had to undo her leather strips in front of the others, as she couldn't very well wear them in the water. Her fingers had been trembling when she'd removed them, and she'd tried to hide her forearms as best she could as she'd slipped into the water. But Katara's keen eyes had caught sight of them, and the inevitable question had popped out.

"What happened?" she gasped, blue eyes wide with concern.

Well, Mira couldn't very well say nothing. The angry, red burns on her forearms pretty much ruled out denial as an option. She sighed and straightened her arms, exposing the burn scars for all to see. All eyes were on her, and Mira fidgeted underneath the attention. "I, uh…may not have been totally honest with you."

Now there's an understatement.

"I didn't lose my father in the war," she confessed. "He's still very much alive. We never got along when I grew up. He blamed me for my mother's death, so I acted out. One night, I stole my mother's wedding ring," her eyes flicked over to a certain pouch on her belt, "and he confronted me. We fought, and I packed up and left. But as I was about to leave…we were attacked. The Fire Nation chose that moment to invade our town." She sighed shakily and looked down at her bare feet through the rippling water. "I tried to fight a couple of soldiers, but I wasn't nearly as good as I am now. A soldier grabbed me, and his hands got red-hot, and, well…he didn't stop. He burned my forearms."

"How did you get away?" Aang asked in an undertone.

"I kicked him in the balls," she said grimly. "It doesn't matter which nation you're from, that still hurts like a bitch." The cursing helped steady her nerves, and she continued. "I ran away then. I left behind my village, and my best friend." She glanced over at Katara. The waterbender's eyes widened in realization, and her mouth formed a small "o" shape. "I left them behind and could only save myself," she ended bitterly, kicking at pebble resting on the riverbed. After a tense moment, she looked back up to find the others giving her looks of pity and sadness. Their sympathy caused her temper to flare, and she snapped, "Happy? Now you know my past. Maybe you'll stop pestering me about it." She dived under the water and swam out into the middle of the river before they could say anything.

Now she floated along, making sure to keep a small distance between her and the others. As Toph and Sokka climbed out, Mira debated drying off and joining them on the riverbank. But she stayed in the river. And now, thinking back to the story she'd told the others, she knew why.

No amount of bathing will ever cleanse you of your sins, the malicious little voice in the back of her head whispered. She slipped underneath the water in attempt to blot out the sinister voice that hissed all-too-uncomfortable truths. She remained submerged until she thought her lungs might burst. Finally, she broke the surface and sucked in the morning air. She dunked her head once more and wiped the wet strands of hair from her face. She was as clean as she was going to get, so she pulled herself out of the river and after drying herself off, she quickly dressed, frowning slightly as she shook out her now much shorter cloak. She'd cut off several strips from the bottom, and instead of reaching her feet, the cloak now stopped at her backside. She didn't like the new length, and resolved to find another cloak in Ba Sing Se. But she was forced to wear it at the moment, so she fastened it and kneeled next to the rock Sokka had laid the map out on. She'd just started analyzing any possible routes when a huge wall of water rose up from the river and drenched the pair of them.

Mira blinked and wiped the water from her face. "Seriously?!" she cried, glaring at Katara. The other girl froze momentarily under Mira's gaze, and she knew why. She sent Katara a silent message. Forget what happened earlier. Don't mention it, and let's move on. Unlike Aang, Mira had a tendency to hold on to painful truths. She didn't need any more reminders from the others. Thankfully, Katara seemed to understand. She grinned sheepishly as she wrung out her hair, and the tension evaporated.

"Sure, five-thousand-year-old maps from the spirit library, just splash some water on 'em," Sokka remarked sarcastically, eyebrows drawn in irritation.

"Sorry," Katara apologized, and with a slow flick of her wrists, the water floated gently out of the parchment.

Mira cleared her throat and glanced meaningfully down at her soaked clothes. Another turn of the wrists, and the water was pulled from Mira's clothing. She had to physically stop herself from wiggling at the bizarre transition from wet to dry. She nodded at Katara, then turned her attention back to the paper. This seemed to be the cue for the others to gather around. "So, did you figure out what route we're gonna take?" Aang asked, hands resting on his knees as he peered over Sokka's shoulder.

"Okay. We just got out of the desert, so we must be around here," Sokka pointed at a river on the map, "and we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here." He moved his finger to point to a large city enclosed by two circular walls. "It looks like the only passage connecting the south to the north is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass." He pointed to the landmark in question and let his finger tap the map a couple of times.

"Serpent's Pass?" Mira asked uneasily.

"What about it?" Sokka asked, lifting one eyebrow.

"Oh, it's fine. Y'know, if you're keen on vanishing without a trace," Mira replied lightly.

"What do you mean?" Katara inquired, eyes wide.

"I mean, people enter and don't exit kind of vanishing. I wouldn't advise it."

"But it's the only way!" Sokka insisted, pointing to the map.

"The obvious way," Mira corrected. "Not the only." She pointed to a small bay stuck to one end of the lake. "Full Moon Bay. The safest way to Ba Sing Se. Not the quickest, but you'll definitely get there."

"How long?" Aang piped up.

Mira thought for a moment. "Last time I took the ferry, it took us about, oh, four days?"

"Are you sure there isn't a faster way?"

"It's not like we have Appa to fly us there," Sokka said tactlessly. "It's the ferry or the pass." Mira quickly elbowed him in the ribs while Katara sent him a death glare.

"Shush up about Appa," Katara hissed in an undertone. "Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" She seemed oblivious to the fact that Aang was standing right next to her.

"Katara, it's ok," Aang said calmly. "I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse." Mira didn't miss the small flicker of pain that flashed across his face when he mentioned Appa's name. He was still hurting, but he wasn't going to let that get in the way of finding him, or doing his duty as the Avatar. Mira felt her admiration for the young airbender increase.

Katara, however, missed the split-second of emotion on Aang's face. "Oh, well, ok. I'm glad you're doing better."

Sokka rolled up the map and stowed the scroll back into his bag. "Then to Ba Sing Se we go; no more distractions."

