Fire. Earth. Water. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Water Tribes attacked...
Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished.
A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. And although his bending skills are great, he is haunted by the memories of his world...
But I believe Aang can save this one.
Avatar: The Last Firebender
Based on Distorted Reality by Ogro
Written by Carrotine Clara
Book 1: Fire
Episode 8
Winter Solstice Part 2:
The Glacier Temple
Act I. – The blockade
Appa grunts in protest, as Aang holds the bison's reins in confusion.
AANG: Appa? What's up?
He grunts again.
AANG: Come on, we have to get to the temple. Yip-yip!
For the third time, the animal answers the demand with a deep growl.
AANG: Any idea what he is saying?
Aang looks back at the saddle, trying to spot Azula behind Ty Lee and Zuko, only to find the spot vacant.
AANG: Azula?
AZULA: What?
The three heads tilt to the left. The firebender is hard to spot in the middle of the night, though some torches still cast a dim light across the front of the daruma statue, in front of which Azula is sitting, hugging her legs and with a dour expression.
AANG: Azula, what are you doing there? Come on!
She pauses for a few moments, then answers without looking back.
AZULA: It's fine, go without me, just pick me up later, okay?
Everyone shares looks of concern. Even Appa directs a sad growl towards the firebender.
AZULA (to Appa): No, I don't.
TY LEE: I didn't know that hairpiece meant so much to her...
Aang lets go of the leather and intends to hop off of Appa's head, yet a hand on his shoulder stops him, Zuko's hand.
ZUKO: Let me talk to her.
Aang nods, although with a slight confusion displayed. Trusting this Zuko, he still questions whether or not his... softer methods will be successful against his stern sister.
TY LEE: What are we going to do in the meantime?
Aang shrugs. Ty Lee, without paying much attention to his actual reaction, picks up his staff, spinning it around in her hand with less grace than Aang had expected.
TY LEE: Can you show me how this thing works?
She gives it a healthy spin, but accidentally opens it in the process. With her screech, it falls down.
AANG: Uh... maybe when we're done with the temple.
He retracts the glider and puts down the leftover staff.
TY LEE: What kind of temple is it?
Aang sits down in front of the acrobat.
AANG: We saw an island made of ice and snow, with a large temple in the center. It looked like gigantic upside-down icicles towering into the sky.
She reacts with the same spark of joy that a child has to things like this, the same that Aang used to have, but that is long gone...
Ty Lee looks over to Azula with a concerned frown.
TY LEE: What do you think is bugging her? Maybe she got sick from the exciting journey.
Aang of course told Zuko and Ty Lee what had happened, although, again, he intentionally left out his knowledge from the previous world. He too stares at Azula, wondering, but gestures that the two airbenders should look away, giving Azula the space she needs.
Azula glares with dreary eyes at the boots standing in front of her. Eventually, she looks up with a sigh.
ZUKO: Hello. Zuko here!
He gives her a warm grin, only gaining him another sigh.
AZULA: Go away Zuko, you have an adventure ahead of you...
She hides the majority of her face back behind her long, black hair.
ZUKO: And you don't?
She shakes her head. Zuko ponders what to do, eventually deciding to sit down next to her. After a while he finally spews out the terrifying thought on his mind.
ZUKO: Did you dream about mom again?
The question pierces her like a blade in her flesh, her entire body cringes trying to hold back the tears. Eventually, she simply answers by shaking her head.
ZUKO: Azula, it's...
AZULA: We saw something.
He falls silent, knowing from his uncle when to talk and when to listen.
AZULA: In the temple, when we were ghost-
She shudders, shaking off herself.
AZULA: Spirits. When we were spirits, we saw a vision of what is coming.
She lets out a third sigh, layered with the fear and fright in her heart. Zuko puts his hand lovingly on her shoulder, causing her to finally look up and at him. His warm smile instantly reminds her of Uncle Iroh.
ZUKO: I'm scared of what will come too. I've been scared ever since the day that we learned about the war.
His smile disappears for a moment.
ZUKO: After mom... died, I didn't know what to do. Dad didn't know either and so we...
AZULA: Drank tea with uncle?
He chuckles a bit.
ZUKO: Yes, but that's not what I meant.
He puts his second hand her her other shoulder.
ZUKO: We made it ourselves. We had each other and we did it. Look how far we've come.
He gestures to Appa, on which Ty Lee attempts Aang's air scooter but almost lands on her face. Azula smirks.
ZUKO: See?
He lets go and gets up, extending his hand towards his sister.
ZUKO: We made it this far, we'll make it even further.
Her smirk turns into a full-on smile as she gets up. She wipes away her tears, then waits for a moment in which Aang and Ty Lee aren't looking in order to give her brother a loving hug. If only a short one.
AZULA: You tell this to nobody.
She angrily points her finger at his chest, which only makes him perform the Fire Nation greeting as a show of respect.
As the two siblings walk back to Appa, the beast engulfs Zuko in his massive tongue.
ZUKO: Hello to you too!
TY LEE: Are you feeling better Azula, your aura is much-
She shuts her own lips with her hands and blushes in shame,
TY LEE: I mean, I could tell you're looking better now, hehe...
MATRIARCH: I see you are leaving already.
The matriarch appears with a bag in her arms.
MATRIARCH: You will need these supplies on your future journey.
She hands it over to Ty Lee, who struggles to lift it up.
MATRIARCH: I like your hair all loose and free. Makes you look really beautiful.
Aang hides the fact that he agrees with her. Azula only scoffs.
AZULA: Thanks, I hate it this way.
The matriarch scoffs too. In a surprising move, she opens her graceful, silver headpiece and lets her own hair float around.
MATRIARCH: Flying in the air for hours, you will probably need this.
Azula, without saying a word, accepts the present. The piece is similar to the one worn by Roku, although it more closely resembles a round tiara, with no pointy ends at the top, but a stunning, red gem in the middle. The raven-haired girl is speechless.
MATRIARCH: No need to thank me, I wasn't expecting it.
Azula smirks at her, with the older woman accepting the unusual showcase of gratitude. The girl immediately puts the headpiece on, letting her signature bangs hang loose. Ty Lee is in awe, while Aang seems reluctant to admit he finds Azula rather pretty right now.