So of course, a distraction had to appear on the road leading to the river. This one came in the form of three Earth Kingdom civilians. A heavily pregnant woman walked arm-in-arm with her husband, a lean man with a beard and short black hair. A second, younger girl with braided pigtails walked beside them. "Hello there, fellow refugees!" the man called out, waving enthusiastically. Sokka grumbled incoherently as they approached the river.

Aang waved them over, and the refugees were soon standing next to their group. "Hi, I'm Aang," he greeted cheerily. The others quickly went around and introduced themselves.

"Katara."

"Sokka."

"Toph."

"Mira."

"My name is Than," the man introduced. "This is my wife, Ying," he said, gesturing to the pregnant woman, "and this is Lila, a family friend." The girl with braids waved shyly, and Mira realized that she was only a few years older than her.

"So, are you guys headed to Ba Sing Se too?" Aang asked curiously.

"Sure are," Than said, "We're trying to get there before my wife has her baby." He reached over to rub her swollen stomach affectionately.

"Great, we can travel to Full Moon Bay together," Katara suggested.

The three refugees beamed at her, and Mira had to suppress a sigh.

Katara and her strays…

But then, Mira couldn't really talk, could she?

As it turned out, Full Moon Bay was only a few hours' walk away from the river. Than and Ying walked side-by-side, murmuring to each other occasionally. They'd been quite enthusiastic upon realizing that Aang was the Avatar, but after several minutes of questions, they'd seem to come to terms with it quite well. Katara was walking next to Toph, a habit she'd started to pick up. Aang was on her other side, and Sokka trailed behind. Though she wasn't sure how it ended up happening, Mia was left to walk next to Lila. The older girl was quiet, which suited Mira just fine. The two walked in silence, their footsteps and the sporadic snippets of other conversation the only sound between them.

Mira's hand, for whatever reason, suddenly found itself worming its way into a smaller pocket of her belt, and wrapping around the cool metal links of a silver necklace. Her fingers touched a smooth circlet carved with a waving pattern, and her heart lurched. Her mother's wedding ring. The treasure that had been locked away in her father's nightstand for years until Mira had picked the latch and stolen it. The thing that had prompted her to leave home. The thing that was her single, solitary connection to the woman who birthed her. Almost against her will, she found herself pulling it out of the pouch to hang in the air in front of her.

"That's a beautiful ring," came the small voice of Lila next to her.

It took a moment for Mira to speak. "It was my mother's," she said in a whisper. She didn't trust herself to speak any louder.

"Why don't you wear the necklace?" Lila asked curiously.

"I—" Mira furrowed her brow. "I don't know. Maybe I'm afraid I'll lose it. Or maybe because there's also a lot of guilt attached to this."

Lila looked puzzled, but the expression on Mira's face must have told her not to inquire about the latter topic. "I think you should wear it," she suggested.

Mira stared down at the necklace in front of her. She'd spent so long with it squirreled away in her belt as she tried to avoid the negative emotions tied to it. It seemed that she'd forgotten the good ones. But the more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to her. She'd been keeping it hidden away, just like her father. What had been the point of taking it if she never really appreciated it? Never really used it as a connection to her unknown mother? "You're right," she realized out loud. "I should."

"Here," Lila coaxed. "Shall I?" She gently took the necklace from Mira's hand and dropped back to fasten it around Mira's neck. The silver chain was just the right length that the ring rest right above her heart. A warm, tingling sensation enveloped her chest, and Mira suddenly felt lighter.

"Thanks," she said brusquely to Lila as she tried to avoid showing just how much the necklace was affecting her.

"Of course," she said, her lips creeping upward in a shy smile. "I understand how it feels, to have something like that." She hooked a finger around a chain on her own neck, and she pulled out a necklace similar to Mira's—only hers contained two gold rings, one thick and one thin. One for each parent. "I lost mine a few years ago," she said sadly, eyes glazed over as she looked at the rings. "Than was my father's best friend. He promised to look out for me when Dad died." She sighed. "I know I'm lucky. But it still hurts."

"It always does." The words slipped out involuntarily. Lila looked at her knowingly, then tucked her necklace back inside her shirt. The two girls continued walking, not saying a word, but both connected in their loss.

Full Moon Bay was a hidden cavern on the edge of the eastern lake. A small crack in the rock barely wide enough to fit three ferries was the only way in or out. It was the perfect hiding spot. A large wall dammed up the bay, and the two turrets on the top served as the launching points for two separate ferries. Several booths were set up at the base of the wall to provide tickets. Two central doorways were cut into the middle of the dam wall and just through them zig-zag staircases wound up through the wall to the turrets. Long lines stretched out from the ticket booths, and even more people were camped out on the cavern. Some may have been waiting for family members, for friends. Or perhaps not all refugees could obtain tickets.

Once they'd entered Full Moon Bay, the two groups parted. Lila smiled and waved to Mira, who could only manage a nod back. She wasn't entirely happy with the way she'd nearly spilled out her whole life story to a complete stranger.

Aang managed to locate a ticket booth near the end of the wall with a relatively short line. An older man with a cart of cabbages was trying to buy a ticket to ship his produce to Ba Sing Se. He wasn't very successful. "I've told you already, no vegetables on the ferry!" the ticket seller snapped. She was a rotund, middle-aged woman with a face covered in wrinkles and a scowl. "One cabbage slug could destroy the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se. Security!" she yelled. An enormous platypus bear emerged from behind the ticket booth, dressed in a ridiculous uniform. It reared up with a snarl and smashed the cabbage cart with one swipe of its paw.

"My cabbages!" the man groaned in despair. He slumped to his knees, eyes wide. It took two security guards to move him, as he seemed very reluctant to do so.

"Well, that was a tad excessive," Mira murmured as she eyed the ticket seller in distaste.

"Next!" she hollered, and Aang stepped forward nervously.

"Um, five tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please," he said hesitantly.

"Passport," the ticket seller said abruptly.

Aang's eyes widened in a panic. "Uh, no one told us we had to have passports."

Sokka stepped in. "Don't you know who this is? He's the Avatar!" He pointed to the blue arrow on Aang's forehead, but the ticket seller was unimpressed.

"Ah, I see fifty Avatars a day," she dismissed, waving a hand airily. "And by the way, not a very impressive costume." She pointed to a collection of people dressed similarly to Aang. As he regarded the look-alikes, Momo crawled up on his shoulder. "Besides, no animals allowed," she added. She loomed threateningly over Aang. "Do I need to call security?"

Aang gulped. "That won't be necessary."

"Next!" the ticket seller called, already ignoring them. But before they could move out of the line, Toph strode forward.

"I'll take care of this," she said calmly. To the ticket seller, she said, "My name is Toph Bei Fong, and I'll need five tickets." She slapped a shiny, golden slip of paper on the ticket seller's desk. The woman's eyes widened in shock.

"Oh! The Golden Seal of the Flying Boar," she breathed. "It is my pleasure to help anyone of the Bei Fong family." She bowed deeply to Toph.

"It is your pleasure," Toph sniffed haughtily. "As you can see, I am blind, and these four imbeciles are my valets." She gestured to the others, and Mira frowned slightly.

"Oi," she muttered, sending Toph an unhappy glare.

The ticket seller was almost convinced. "But the animal…" she mumbled uncertainly.

"…is my seeing-eye lemur," Toph finished for her, and Momo hopped over to her shoulder.

"Well, normally it's only one ticket per passport," the ticket seller said slowly, "but, this document is so official, I guess it's worth five tickets." Mira let out a sigh of relief. Five stamps later, they had tickets.

"Thank you very much," Toph said smugly, snatching the tickets from the counter. They left the line and began to make their way to one of the central doorways.

"Why didn't you tell us we needed passports?" Sokka asked Mira irritably.

"You assume I bought a ticket last time," she shrugged. "This is me we're talking about."

"Well, no harm done," he said, shrugging it off. "We still scammed that lady good." The smile on his face vanished as a pretty security guard with auburn hair grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"Tickets and passports, please," she said firmly, holding her hand out.

"Is there a problem?" Sokka squeaked.

"Yeah, I've got a problem with you," she said menacingly. She poked him in the chest as she talked. "I've seen your type before—probably sarcastic, think you're hilarious, and let me guess…you're traveling with the Avatar."

"This is weird," Mira whispered to no one in particular, her eyes wide.

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "Do I know you?" he asked suspiciously.

"You mean you don't remember?" She reached out and snatched his collar, pulling him close. "Maybe you remember this." She leaned forward to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Alright, who in the seven hells is this girl, and why is she kissing Sokka?" Mira asked the group. "She can't be a total stranger. He's not that attractive."

"Suki!" Sokka cried joyfully, and the two embraced.

"I'm very confused right now," Mira whispered to Katara. "Who is she?"

"She's the one from Kyoshi Island," Katara explained in an undertone. "The girl who kicked Sokka's butt."

"Ah."

They'd been blocking traffic by the central doorway, so they moved to the waiting area on one of the turrets. Suki leaned against the tower wall, and the reunion continued.

"You look so different without your makeup, and the new outfit," Katara remarked.

"That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them," Suki explained. She turned her attention to Sokka once more as she looked him up and down in approval. "And look at you, sleeveless guy. Been working out?"

"I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then. Nothing major," he said smugly, flexing his arms.

Mira cleared her throat loudly and raised an eyebrow incredulously. A split-second later, she realized it was a useless gesture, as her hood was up and her face hidden. But her message was received despite that.

"Alright, fine," Sokka sighed in irritation. "Mira's been training me."

Suki gave Mira an impressed look. "How'd you manage that?"

"He came to me."

"Really? Someone's gotten humble."

"Are the other Kyoshi warriors around?" Aang asked, interrupting the conversation thread.

"Yeah, after you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people," Suki answered, switching topics easily. "We ended up escorting some refugees, and we've been here ever since." She gazed out over the camp, and Momo jumped onto her shoulder. "Hi Momo, good to see you too," she chuckled. She looked back at the group. "So why are you guys getting tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?" Everyone suddenly became fascinated with their feet.

"Appa is missing," Katara explained sadly. "We hope to find him in Ba Sing Se."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Suki said sympathetically, looking at Aang. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm doing fine," Aang snapped. "Would everybody stop worrying about me?"

Better that than nobody caring at all…

They were interrupted by a familiar female voice. "Avatar Aang, you have to help us! Someone took all of our belongings. Our passports, our tickets. Everything's gone!" Mira peered over the wall to see Ying, Than, and Lila looking up at them, their faces full of misery.

"I'll talk to the lady for you," Aang called down, his frustration immediately forgotten.

But the ticket seller would not be swayed twice. "No passports, no tickets!" she cried firmly.

"But she's pregnant, and all of their stuff was stolen," Aang pleaded. "You have to make an exception."

"No exceptions! If I just gave away tickets willy-nilly to anyone, there would be no more order, and you know what that means. No more civilization!" she shouted.

"It's a couple of damn tickets," Mira muttered. "Not the end of the world."

Aang tried to compromise. "What if we gave them our tickets?"

The ticket seller wouldn't budge. "No!"

"But—"

"Next!" she yelled, spit flying from her thin lips.

Aang scurried away from the livid ticket seller and back to the others. He took in the depressed faces of Than, Ying, and Lila, and a determined gleam appeared in his eyes. "Don't worry, you'll get to the city safely. I'll lead you through the Serpent's Pass."

"I guess that means we won't need these?" Mira asked dryly, waving her stamped ticket in the air.

"We'll give them away," Katara decided, and she collected all five tickets. She stepped toward the refugee camp, but Mira swung an arm out to stop her.

"Let me," she said. "I'll know the ones who really need it." She'd spent enough time around the truly desperate (and been that way herself) that she could tell the difference between the poor and the pretending. She plucked the tickets from Katara's hand and slipped into the camp, her hood pulled up and the tickets tucked out of sight. She scanned the crowd, looking for a family of five. She passed over the tent with the mother eating a rather fancy dish, and the campsite with the finely dressed children. They weren't in desperate need of the tickets.