Dawn shines dimly on to the beachhead and Sokka wonders if it was a good idea to agree to this. He holds his club firmly in two hands, expecting an attack from behind one of the trees. He frowns at a rustling bush ahead, mumbling to himself with an arrogant smile.
SOKKA: Watch and learn, Kenora.
He charges the bush with a howling roar, only to be hit in the back by a water jet. He gets up on his feet quickly, turning around and finding Kenora.
She poses fiercely, with a grin expressed on her face. Her hair, while still short in comparison, has grown a bit longer, as she has decided that she will no longer cut it. Her baggy pants have been replaced by an outfit reminding Sokka of his sister's attire, although rather than short sleeves, the waterbender is wearing none at all. The blue fabric of her upper body runs down her hips, creating a dress-like bottom, although its design is more accustomed to combat than a display of beauty. Lastly, her nazar necklace hangs loose for the world to see.
KENORA: It's not much of a surprise attack if you scream "Ahhh!" beforehand.
He scoffs but does in fact agree.
KENORA: Now...
She moves her hands in a circle with grace, summoning water from a puddle below her and spinning it around, looking playfully at her adversary, who readies himself.
SOKKA: Prepare to face my MIGHT!
Kenora's grinned teeth turn into a smile, as she switches from hand movements to kicks, shooting several water blasts at the prince, who either dodges or smashes the barrage. Her palm shoved forward, then her other palm sideways, then a back-kick turning into a spin-kick, directing the water mid-air and towards Sokka. The last attack hits the prince directly in the face, yet he persists. Something about Kenora's fiery spark has created a fire within him as well. As soon as he swings his club, she is already back on her feet - thump - his swipe is blocked by a sheet of ice covering Kenora's left forearm. He quickly retracts his weapon, attempting to swipe from the left - Kenora dodges by going on one knee, hitting him in the gut with water directed by her elbow. Sokka is pushed back. She uses the distance she has gained by spinning, still on one knee, directing water towards Sokka's feet, over which the prince jumps at the last second. Happy at first, he looks in shock, as Kenora has continued her spin, managing to get on both knees, and ending her display of bending by spin-kicking in the air, blasting her last resort of water at Sokka, who manages to cut the stream in half with the machete he pulls out last second. While successfully averting the attack, the force from it does make him trip on his butt. Kenora comes to a hold, only slightly dizzy after her attack, something she has gotten used to with training.
KENORA: Your footwork is still terrible. We need to work on that.
He grunts, but also agrees.
SOKKA: I don't see why we have to train in the dark-
KENORA: Dawn.
SOKKA: Fine. But why do I have to get up so early?
Sokka allows himself to drop backwards, landing on his back and letting out a comical sigh.
SOKKA: I want to crawl back into my sleeping bag...
Kenora doesn't really know how to handle it, and just sort of lightly kicks him until he gets back up again.
KENORA: Come on. We need to be prepared. Who knows when the Avatar is split off from his friends again?
Sokka sits upright, rubbing his face into his hands after letting out a yawn.
SOKKA (muffled): Okay, okay. Just a minute...
Kenora sighs.
KENORA: Fine. But hurry, we need to head into the forest to find the Avatar later.
Sokka gets back on his feet and stretches his back to the side.
SOKKA: We don't even know if the Avatar is in the forest. All we know is that he left Changchun a few days ago.
Kenora crosses her arms, annoyed by his bickering.
KENORA: Well, we need to try! It's not like he's just gonna fly right past us!
Sokka's jaw drops with the sound of a cartoon trumpet, his eyes snap wide open, staring at the sky behind Kenora. As the girl turns around, she spots the Avatar's bison flying past by them in the distance. Her lower jaw too snaps right open, although her shock is more loudly expressed through her fists and frown.
KENORA: You've got to be KIDDING ME!
A boost of adrenaline wakes up Sokka in an instant. He grabs his weapons and taps her on the shoulder when running past by her.
SOKKA: Come on! We need to get the ship ready!
Her frustrations crescendo into a frowned mix of a grunt and a sigh.
The early morning sunlight reflects off of the Koriata, heating the ocean below it more efficiently than any firebender could. The main deck of the massive ship has been cleared almost completely. The only thing that remains are Puwati and Ae' Kiki, standing back-to-back, surrounded by six buff Water Tribe warriors. Missing his usual polar bear dog coat, the Vice-Chief spins his harpoon-hook like a staff.
PUWATI: Again.
Two separate water jets rush towards the two. One gets slashed in half by Puwati's mighty swing. The second strike gets swiftly re-directed to the other side, knocking out the first waterbender. Ae' Kiki's long, slender limbs are a perfect tool for the art of bending. Two men with spears charge the lieutenant, who reveals water from a hidden pouch. He let's the stream run across the weapons and, after dodging a blow, he binds the two weapons together, surprising the soldiers. Ae' Kiki pushes the water down the wood and towards the soldier's hands, freezing them together and rendering them harmless. Despite being very thin, he manages to hoist them up by their wrists, smacking them against the balustrade behind them.
The other two soldiers, one of with a club and the other with a spear, charge Puwati from two sides. Puwati manages to block both blows with his weapon. He quickly grabs ahold of the spear man in front of him, cuffing his hands inside the hook, disarming his in the same motion. The soldier with the club jumps back as to avoid the harpoon to his eye. Puwati presses the disarmed soldier to the ground, literally sweeping the floor with him. Then, Puwati launches the man at the other attacker, who dodges it by an inch. He tries swinging his club, but is disarmed also, simply by Puwati blocking the blow. The club on the ground, the soldier tries to pick it up again, but is horrified as Puwati crushes his weapon with the harpoon-end. He ends the soldier's attack by a kick to the face. Puwati turns quickly around, hearing the last man standing, the waterbender, trying to grab on to Puwati's weapon with a water whip. The water suddenly freezes and shatters, which was being done quietly by Ae' Kiki in the background. Puwati finishes his last opponent off by grabbing his leg with the hook-end and knocking him over. Ae' Kiki ends the sparing session with a deep breath, calming his nerves and chi, a neat trick he learned from his old waterbending master.
PUWATI: You have fared well, men. Your tribe is proud of you!
The men get up, grunting and moaning in pain. The soldier who "lost" his club in the battle mourns it with tears.
AE' KIKI: You didn't pay attention at the end. That water whip might have disarmed you.
Puwati reacts to the harsh criticism with a smile, patting his lieutenant roughly on the shoulder.
PUWATI: That's what you're here for, right?
Ae' Kiki reciprocates with a smile. A soft coo alerts the men. A white, fluffy bird with a puffin beak and a message pocket lands on Ae' Kiki's extended hand. The lieutenant reads the message, something that could normally be punished by a court martial. But Puwati simply stares into the distance, waiting for his second-in-command to relay the message.
AE' KIKI: Our scouts west of Changchun spotted the Matariki leaving a few hours ago.
Puwati ponders, both hands on his weapon, while Ae' Kiki pets the snow pigeon.
PUWATI: Send word to Bato. He is to head to the Ember Archipelago.
Ae' Kiki nods.
AE' KIKI: What if we fail to capture the Avatar?
PUWATI: That's why I want Bato somewhere else. Always keep your net spread wide when catching fish.
He holds his weapon in one hand, placing it on the ground with a loud thud.
PUWATI: Once we have the boy, we will meet him at the eastern islands.
AE' KIKI: What if we don't?
Puwati reacts with a calculated smile. The thought of reuniting with his daughter fills him with joy.
PUWATI: Then we catch something else.
The ocean winds blow past by the bison fast enough that anything not tied to the saddle would likely have been blown away, which is the precise reason why Sabachi is voluntarily stuck to Azula's sleeping bag. As the quartet rushes through the sky and above the ocean, Aang sees little brown and silver dots in the distance, one dot in particular reflects the sunlight harshly into his face, blinding him for a moment. As the blockade slowly creeps towards them, Ty Lee and Zuko share a common sense of dread, expressing it in a mutual nervous side hug. Aang fears that this time it's going to be different, but in reality - it has always been the case thus far. Whatever he expected, was going to be flipped on its head in some way or another. Aang knows it, in some way it comforts him. He can expect the unexpected, and through some means or another, he will find a way to flip the problem back around it and fix it. He looks back once at Azula, who seems eerily quiet, her arms crossed.
AANG: Don't worry, it's going to be fine-
AZULA: We're being followed.
Everyone looks back in fear at the little red catamaran that's bouncing across the waves fast enough to keep up with the bison.
On board the Matariki, Sokka is nervously grabbing on to the steering wheel, trying to hold the course steady, while Kenora is trying her best to bend the waves to their advantage.
SOKKA: There's a blockade ahead. This might be a bad idea.
Kenora grins her teeth without looking back at him.
KENORA: We can't go back now. We need the Avatar.
In her head Kenora repeats her last line, replacing the "we" with an "I".
SOKKA: There's only one person besides my father who could muster the resources to have a blockade like this in our home waters.
A flash of light is reflected at both of them, blinding them for a second. Kenora knows exactly who he means.
KENORA: There is no turning back now.
Sokka gulps. Ever since she revealed her secret to him, her determination to capture the Avatar has exponentially risen. Almost even more than Sokka's.
Puwati spots the bison in the distance, even being able to see the Avatar himself sitting on the animal's head.
PUWATI: So. That's what he looks like.
He lowers the glass with a smirk. He picks his weapon up, spins it twice, then slams it with might against the steel floor, a thud loud enough to be heard by the quartet and the Matariki crew. The deep, raspy voice of the Vice-Chief echoes through the fleet.
PUWATI: AVATAR! YOU HAVE COME TO DIE!
A cold shiver runs down Aang's spine. He doesn't know the name or rank of the voice, nor does he care to learn it. Yet, ever since meeting Ozai that one fateful day, this is the first time a voice, and the person attached, have really gotten to him. Azula, similarly, also stares down in terror - a part of the blockade, many smaller and wooden ships, have rearranged into a v-shape.
AZULA: We're flying directly into his trap!
AANG: I know.
The coldness in his voice scares her more than the gigantic ironclad battleship, standing sideways at the tip of the v.
PUWATI: THE WATER TRIBES HAVE CONQUERED YOUR PEOPLE, CONQUERED YOUR LAND - AS THEY HAVE WITH THE FIRE NATION AND SOON THE REST OF THE EARTH KINGDOM!
Soldiers on deck roar loud enough to be heard by Aang, yet he doesn't stop. He enters the v-shape formation.
PUWATI: YOUR CHOICE IS CLEAR - SURRENDER, AND YOUR FRIENDS WILL LIVE! CONTINUE... AND YOU WILL PERISH!
As he enters the formation the Matariki pursues them with a sharp persistence. Kenora's face frowns harder as she spots her father.
Ae' Kiki is the one to spot the Matariki while Puwati is busy roaring.
PUWATI: Give the order to launch the attack.
His lieutenant nods without hesitation.
Aang's initial plan to dodge the smaller ships in the middle and fly through the weaker wood ships on the side proves to be a gigantic miscalculation. Within a few seconds, waterbenders on those vessels create huge waves, large enough to easily engulf the bison before it could escape. Aang panics and drifts Appa back towards the center, where he is immediately met with a barrage of ice balls - and deadly ice spears. While dodging most of the projectiles, his friends are busy destroying any projectiles he can't avoid, either with fire, swords, or strong wind blasts Ty Lee creates with the help of Aang's staff.
At first Puwati was too focused on the bison to notice the red dot in the distance. Yet, once he sees it, once he takes a good look at it through his telescope, his face frowns in fear and anger.
PUWATI: No.
He turns towards Ae' Kiki, almost in desperation.
PUWATI: We need to halt the attack!
AE' KIKI: The Avatar will get away.
Ae' Kiki's poker face is a soothing reflection against Puwati's raging emotions. The Vice-Chief grunts and ponders for a few moments.
PUWATI: Get a marine squad ready.
AE' KIKI: The elite four?
PUWATI: Get my daughter out of there.
The lieutenant pounds his chest and rushes off right away. Puwati gnashes his teeth in the almost exact same way his daughter does.
The Matariki somehow maneuvers through the leftover barrage of ice hailing from the sky. Sokka is convinced that a spirit has possessed Kenora, otherwise he'd have no explanation as to how she can help him maneuver, bend the waves to their advantage, and also stop any dangerous projectiles. A smaller than usual ice spear pierces the spot next to her. Kenora looks to her left, spotting a small cruiser - only being able to carry five crewmates, with the commander of the ship holding up another ice spear.