Her eyes passed over a mother with dark bags under her eyes, and three dangerously skinny children. She paused, and allowed herself a second look. The father emerged from their shoddy, patchwork tent and sat next to his wife. He rubbed her shoulders and whispered something in her ear. She nodded tiredly and leaned her head against his shoulder. The youngest child, a girl clothed in a raggedy dress, asked her mother something. The woman shook her head, and the child threw her arms around her mother.

There. She'd found the recipients of the tickets in her pocket. She couldn't just march up to them and hand them the tickets. They might be too proud to accept them, or worse, someone else could see the exchange and just mug the family later. No, this had to be more subtle.

She waited until the mother got up and started picking he way across the refugee camp. Mira started walking towards her. They met near the middle, and Mira softly bumped into the woman. She swiftly tucked the tickets into the side pocket of the woman's tunic and passed on by without a word. She turned her head slightly, unable to stop herself from watching the woman's reaction. She was definitely used to living in the lower class, if the way she immediately checked her pockets after Mira had passed was any indication. But instead of finding something missing, she discovered the five tickets. She looked back up at Mira in wonder. Mira couldn't help but throw in a little nod, which the woman returned.

A small smile crept onto her face. She'd missed doing little acts of kindness like this. Perhaps she could sneak away from the group in Ba Sing Se and visit the Lower Ring while they were there.

She quickly made her way back to the group, and they left Full Moon Bay behind.

"I can't believe we gave up our tickets, and now we're going through the Serpent's Pass," Sokka groaned for the third time in an hour.

"I can't believe you're still complaining about it," Toph sighed, her voice sharp.

Quick, light footsteps echoed off the stone behind them, and Mira reached for a dagger as she turned to face them. Someone with full face makeup and a traditional female's fighting outfit ran after them. Mira pulled her knife and balanced lightly on the balls of her feet, ready to attack at a moment's notice. "I'm coming too!" the warrior called as they approached.

Mira paused in confusion. The voice was familiar, but she couldn't quite identify it. "That's Suki," Katara hissed as she pulled on Mira's elbow. "Now will you put away the knife?"

Mira hurriedly tucked the blade away as Sokka asked cautiously, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Suki looked affronted. "Sokka, I thought you'd want me to come."

"I do," Sokka said quickly. "It's just…" He trailed off, looking uncertain.

"Just what?" Suki asked in irritation, hands on her hips.

"Nothing," Sokka gave up. He shot her a weak smile. "I'm glad you're coming." Suki stalked past him, a scowl on her face.

"Nice," Mira whispered as he passed.

"Don't start," he snapped shortly. "Not now." The mixture of frustration and (surprisingly) sadness on his face gave Mira pause. There was something else behind that expression, something that Mira was ignorant to. She decided to leave him alone until he'd worked through whatever it was that needed working through.

And people say I'm not considerate.

The Serpent's Pass was hard to miss. A slim, narrow ridge protruded from the waters of the great lake, separating them into the eastern and western sides. The path wound its way up and down the passage, barely wide enough for four people at its narrowest. The trail flirted with the side of the ridge at times, and Mira suddenly was very thankful that she wasn't afraid of heights. Two gateposts served as the official entrance to the deadly pass, and two characters were inscribed along the side. "Look at this writing," Ying said softly as she gazed upon the gate. "How awful."

"What does it say?" Toph asked curiously.

"'Abandon hope'," Katara read.

"How could we abandon hope? It's all we have," Ying whimpered, her head buried in Than's chest.

"I don't know," Aang considered. "The monks used to say that hope is just a distraction. So maybe we do need to abandon it."

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked, looking shocked that Aang could even entertain an idea like that.

"Hope isn't going to get us into Ba Sing Se, and it's not gonna find Appa," he said firmly. "We need to focus on what we're doing right now, and that's getting across this pass." And with that, he stepped through the gate, leaving the others with no choice but to follow.

"Okay…if you say so," Katara said uncertainly.

"Anyone else think Aang's starting to sound like me?" Mira asked warily, eyeing the back of his bald head.

"Now that you mention it…" Toph mused. "I was sort of expecting you to say that."

"I was about to," Mira admitted. "I definitely wouldn't have picked Aang to steal my thunder."

The journey was slow going. The path skirted high up on the narrow cliff, forcing everyone to focus on where they put their feet. There was very little conversation until they reached one side of the ridge. They paused to catch their breath (well, more for Ying than anyone else), and took in the scenery. Suki gazed out across the sparkling blue waters of the lake and said, "The Fire Nation controls the western lake. Rumor has it they're working on something big on the other side, and they don't want anyone to find out what it is."

She had barely finished talking when a Fire Nation patrol ship appeared in the distance. "Speak of evil and it shall appear," Mira murmured, quoting a book passage she'd come across as a child. It skimmed across the water toward them, and Mira found herself hoping that their figures to be seen by the ship. Perhaps if they remained still for long enough, the ship would merely pass by.

A sinister rumbling broke through the air, and Toph screamed, "Look out!" The stone below Than crumbled into the lake below. Than would have joined it if Toph hadn't quickly flipped him back onto the path, and next to Ying.

"I'm okay!" Than called out.

"But we might not be!" Mira warned. "They've spotted us!" The patrol ship had stopped in the water, and soldiers were rushing around on board to load the catapult. A beacon of fire suddenly erupted into existence as the fireball for the catapult was lit.

"Let's go, let's go!" Sokka cried, waving everyone on. Aang leaped off the cliff face to buy some time as everyone hurried by. Mira kept one eye in him and one eye on the path in front of her as she moved along. She wasn't sure how she would be able to help if something did happen to Aang, but she wanted to know if it did.

An ominous whistling cut through the air, and Mira glanced over her shoulder to see a fireball hurtling toward the ridge. It exploded in a puff of fire against the stone right above Sokka, Suki, and Toph. The cliff began to crumble, sending tons of rock tumbling straight down to the three. With a desperate shout, Sokka lunged forward and pushed Suki clear of the falling debris. He stumbled and fell onto the path as he did so, leaving him stranded right in the way of the crumbling bluff.