COMMANDER: Stop the ship or we're forced to board!
Sokka can feel the nervous sweats running down his temple.
SOKKA: Maybe we-
KENORA: Keep the course steady!
His suggestion drowns under the waves Kenora creates in order the give the Matariki an extra-boost. The red catamaran turns into a swimming battering ram. The Water Tribe crew shudders in fear and awe.
COMMANDER: Who is that girl?
The Matariki rams the other ship, throwing it off-course and plunging the crew into chaos. Kenora holds on to the mast, surprised herself how they got away with it.
SOKKA: I designed the ship to survive a few crashes, in case... just in case.
KENORA: How many is a few?
Her question goes unanswered, as two men do manage to board the catamaran. Sokka draws his machete in a panic, as he sees the first man charging Kenora with a dagger. Kenora nonchalantly catches a piece of ice midair, turns it into water, and whips the man off-board with a mighty swipe. The second man is the commander, who creates two streams from salt water, directing them both at Kenora in a helix-shape. Sokka's jaw almost drops - in one continuous motion she dodges the attack by jumping to the side, summons water from the ocean, and kicks at towards the attacker's face midair, knocking him off. She lands on both feet after her being upside down just a second ago. She lets out a loud sigh and gets back to her post.
KENORA: Let's go!
Sokka blinks comically before complying.
Another wall of water blocks Aang from escaping on the other side. Azula, destroying three ice balls with one swipe, glares at him with anger.
AZULA: Do you even have a plan?!
AANG: Working on it!
Ty Lee smashes a spear with a loud grunt. Zuko blocks a different projectile from hitting her. She is shocked for a moment, then continues the defense. Aang steers the bison towards the Koriata.
AZULA: This is a terrible plan!
AANG: Shut up, Azula!
She turns her anger into a fire blast, saving Aang's life from an incoming ice ball.
AZULA: Real great plan, Aang - just head through the wall! Is that how you did it last time?
Aang shudders at the drop of the hint, yet it effectively conveys her anger.
Zuko halts for a moment.
ZUKO: "Last time"?
Aang grunts angrily and steers Appa into a dive, hoping to confuse the attackers for at least a few seconds.
SOKKA: He's going down!
A massive blob turned wave rises from below their ship, getting their vessel in range of the Avatar. Sokka seems thrown off-course by the sudden move.
SOKKA: Kenora, what's your plan? You can't just go in-
She creates a second, smaller wave from the initial one, using it to launch herself into the air.
AANG: We need to focus now. We have a small window of time!
AZULA: Which stems from an even smaller brain!
Too focused on her anger, Azula fails to notice the waterbender girl launching at them, a stream of water attached to her leg. Zuko and Ty Lee manage to dodge the blow sweeping over the saddle in a swift strike. Azula does not.
ZUKO: Azula!
Aang, for only a split-second, considers continuing on without her, but manages to push the thought out of his head the instance it pops up. He pulls at Appa's reins and turns around. Ty Lee, staring at the staff with determination, jumps after the firebender.
Kenora didn't plan for her landing, but manages to improvise a pretty good water vine, catching her and softening her impact into the ocean. She curses herself for missing the Avatar in the front.
Azula's heart pumps as she sees the bison in front of her getting smaller. She wonders a great many things in the short moment, the main thing, surprising to her, if Aang would ever stay with her, instead of leaving for his own world.
Then Ty Lee catches her.
TY LEE: How does-
She accidentally opens the glider and tries recreating Aang's usual maneuver, all while Azula is holding on to her waist.
AZULA: Do you even know how to fly this thing?!
TY LEE: Of course!
Azula's left boot briefly touches the water before she stabilizes the flight. A gust of wind pulls them backwards, landing safely on Appa's saddle as the bison turns back around. Aang stares directly at the Vice-Chief in front of him.
Puwati prepares his harpoon to strike the big, white beast.
PUWATI: I've slain bigger than you.
AANG: You need to listen to me now!
Puwati extends his arm as the beast rushes towards him.
A weird noise fails to get his attention, as a silver boomerang leaves the bison and hits Puwati in the head.
AANG: Now!
Azula extends her arms in a powerful muscle-move, creating a stable stream of fire on the back of the saddle, giving Appa an extra boost of speed as they fly over the ironclad ship. The boomerang flies back towards the bison and is caught by its owner. Puwati gets up and grunts.
PUWATI: NO!
He can only stare down the back of the animal as it flies away.
MESSENGER: Vice-Chief?
PUWATI: WHAT?!
The messenger flinches, then clears his throat.
MESSENGER: Lieutenant Ae' Kiki has confiscated a Water Tribe vessel.
Puwati expresses relief.
MESSENGER: Apparently only Prince Sokka was onboard. But some of the soldiers claim they saw a girl.
Now his expression turns into a smile as he stares after the bison.
PUWATI: Give the order to extend the blockade. All eyes towards Kaiyuko Island.
MESSENGER: Should we send troops there?
PUWATI: No. Ae' Kiki is to go after them.
The confused messenger nods.
MESSENGER: And... the prince?
A one-person canoe chases after the bison above. On board, a girl occasionally bending a jet behind her. The Vice-Chief turns back towards the messenger.
PUWATI: I will take care of him.
The collective nerve of the quartet calms down as it flies into cloudy weather. The island is now in reach. No one was really able to say anything yet, nor did they try. Zuko smiles at his boomerang, while Ty Lee tinkers on the staff, finally understanding how to open and close the glider. Aang hopes that Azula, who is sulking in the back next to Sabachi, isn't going to be too angry at him later. The raven-haired girl is mentally preparing her lecture for the airbender while staring with focus at the nazar necklace that the girl attacking them lost in the maneuver.
Act II. – The mirror room
The elite four consists of the most skilled and deadly Water Navy marines available, though in reality they hold no special rank or status outside of the nickname Puwati has given to them. According to Ae' Kiki, none of these men hold any special skill more impressive than any other waterbender.
PUWATI: Bring them in alive, lieutenant.
As the small boarding vessel is being prepared, Ae' Kiki takes the last few orders from his superior. He nods.