Toph didn't waste any time. She turned and twisted her foot, and an awning of stone popped out from the cliff. The boulders were redirected and passed harmlessly above Sokka. He peeked out from a few fingers, and upon seeing that he was in no immediate danger, pushed himself up and hurried over to Suki. "Suki, are you okay?" he asked frantically. "You have to be more careful!" He pulled her up off the ground and led her past Toph. "C'mon!"

Toph glared at Sokka murderously and muttered angrily under her breath before sprinting after them. Mira followed after her as her mind chewed at the scene she'd just witnessed. Sokka was being rather overprotective of a girl who was more than capable of watching out for herself.

He's lost someone, she realized. You didn't get that skittish without some reason. He'd lost someone, and Suki's reappearance was reminding him of that. Was it Yue? The way he talked about her sometimes, the pain in his eyes as he recalled her memory…it was too much sadness for someone you'd only known for a few weeks. She'd meant something to him, and now she was gone.

Mira suddenly felt for the younger boy. However patronizing his efforts seemed, he had a good cause.

Mira snapped out of her daze ad realized that she was well behind the others. She sprinted to catch up, making sure to keep aware of the patrol ship they'd just encountered. Yes, Aang had set it on fire, but it'd still managed to pull off a second shot. She knew better than to underestimate the Fire Nation.

But thankfully, the ship seemed well and truly out of commission. The group of nine travelers passed into a relatively more safe section of the Serpent's Pass, and the remainder of the day's journey passed uneventfully.

They found a wide section of the pass that was surrounded by rock and hidden from view. It was the ideal camping site, so they stopped for the day and began preparing their campsite. Since most of their camping supplies had been strapped to Appa when he'd been taken, their campsite should have been much less comfortable than it'd been before. Well, more uncomfortable for the others. Mira didn't use a sleeping roll, so she was unaffected by the change. But Suki had acquired several thin bedrolls for them to use, and there were a handful of scrubby, resilient bushes that thrived in the pass to gather for a campfire. The bushes had lit easily under Mira's coaxing, but the small drawback was that the entire campsite quickly started to smell rather aromatic. Upon closer inspection, Mira realized that the bushes she'd started burning also grew in other parts of the Earth Kingdom and were used as herbs on different Earth Kingdom dishes. So yes, they had a fire that smelled like a kitchen. But there were worse things for the fire to smell like. All in all, the campsite was rather nice for having next to nothing.

"Suki, you shouldn't sleep there," Sokka scolded, and Mira looked over to see him picking up her bedroll "Who knows how stable this ledge is? It could give way at any moment."

Mira gave the ledge Sokka was criticizing a good once-over, then lifted an eyebrow. The ledge was actually mush sturdier than several sections of the pass itself, and wasn't that far from the campfire. "You do realize that if that ledge goes, we're all pretty much dead, right?" Mira pointed out, but Sokka ignored her.

"Sokka, I'm fine," Suki insisted, her tone caught somewhere between amused, irritated, and touched. "Stop worrying!"

"You're right, you're right," Sokka conceded as he set down her bedroll near his. "You're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself…wait!" He leaped in between them as he intently stared at something on her bedroll. A moment later, he relaxed and looked up. "Oh, never mind," he dismissed. "I thought I saw a spider, but you're fine." He patted her shoulder reassuringly, somehow missing the horrified expression on her face.

The quiet taps of muted footsteps drew Mira's attention to the other side of the fire. Katara had approached Aang and was quietly talking to him. Mira subtly scooted herself around to the other side of the fire and leaned their way slightly to better hear their conversation. Yes, she knew it was wrong, but she was a curious person. If they'd truly wanted a private conversation, they would have left the campsite or moved further away.

"What's going on with you?" she was saying. "In the desert, all you cared about was finding Appa, and now it's like you don't care about him at all."

"You saw what I did out there," Aang said, blinking at her in mild surprise. "I was so angry about losing Appa, I couldn't control myself. I hated feeling like that," he added softly, looking down at his feet.

"But now you're not letting yourself feel anything. I know sometimes it hurts more to hope, and it hurts more to care. But you have to promise me that you won't stop caring," she pleaded. When he didn't respond, she tried a different tactic. She smiled at him warmly. "C'mon, you need a hug."

But Aang merely bowed respectfully to her, his face a carefully constructed mask of neutrality. "Thank you for your concern, Katara," he said calmly, and he walked past her to a more isolated corner of the campsite. Katara was left standing by herself, looking thoroughly put out. After a few minutes, she snapped out of her stupor and took a place by the campfire next to Mira.

Mira let a several long, silent moments pass before she spoke up. "You can't push him when he's like this, you know."

"Part of me knows that," Katara replied, her gaze lost in the dancing, herb-scented flames. "But another part of me hates to see him like this. I want to show him that this…apathy is hurting him."

"To him, this is the best solution. To hide away, to become an empty shell. That way, no one can hurt you again. Not caring is just…easier," she finished softly, turning away.

"What's easiest isn't always what's best," Katara prodded, placing her hand on Mira's shoulder.

"I know," she answered automatically. "But not all of us are as smart as you," she said, turning back to face Katara. She stopped abruptly, and frowned. "Wait. Since when were we talking about me?"

"Hey, you brought it up," Katara declared, lifting her hands in the air defensively. "I just went with it."

Mira nodded slowly, her gaze drifting across the campsite as she searched for anything to change the topic with. Her copper eyes passed over Ying and Than, who were sitting against a wall of rock that enclosed the campsite. Ying's eyes were closed and her head was resting against Than's chest. He was talking in a steady stream, his hands moving in a gesture every now and then. Ying would occasionally giggle and open her eyes, an adoring expression on her face. Mira quickly looked away. She felt as if she were peering through a window into their lives, like she was trespassing into some private moment. They were so happy together, despite all the trials they'd already been through. Seeing as she'd come from a rather broken, dysfunctional home, Mira had no desire to even begin discussing Ying and Than. So she skipped right over them, just in time to catch Sokka sneaking away from the campsite. After a few moments, Suki followed after them.

"So, what exactly is going on between Sokka and Suki?" Mira inquired, looking back to Katara. She'd figured it out for herself, but she wanted some confirmation.

"I wouldn't have figured you for a gossip," Katara said, surprised.

"I'm not a gossip," Mira denied emphatically. "I'm collecting information about my allies. This may affect group dynamics…" She trailed off as Katara started to laugh. "What? What's so funny?"

"You don't have to defend yourself to me, Mira," Katara giggled. "You're a girl. It's alright to like gossiping."

"Not. Gossiping," Mira said through gritted teeth.

"Alright, alright," Katara yielded, still amused. "Calm down."

"Anyway," Mira said slowly, "What's going on between those two?" she said, shaking herself from her trance and focusing back on the topic at hand.

"We met her on Kyoshi Island," Katara began. "They captured us, and Sokka had a hard time believing a bunch of girls beat him. So he tried to show them up."

"I bet that turned out real well," Mira quipped dryly.

"She quickly set him straight," Katara grinned. "So he went back, and asked her to train him. I dunno what really happened after that, but he always gets this silly smile on his face when he talks about her. I'm pretty sure he's got a crush."

"And it's obvious that she reciprocates," Mira finished. "But why's he worrying about her so much?"

Katara's expression turned serious, and her blue eyes reflected the dancing fire as she gazed into the flames. "Now, this is all speculation, but I think it's got something to do with Yue."

"I knew it," Mira said quietly. "He really like her, didn't he? And he lost her." She titled her head back to watch the milky white orb hanging in the sky. It was nearly impossible to imagine such a powerful and distanced object as a girl her age. She realized with a start that her story had every possibility of ending the same way. She averted her gaze quickly, her mind shying away from any thought spirit-related.

"It was the second time he'd lost someone really close to him." Katara's voice cut through Mira's imaginings. "He probably doesn't want to see Suki getting hurt."

"He's being very over-the-top about it, though," Mira remarked, recalling the spider scare.

"Sokka doesn't do things halfway. He may have good intentions, but he can go about them the wrong way."

At that moment, Suki slipped back into the clearing, a troubled look on her face. Sokka soon followed, the look on his face torn between looking guilty and wanting to kick himself.

"I'm not going to even guess what that's about," Mira murmured, leaning close to Katara and directing her attention to the two topics of their conversation.

"I usually find that that's the most common response to Sokka," Katara replied, smirking.

Mira couldn't help the chuckle that popped out of her mouth. And after seeing the smile it brought to Katara's face, she was glad she hadn't suppressed it.

The next morning dawned bright and crisp, and Mira was very glad for the excuse to smother the herb-y flames of the campfire. It'd smelled nice in the first five minutes of burning, but after a few hours, the savory, cloying scent of the herb had begun to take up permanent residence in her nose. She wasn't sure she was ever going to be able to smell anything else again.

Once the campsite had been packed away, they'd started hiking along the narrow, treacherous pass. Mira was beginning to think the pass had been assigned an unfair reputation when they emerged from an enclosed section of the trail that spat them out right in front of a submerged portion of path. Mira blinked stupidly at the missing bit of ridge, her brain not entirely sure what to do with the information. But thankfully, Katara was more in charge of her wits. She strode resolutely ahead, determination drawing her lips into a thin line. "Everyone single file," she ordered, and she began to march forward. Her arms flowed back and forth through the air, wrists turning and flicking around. As she stepped into the lake, the water around her began to push away and avoid her, like a droplet of oil dripped into a bucket of water. "Aang, I need help," Katara called back, and with a smile, he handed his staff to Toph and started to emulate her movements.

Slowly, as they began to descend on the sunken pathway, a bubble of water formed around them. Mira looked up anxiously as the sky disappeared and a fine film of lake water replaced it. In her eyes, this was just the same as going underground. If the pocket of air vanished, she would be overwhelmed with gallons and gallons of water. She wouldn't be able to breathe, and as they dropped lower and lower on the lake floor, it was debatable that she would be able to make it to the surface in time. She started rubbing her fingers together and forced deep breaths through her mouth and out her nose. Panic wouldn't help her down here. But no matter how many times she told herself that, it wouldn't make a difference in her anxiety level. But she couldn't think of anything else to do.

So she kept her gaze glued to the back of Katara's head. She watched as her bushy brown hair strained against the confines of the tight braid Katara had tied that morning. Her head bobbed as she walked, her arms still moving in a slow, rhythmic pattern to maintain their bubble of air. Momo chittered excitedly and leaped out of the air bubble to chase after colorful schools of fish. But moments later, he was flying back into their underwater shelter, his chittering nervous and high-pitched. A huge, black shadow passed above them, blotting out the sun. Mira craned her neck to get a better look.

"What is that thing?" Katara asked, and the words had barely escaped her mouth when the black shadow slid a little lower and broke through the edges of their bubble. Katara's concentration was broken, and thousands of gallons of water began to collapse in on them.

A piercing shriek was torn from Mira's mouth as she watched the lake water descend towards her. It was just like she'd imagined in her worst nightmares. If she were lucky, the water would crush her instantly. But knowing Mira's experiences with that fickle idea, she would survive to drown. She would hold her breath for a minute or two, but the need for oxygen would slowly claw at her lungs. A blunt ache would settled into her chest, and would only grow more intense as the seconds ticked by. Finally, the primal craving for air would pry her lips open, and water would rush into her lungs. She would choke, cough, try to suck in nonexistent oxygen, and only be assisting in her own drowning. Finally, her brain would shut down, and she would gradually slip into the clutches of unconsciousness. No one would rescue her, no one would pump the life-giving oxygen into her water-logged lungs, and her spirit would leave her body to forever rest on the lake floor.

She could see it so vividly. This vision of her death played over and over in her brain, flying by in mere flashes. Mira was paralyzed with fear. She could only stand on the lake floor, whole body trembling, eyes squeezed shut as she waited for the inevitable. But…death by drowning didn't feel warm. It didn't feel like sun on her face, or a breeze lazily playing with the ends of her hair. She pried open her eyes and was greeted by the sight of the calm blue lake, the sun in the sky…and a giant green sea monster?