PUWATI: Her too.
He nods again, this time putting more of an emphasis on it. Puwati seems a bit more tense than usual.
PUWATI: If you're not back by sunset, I will send reinforcements.
AE' KIKI: Then I have even less time.
Puwati frowns in confusion.
PUWATI: What?
AE' KIKI: The Winter Solstice, Vice. Today is the shortest day of the year.
Puwati ponders about the meaning of this, guessing that this is precisely why the Avatar dared to breach the blockade earlier.
PUWATI: Shouldn't be much of a problem for you.
Ae' Kiki emits the hint of a scoff.
AE' KIKI: It never is, sir.
He boards the vessel and looks back one last time.
AE' KIKI: What about you, Vice-Chief?
Puwati turns away with a devilish grin.
The howling blizzard of Kaiyuko Island is no match for Azula's anger tantrum.
AZULA: That was by far the STUPIDEST THING I've EVER WITNESSED! How IDIOTIC do you have to be to CHARGE a BLOCKADE?!
Upon landing on the island Aang had decided to endure Azula's outrage. Ty Lee tries to ease Appa to rest after their hard journey, while Zuko is freezing in the cold weather.
TY LEE: Guys, can we-
AZULA: I AM NOT DONE YET!
She flinches back.
AANG: Azula...
AZULA: NO!
She builds up the courage to bark at him again but is unable to act on it.
AZULA: Forget about it. Let's get what we came here for and leave.
She tramps past by them, trying to ignore the cold weather altogether.
TY LEE: Aang, we should take Appa with us. We don't know how long he'll have to stay here.
Sabachi pokes her head up from their baggage, but quickly pulls it back in.
AANG: Well, we can't in case anyone...
He cannot finish that thought out loud. With Azula already ahead to the entrance, Aang has lost his one confidante to share secret information with.
TY LEE: Why? Did you have a... Avatar... message?
Aang sighs and doesn't answer, unwilling to engage in the charade.
ZUKO: Let's just... g-g-go...
Ty Lee notices the swordfighter's physical discomfort and rushes to his warmth.
TY LEE: Oh no, Zuko, you're freezing!
She puts his arm around him. Behind the kids Appa growls at Aang. What now? The person he trusts most is unwilling to talk, his other two companions and the pets are freezing. He lets out a big sigh, not knowing all the answers.
AZULA: Guys! Come here!
They all turn towards Azula. Next to the gigantic, cathedral-like entrance the firebender looks like a little pink-crimson dot. All of them, including Appa, run towards her in a hurry.
AANG: Be careful, in case-
AZULA: It's empty.
Everyone exchanges confused looks.
Puwati's personal quarters are much different to what Sokka had pictured. In all honesty, he hadn't pictured anything really, but upon being taken prisoner and being brought here, Sokka did think that it was an appropriate time to have some thoughts about it. The office is tinier than he expected the Vice-Chief to design "his" room. Not a lot of furniture or variations of different robes to the one he wears all the time. What does catch his attention is the framed, oval object, which has a scaly look to it.
PUWATI: That's an Unagi scale. I scraped it off one myself.
Sokka turns very abruptly to the intimidating man. His weapon has a convenient placeholder on the wall, where the beefcake puts it before closing the steel door in a loud clank.
SOKKA: Must have been a large fish.
Puwati scoffs.
PUWATI: "Fish"...
He sits down on a fancy-looking chair, overseeing documents and maps, sorted more orderly than Bato, or Sokka would, he admits to himself.
SOKKA: My guess is that you didn't bring me here to discuss marine biology.
Puwati raises an eyebrow while crossing his massive arms.
PUWATI: Quite a fancy word.
SOKKA: I am still a prince.
As much as he tries, Sokka can't hide the fear and unnerve he is feeling.
PUWATI: This is the part where I'd remove the shackles from you, but I see that my crew didn't bother to put any on.
Sokka grunts in anger.
SOKKA: Maybe they should give me my stuff back so I can wipe that smirk off your face!
Puwati seems genuinely impressed by the prince's temper, expressing it in a quick laugh.
PUWATI: You have grown a pair, haven't you?
Sokka seems disgusted by the question.
PUWATI: No need to answer, I read it already in my reports.
Sokka crosses his arms too, sitting down on a wooden stool.
PUWATI: I also know that you like breaking our laws.
Sokka gulps as the Vice-Chief takes a stack of scrolls, showcasing them, but already knowing their contents.
PUWATI: You stole a ship that wasn't yours...
SOKKA: It was.
PUWATI: Helped escape a fugitive, assisted the Avatar in a raid on a school...
SOKKA: That's... not how I remember it...
PUWATI: Supported a prison revolt in Musho Ichi-
SOKKA: Slave revolt.
Sokka gets up, much to the Vice-Chief's surprise.
SOKKA: Those were slaves Puwati - we cannot allow that sort of stuff to happen on our soil!
PUWATI: GROW UP, SOKKA!
His roaring voice would silence anyone.
PUWATI: We need the materials for our ships! We can't win a war fighting in wooden boats!
SOKKA: Then there's no reason to take the Matariki from me, is there?
Sokka smirks at him with a smug expression, not pleasing Puwati in the slightest.
PUWATI: You are the same, pompous prince you have always been.
SOKKA: No concern for you though, right? It's not like I can go back home!
The two participants of the conversation fall silent. Sokka shocked himself, uttering that thought out loud for the first time.
PUWATI: So, you know...
Sokka shrugs, trying to hide his boiling emotions.
SOKKA: I don't assume father will just let me home like that. I need to prove myself first.
He tries to sell his pitch by pounding the wooden desk.
SOKKA: That's why I need to capture the Avatar - not Bato!
Puwati leans in on his chair, trying to keep Sokka waiting for a bit.
SOKKA: I assume you know that already - and my instinct tells me you aren't my enemy.
Puwati snaps his eyes open at the boy. He did not expect him to be this cunning.
SOKKA: Because if you wanted me out of the picture, you would arrest me right now, and we would not be having this conversation.
Puwati waits for a few seconds, then smirks.
PUWATI: You are not the fool Bato takes you for.
Sokka smirks too, admiring a set of knives on a wardrobe.
SOKKA: I'm glad we're on the same page.