It reared up in the air, staring down at the group with beady amber eyes. A light green fin protruded from it back, making it look eerily similar to the very path they were treading. Deep purple whiskers sprouted from the side of its face, and its light green face extended back in a crown, like a seahorse's. It opened its narrow jaws and screamed in a high-pitched hiss. Mira's brief sense of relief vanished instantly, and more terror crept in to take its place.

"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass," Sokka said shakily, his eyes glued to the serpent towering above them.

The serpent screamed a second time as it drew itself up higher above their platform of stone (which Mira had only just noticed they were standing on). "Suki, you know about giant sea monsters. Make it go away!" Sokka pleaded, wringing his hands.

"Just because I live near the Unagi doesn't mean I'm an expert!" Suki snapped back.

Sokka jerked his head around quickly in an attempt to find a plan. His gaze landed on Momo, and he snatched the lemur to present to the serpent. "Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering. Thank you."

"Sokka!" Katara told him off as she reclaimed Momo.

At that moment, the serpent hissed and lunged forward, needle-sharp teeth bared in a deadly grin. Aang swung his staff and a gust of air knocked the serpent's head off-course. "I'll distract him. Katara, get everyone across," Aang ordered, totally focused on the serpent.

With one quick sweep of her arms, Katara froze an ice bridge halfway to the other side. She darted across to the end, and another quick sweep extended and completed the bridge. Mira didn't need to be told twice. She sprinted across the bridge and didn't slow until her feet had touched solid ground. As soon as her foot had left the ice bridge, her knees went weak and she tumbled to the ground, entire body trembling. She'd never had fear this crippling before. She'd been anxious underground, yes, and sometimes that fear became intense, but her body had never shut down this completely. She couldn't stand, couldn't do anything but kneel on the ground and try to keep breathing.

A roaring filled her ears, and she could only vaguely register Sokka yelling. Suddenly, her stomach clenched painfully, and she gagged in a dry heave. She'd skipped breakfast that morning (as she sometimes did) and now she found herself profoundly grateful. Her stomach revolted again, and she closed her eyes. She sucked in deep lungfuls of the dry lake air. After a handful of painful minute, she ceased gagging and pressed her forehead against the cool stone ground. She pushed her palms flat along on the ground and tried to hold them still. But her body refused to be reined in, and her hands shook on the ground.

"Mira?" Katara's concerned voice cut through the hazy terror.

Mira opened her mouth to answer, but to her embarrassment, the only sound she could make was a choked moan.

"It's alright," Katara soothed. "The serpent's gone. You're on solid ground. Nothing can hurt you now."

Mira looked up and her eyes locked onto Katara's piercing blue eyes. They stared at each other, unwavering. And bit by bit, the tangled knots in Mira's chest and stomach began to untangle. Her muscles unclenched, and her uncontrollable trembling ceased. At last she looked down and swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," she said miserably. "I'm so sorry."

"We all have weakness, Mira," Katara whispered softly. "It's alright."

My weakness could have gotten us killed, Mira thought bitterly. But she kept this to herself, and stood up silently. She trailed behind the others as they continued along the path.

Weakness is a fool's luxury, her father used to say. A luxury that people like you and me cannot afford. Are you a fool? he'd asked her, his stern gaze looking down on her.

No, Father, she'd answered. I am no fool. I do not know weakness.

Good. He'd smiled at her then, but it held no warmth.

She felt shame as she thought in her panic attack. She hadn't had one since…well, a long time ago. She'd been proud, knowing that she held such iron control over her fear. But to have that control ripped for her hands, dashed to pieces, than handed back…that was humbling. She was weak.

She hated that.

It took two hours to finish crossing the Serpent's Pass. Thankfully, there was no other sign of the creature it'd been named for. It seemed that it had retreated back to its underwater lair, waiting until its next potential victims dared to make the trek across the pass.

The stony ridge spat them out on a flat stretch of uninterrupted stone. The tall, impressive walls of Ba Sing Se towered in the distance, giving their journey a visible end. Sokka crowed with delight at the sight. "There's the wall!" He pointed to the horizon. "Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se."

"Oh no!" Ying cried, doubling over in pain.

"You just had to say that, didn't you?" Mira asked sourly, speaking up for the first time since her panic attack. She was in a rather foul mood after what had happened, and had kept to herself for the remainder of the trek. Katara had attempted to strike up a conversation, but had met with resistance every time. So she'd settled for shooting Mira concerned glances every two minutes. Mira scowled slightly as Katara looked over once more as she spoke. One panic attack, and Katara was acting like Mira was about to fall apart. She was fine. She'd done well enough by herself, and she could do it again.

"What's wrong?" Sokka asked Ying apprehensively.

"The baby's coming," Ying groaned. Than and Lila helped ease her to the ground.

"What?" Sokka shrieked. "Now? Can't you…hold it in? Or something?"

"Sokka, calm down," Katara cut in impatiently. "I helped Gran-Gran deliver lots of babies back home."

"This isn't the same as delivering an arctic seal! This is a real... human... thing!" he spluttered.

"It's called a baby, and I helped to deliver plenty of those too," she replied coolly. She straightened up and turned to address the others with a new authority. "Aang, get some rags. Sokka, water. Toph, I need you to make an earth tent. A big one." Two earth stomps later, and a large stone enclosure encircled Ying, Than, and Lila. "Suki, Mira, come with me." The firmness of her tone left Mira with no room to argue. So she followed the other girls inside.

Katara immediately set to work at Ying's feet. Mira hovered awkwardly, not entirely sure what was needed. She saw Lila flinch in the corner of her eye, and looked over to see the girl's hand enveloped in Ying's. The mother-to-be was hanging onto Lila's fingers and was squeezing the life from them.

Now there's something I can do.

She sidled up behind Lila and knelt down. "I can take her hand, if you want," she murmured. "If it's too painful."