He tries touching one of the knives and the whole set collapses comically.
PUWATI: Leave it.
SOKKA: Right.
Sokka sits down timidly on his stool.
SOKKA: So why am I here then?
Puwati leans forward.
PUWATI: Let's talk about my daughter.
As the quartet enters the enormous room, all heads tilt upwards. The temple, in its entirety, is made from pure, magnificent ice, shimmering with a mild blue elegance. To Aang's surprise, the inside of the temple is brightly lit, in contrast to the blizzard raging outside.
AANG: Something is funny about this place.
ZUKO: You're right.
The boy politely frees himself from Ty Lee's loving hug.
ZUKO: It's so warm in here.
Aang holds out his hand and feels the warmth for himself. Behind him, Appa announces his entrance with a growl.
AANG: I guess you can wait in here, buddy.
The bison, covered in snow and completely exhausted, lies down with a loud thud in a corner. Although in reality this entrance room does not have any corners, its shape being a circle, the walls equipped with ice pillars arranged in a hexagon. There is one small door ahead of them. The hallway it leads to is too long to tell what lies within. Azula is standing with her arms crossed at this gate, staring at it with great intensity. Aang walks up to her.
AANG: Azula?
She stares for it for a few more moments, before finally shutting her eyes and focusing on the airbender boy.
AZULA: We have to go in there.
The other two catch up with them. Sabachi has seated herself on Ty Lee's shoulder.
TY LEE: Is that the only path?
Azula flicks her eyebrows up.
AZULA: Seems so.
She walks ahead, with the remaining three paying attention to each other.
ZUKO: I don't know guys. This place is giving me weird vibes. It feels like it has some sort of... spirit to it.
TY LEE: I can feel something too.
Aang lets the impressions of his friends sink in and wonders why this is so different from Roku's Temple on Crescent Island.
AANG: I can feel something too. I thought I would be alone on this.
He wonders what all of this means. In his moment of uncertainty, he instinctively turns his head to the person he trusts most.
AANG: What do you think Azu-
Only to find nothing.
AANG: Azula?
He runs into the corridor, fearing something has happened.
ZUKO: She just walked in there! Where did she go?
TY LEE: Zuko, I don't think-
He rushes inside too.
TY LEE: Zuko!
She looks back at Appa, wondering if she should wait here. As she turns back, neither Aang, nor Zuko, nor Azula can be seen. Only an ominous blue light at the end of the corridor.
TY LEE: Guys? GUYS?!
The fear overcoming her, she rushes inside, Sabachi holding on to her, not knowing what to expect as well.
Makias and Animo punch up waves, rhythmically alternating between the heavier bender and the one with long hair covering half his face. The other three men on board are Kuskos, the youngest of the squad, and Astor, the elder. Despite his high age and the grey-white beard covering his face, his bending skills are still something to be reckoned with. The last man on board is of course Ae' Kiki, who quietly waits for them to arrive at the island, which can be spotted by the blind eye now. Kuskos seems nervous by the sight.
KUSKOS: Have you... ever been to Kaiyuko Island, lieutenant?
Ae' Kiki only glances at the man for a second, then looks back ahead.
AE' KIKI: No.
Not a very satisfying answer for the soldier. Astor decides to help out.
ASTOR: My old man told me stories about the island when I was a child.
Ae' Kiki seems more intrigued by the old man. Astor clears his throat.
ASTOR: Well, apparently the old Avatar Kaiyuko was actually a big fan of the war until his death. He erected the temple to honor our nation and people. But after his death...
Kuskos frowns in horror.
KUSKOS: What happened?
Astor scoffs.
ASTOR: He always told this story in a different way. But if I remember one thing for sure, it's that the temple is haunted. Some sort of spirit has sought refuge there and is giving any unfortunate soul stupid enough to visit a hard time.
Kuskos gulps.
KUSKOS: Really? Should we even enter then?
AE' KIKI: Of course we will. If not, we find another way. But we are going there - Vice-Chief's order.
Kuskos seems not very happy at the thought, staring in fear at the clouded crystal on a small island.
TY LEE: Guys?!
She comes to a hold in another circular room, this one significantly smaller and with a tiny fountain in the middle. Still, everything but the water is made from ice.
TY LEE: Where did you go?
Sabachi hops of and nips from the water.
TY LEE: This is impossible, this is the only-
She gasps. The hallway leading her inside is gone. She turns around in a frantic panic, her breath becoming heavier.
TY LEE: Guys?! This isn't fun!
The lemur seems untouched by all this. It gives the acrobat a tiny bit of motivation. She takes a deep breath.
TY LEE: Okay Ty Lee, you need to focus.
She looks around the room, only seeing the lemur jumping to the side, landing on a frozen extension on the wall. Once Ty Lee closely inspects it, a strange feeling builds up inside her. She can finally identify what it is - the extension on the wall is not just a random shape of ice, it is a frozen replica of her golden tiara. Ty Lee remembers this piece in particular. It was one of her first performances - when she was only nine. The memory of the applause and her tears of joy reflect in her mind, then it literally reflects in the ice in front of her.
TY LEE: AH!
She screeches and jumps back, landing, not so elegantly, on her butt. She jumps back up again, looking at the same spot - the moving images are gone.
TY LEE: What is happening...
The lemur's attention draws into a different wall to her right. Inspecting it for a few seconds, she notices the whistling noise passing by her ear, an eerie sound, reminiscent of a finger softly tracing the edges of a glass. She takes a few steps back.
TY LEE: Move aside, Sabachi.
The lemur only moves aside an inch. Ty Lee doesn't bother to ask again and subsequently creates a blast of air, hitting the wall and revealing a mechanism, opening the secret door. Sabachi, who jumped away from Ty Lee's attack, lands on her shoulder. Behind the door lies a spiral staircase going up. Of course, made of ice.
TY LEE: Let's go then, I guess.
She looks back one last time before going up the stairs.
The scent of rock and wood hits her by the time she reaches the first floor. A third scent fulfills her with a warm memory, one so early she can't even properly remember. She closes her eyes, taking in the odor. Upon opening them, she finds herself in a lush garden, a closed-off area within some sort of palace, architecture reminding her of traditional Fire Nation buildings. In the middle of this square lies a lush garden, rose blossoms creating an artificial roof for the location. Sabachi does not hesitate to jump into the green. A big smile appears on Ty Lee's face.
TY LEE: This place is beautiful. How is this stuff even growing in here?
She walks on to the soft grass, which almost makes her want to take off her shoes. Beautiful flowers bloom beneath her. Sabachi nibbles from a nearby fruit bush.
Then a figure appears. At the very end of the garden, a tall woman in crimson and light red robes tends to a growing tree. Her brown hair hangs in two symmetrical loops from both sides.
TY LEE: Hello? Do you live in this temple?
She approaches the figure with slow steps. No answer. The woman gently caresses a leaf. A sudden flash hits Ty Lee's mind, a switch-like mechanism, almost as if something previously missing was just unlocked. Her jaw loosens and she stares at the woman with tears in her eyes.
TY LEE: Mom?
The figure reacts to the question but does not quite reveal her face. Ty Lee lets out gasp while smiling.
TY LEE: Mom!
The figure suddenly walks away from the tree and into a Fire Nation corridor, leading somewhere unknown. Sabachi jumps back on to Ty Lee's shoulder with a peach in her mouth.
TY LEE: No! Come back!
She rushes after the figure, almost catching it-
Another flash of light. Somehow, Ty Lee has ended up in a completely different room, again made of ice. She frantically looks around again. Sabachi seems more than confused at the missing peach. The acrobat breaks down sobbing.
ZUKO: Aang! Azula!
Zuko comes to a hold in the middle of a circular room with a fountain. As he looks back, trying to see where Ty Lee is, he is shocked to find out the door has disappeared.
ZUKO: What?
He looks around the room, trying to find another exit, maybe a window or some other clue as to where his friends went. He ends up just scratching his head, being dumbfounded by the whole situation.
ZUKO: Aang? Can you hear me? Is this some sort of Avatar thing? Am I trapped in the Spirit World again?
He remembers his trip, which, while it happened just yesterday, in all honesty, he doesn't remember much about it. In more honesty: He doesn't remember anything about it. Zuko instinctively pulls out his broadswords and readies himself.
ZUKO: Okay, I don't know exactly what's going on or who's doing this, but you better show yourself NOW!
He aims his broadswords in all different sorts of directions. He stops at one of the walls, which carries on it a strange ice extension. He stares at it intensely, trying to figure out if this has always been here or if it just appeared. As Zuko walks up to it, he identifies it as a set of broadswords. His broadswords, or rather a replica made of ice. He stares at them in confusion.
ZUKO: Huh. Weird.
He inspects his blades, then the ones hanging on the wall, then his once again. A whistling sound ominously creeps up on his ear. He looks to his right, finding one of the ice walls particularly suspicious. He retracts his blades and decides to gently push it, opening a door, leading him into an upwards stairwell.
The smell of ocean water confuses Zuko as he reaches the upper level. He rubs his eyes in disbelief, seeing the clear image of his home island, as he takes his steps on to the beachhead.
ZUKO: How is this-
He shakes his head aggressively.
ZUKO: No! It has got to be a dream!
LU TEN: Hey Zuko! Come over here!
Zuko is more than baffled. His cousin, who was killed by the Water Tribe, waves at him with a happy smile. His bright face and the top knot reminds Zuko of a young Iroh.
ZUKO: Uh... Lu Ten? Is that you?
LU TEN: Of course it's me! Come on, you wanted me to show you how to fight with broadswords, right?
Zuko can feel an eerily sensation boiling in his stomach. He looks at Lu Ten's left hand, in which he is holding the same two broadswords strapped to Zuko's back.
ZUKO: Something is wrong.
Zuko looks back at his weapons, then turns his head towards the beachhead. He frowns in shock. Lu Ten is gone. In his place, an image of Uncle Iroh kneeling on the ground. As Zuko walks up to him he can hear the old man sobbing. In Iroh's hand is a letter, something Zuko very clearly remembers. On that day a letter arrived, informing Iroh that his son had gone missing in action and was presumed dead. The raven-haired boy lays his hand on the old man's shoulder.
ZUKO: Uncle?
Within the blink of an eye the beachhead is gone, Iroh is gone. In his place Zuko is about to lay his hand on Ty Lee's shoulder, who sobs on the ground next to him.
ZUKO: Ty Lee!
She finally looks up with teary eyes.
TY LEE (teary): Zuko!
He kneels down in front of her, allowing her to leap at him, hugging him and engulfing her with all her feelings of sadness. He reciprocates by hugging her back, that ominous feeling of the day his uncle learned about Lu Ten's death still lingering on him.
TY LEE (teary): What happened?
Her sobbing continues with great intensity.
ZUKO: I don't know...
Sabachi runs up to him and hops on his shoulder.
Puwati opens one of his drawers, the lowest one. The anticipation is boiling up inside Sokka as he awaits the Vice-Chief's response. He finally reveals what he intends to show the prince, placing the two items on his desk with a wooden thud. The items in question are a short carving knife and a sky-blue necklace. Puwati eagerly awaits Sokka's response.
SOKKA: Huh, weird. That looks like an empty betrothal necklace.
As he says it out loud the thought begins to take shape in his head, his brow loosens and his eyes stare at the object.
PUWATI: When you were but a boy, your father and I had discussed the possibility of merging our two bloodlines.
Images flash inside Sokka's head - the beautiful, strange, fearsome young woman shimmering in the moonlight. He shakes the thoughts out of his mind.
SOKKA: No. I'm too young to marry.
PUWATI: Of course you're too young to get married now - you're only supposed to propose to her.
A plethora of questions flies through Sokka's head.
SOKKA: Wait, why would you want to marry your daughter to me? I thought you hated me?
Puwati puts on a smile fake enough for Sokka to notice.
PUWATI: I don't hate you I-
He grunts, pounding his desk.
PUWATI: Listen, you know exactly how Kenora is like - if I don't find a fiance for her soon, she'll start being unsuitable as a wife.
Sokka gets up in shock.
SOKKA: She's 14! How could you say that?
PUWATI: Because I am realistic! I am not marrying Kenora of the Moray Barracuda Clan to some low-level noble! If my daughter is to marry someone, she is to be the next Chief Headwoman!
Sokka frowns at the piece of information the Vice-Chief probably shouldn't have spewed out.