Lila looked hesitant, but another squeeze from Ying prompted a second flinch and a hasty nod. Mira reached down and pried Ying's fingers apart. She looked over, eyes wide at the lack of contact.

"Don't worry," Mira soothed. "I've got your hand." She wrapped her fingers around Ying's. "Squeeze my hand as hard as you want to," she invited. "You can't hurt me."

Ying nodded shortly, then whimpered as another contraction hit. She clutched Mira's hand with all she had. Mira welcomed the pressure. She could take this. The pain was nothing. She would take it all and ask for more. She wasn't weak. She was strong.

But, damn, that woman had a grip. She'd have never predicted the tiny woman would have the strength that she was showing now.

Katara looked up briefly from her ministrations and gave Mira a tiny nod. Mira tilted her head in return. "You're doing great, Ying," Katara reassured. "Sokka! Where's that water?" she called back. She quickly switched her attention back to Ying. "Get ready to push," she warned. Sokka chose that unfortunate moment to enter the tent. "One, two, three...PUSH!" Katara ordered.

Ying screamed in effort, and mashed Mira's fingers together. Sokka fainted in a heap, and Katara looked back in surprise. She rolled her eyes. "Suki, do you mind?"

Suki shook her head and put the damp rags she'd been supplying Katara with aside and helped to drag Sokka outside. She reappeared moments later and kneeled by Katara's side, ready to help with the coming contractions.

Time passed in a blur to Mira. She was only aware of the rhythm of Ying clenching and unclenching her hand. The tips of her fingers began to tingle as she slowly lost their feeling. But she stubbornly held on. She wasn't weak. She could take this. She would prove it.

And all at once, a new sound cut through the panting, the grunting, the screaming, and the steady orders issuing from Katara. A piercing cry reverberated off the stone walls of the tent, and every other noise seemed to cease. There was only this wailing, and this new life.

A sudden terror seized Mira, and she looked over to check on Ying. But the new mother was fine, if not exhausted. The color was returning to her cheeks, and the towels and blankets wrapped under and above her legs were not slowly turning red. Ying was perfectly healthy, as was her new daughter.

An irrational surge of jealousy swept aside the fear, and Mira ripped her hand from Ying's. She hurried out of the tent and found a small rock off to the side to sit on. She rested her forehead on her palms and her elbows on her knees.

She knew it wasn't fair, what she was thinking. She hated Ying for giving birth and living. Mira hated that she would live a full and happy life with her daughter. Why would the spirits take her mother, but leave everyone else's? What terrible thing had she done to deserve that injustice?

"Mira? You should see this," Katara prodded.

"No," Mira answered shortly. "I won't. I can't."

Mira was fully expecting Katara to push and force her, but the water tribe girl simply walked away. Mira almost wished that she had stayed, because now she was alone with her thoughts. And they refused to be ignored.

Now, Mira knew that life wasn't fair. She understood this lesson better than most. But every time she was confronted with the horrible truth of her childhood, the bitterness overwhelmed her. She'd never had a mother figure to look up to. Xua, the housekeeper, hadn't really counted to her. She'd known from an early age that Xua was not her mother, and never saw her as one. She'd lived in a practically empty house with a distant father who drilled the importance of strength and had scoffed at the idea of pain. She'd hated him, growing up. But she couldn't help but see how much his lessons had affected her, and feel torn. She wanted nothing to do with him, yet he had influenced her immensely. She didn't know what to do with that.

So she did what she always had done when faced with a difficult choice/truth: she ran away. She packaged up all her doubts and uncertainties and shoved them in the dusty recesses of her mind. She refused to dwell on her past for as long as she could. Being sentimental had never done her any favors, and she wasn't anticipating it would do so now.

She stood up from her rock and returned to the tent, where everyone (save for Toph) was cooing over the newborn child. Mira's gaze slid over to check on Ying once more before she forced herself to look at the child. Ying was fine. She didn't have to worry.

"I want our daughter's name to be unique," Ying was telling Than. She looked down at the tiny bundle of blankets in her arms. "I want it to mean something," she said earnestly.

Aang stepped forward, smiling softly as he wiped his face with his sleeve. "I've been going through a really hard time lately. But you've made me... hopeful again."

Ying's eyes lit up. "I know what I want to name our baby now." She paused and looked down at her daughter once more. "Hope." The name rang out in the confined tent, and Mira felt her heart clench. Any other day she would have scoffed at the cliché, but today…for whatever reason, the moment struck her differently.

"That's a perfect name. Hope," Than echoed, beaming down at his family. Mira began to sense that the new parents needed time to themselves, so she slipped out from the tent. The others followed after, and Aang reached out to pull Katara off to the side. He murmured a few words to her, and she responded with a watery smile and a hug. Aang was probably apologizing for his stoic behavior the night before.

The others approached Aang and Katara just as they broke apart from their hug. Katara fussed with his collar, and Aang smiled at the motherly gesture. He turned to the rest of the group. "I promise I'll find Appa as fast as I can. I just really need to do this."

"See ya in the big city." Sokka slapped him in the back.

"Say hi to that big fuzzball for me," Toph said somewhat affectionately, and she punched him in the shoulder. Aang winced and rubbed at the sore spot, an uneasy grin on his face.

"You'll find him, Aang," Katara encouraged softy.

"I know," Aang answered simply. "Thank you, Katara."

They stepped back as Aang snapped open his glider. With a small hop, he was airborne. They watched as he slowly became a speck in the sky as he flew for the wall.

"So, Mira," Sokka said as they watched him, "You've lived in Ba Sing Se before. What's it like?"

Mira opened her mouth to respond, but something made her hold back. Finally, she answered, "Trust me. It's a city you'll never forget."

Just maybe not in the way you're thinking of.

A/N: I got back later than I planned today, so I didn't have time to go through and read it for the fifth time. Hopefully I didn't make any huge errors, but I'll go back tomorrow and double check.

EDIT: Pen name has been changed to ShatteringDaybreak.

Please take the time to leave a review if you feel so inclined. I love hearing from each and every one of you.