SOKKA: So, you don't even care if she wants it, you just want more influence over my father!
Puwati rushes Sokka, pushing him against the wall behind him.
PUWATI: And you will give it to me.
He backs off, literally giving Sokka some breathing room while he walks back to his desk.
SOKKA: And why should I comply?
PUWATI: Because you're already a terrible candidate.
He tosses the raw necklace and knife to him, Sokka catching both.
PUWATI: So, here's my offer - I catch the Avatar and Kenora, I hand them both over to you, and in return for your restored pride you ask her to marry you. How does that sound?
Sokka is unable to respond. His moral side is concerned that he is unable to decline the offer.
PUWATI: Great. Feel free to carve it in here, they should be back by sunset.
The Vice-Chief opens the door, picking up his weapon, but hesitating before exiting.
PUWATI: Oh, and before I leave you...
He turns toward him with a sinister glare.
PUWATI: If you refuse, you should start looking for any good Earth Kingdom princesses.
He shuts the door with another loud thud. Sokka takes a few seconds to sort the thoughts in his head.
Kenora's tiny canoe thuds quietly against the icy rock. The waterbender gets out, breathing heavily in exhaustion, lying down in the snow for a moment. Despite the freezing temperatures, no - because of the freezing temperatures her overworked body is able to cool down. She opens her eyes again and stares at the sinister sky.
KENORA: Come on.
She takes a few more breaths.
KENORA: Come on!
She gets up, trying to use the build-up pain from her burning muscles as a source of energy. She spots the temple and immediately rushes towards it, although stopping at the main entrance. After assuring herself of no voices coming from the building, she sneaks inside.
Kenora too is impressed by the tall structure and also relieved at the warmer temperature. She lets out a deep sigh to rid herself of some exhaustion. Next to her a growling makes her almost freak out. She jumps back, expecting an attack she has to counter. To her surprise, the Avatar's bison is lying on the ground, sleeping, the grumbling noise beeing its snore. She lets out a sigh again, although much quieter this time.
KENORA (whispering to herself): Not the only one who's exhausted, right?
Ahead of her lies a small corridor leading Sedni-knows somewhere. She wonders if letting their bison behind means that the Avatar and his friends have also split up. Kenora enters the corridor on tippy toes and with fire in her heart.
Aang knows something is up the minute he enters the small chamber and notices the door disappearing. All he listens to now are the rippling water streams coming down the fountain. He prepares his counter for a few seconds. Eventually, his Avatar sense, or just sense in general, pick some sort of thing happening to the wall behind him. He does not hesitate to shoot wind at it. After the air blast dispatches, he is shocked to see the frozen extension on the wall. It appears to be an ice replica of the Air Nomad chain Monk Gyatso always used to wear. It is so long ago that Aang can barely recall what the item is at first. He glares at it with teary eyes but suppresses it with a grunt.
AANG: I know this is all fake! Don't let me wait around, Kaiyuko!
A door to his left opens by itself, creating a non-threatening gust of air. Aang frowns in determination and walks up the spiral stairs.
Cheerful voices and laughter echo through the new room Aang enters. He discovers in a state of disbelief that he is standing in a bamboo hall, with beautifully painted scenery on the paper walls. Figures are standing right in front of him, although he can't really make out who until-
KATARA: Aang! You're finally here!
A mixture of pure joy and disgust spin endlessly through his intestines. The love of is life Katara, wearing something elegant and mesmerizing, runs towards him with a big smile.
KATARA: We almost thought you would miss your own party.
He struggles to find the right response.
AANG: You... what?
SOKKA: Hey, just because you have all your Avatar business, doesn't mean that you can come back and hang out with your old pals.
Sokka appears to her side. The cunning but kind warrior as he remembers him. Someone punches him in the arm.
TOPH: Don't think you can hide from me, twinkletoes!
The blind bandit, in all her glory, greets him as usually. He can feel the tears running down his face.
ZUKO: Don't forget you have to help me to restore the balance to the Fire Nation. Can't do that quite on my own.
The scarred prince towers over him. He is overwhelmed by emotions and hides his face from the people he loves.
KATARA: Is something wrong?
Aang storms away. He notices the other people present - Suki, Bumi, Gyatso - pretty much every face he ever cared about.
SOKKA: You can talk with us about it.
He shakes his head.
AANG: No...
KATARA: Why not? Aang, we're here to help-
AANG: BECAUSE NONE OF THIS IS REAL!
His roar silences the party. He turns around. Everyone is gone. Everyone he ever loved, ripped right away from him. Again. As he breaks down in anger and tears, spewing fire in all different directions, he questions everything he fights for in this forsaken reality.
Azula meanders impatiently through the little room, wondering where the rest is. Maybe she has been a little distant to Aang and the others, but can you really blame her? By all means, the best course of action, according to the firebender, is get the information as quickly as possible, then leave.
AZULA: Leave?
She turns around, finding herself in a chamber without doors. At first, she grunts in anger. Is this an ambush? Then she starts thinking more outside the box, relaxing her body.
AZULA: I assume this is some sort of spirit quest, huh?
No answer, not that she expected it to be this easy.
AZULA: So, if I had to guess, and this is a complete shot in the dark, I think this is either Kaiyuko, some other spirit, or maybe I'm trapped in the Spirit World.
Still no answer. She raises her brow provokingly.
AZULA: Oh please, can we just get this over with? We got to get to the Golden City, and presumably, we don't have all the time in the world!
A blowing-like noise scares her straight. The room has fallen completely dark, all except for a spot on the fall. A singular ice torch burns with blue fire, illuminating the room only barely.
AZULA: Oh... kay. I guess you want me to...
An ice block meant to be a door falls over in a loud thud, scaring Azula once again. It leads her to a hallway and the subsequent spiral staircase. She enters it quietly, taking one careful step after the other. For some reason the ice in this temple is not smooth or... well, icy. With every new step the blue light creeps closer and closer. Azula can't possibly tell how long or har far they go.
She finally reaches the top. A long, dark hallway is illuminated by the same blue light, although not on torches. She finds herself in a tall chamber, huge pillars to her left and right. At the end of it, an elevated platform, like a stage in a theater, she thinks. In the middle sits a throne-like seat, one meant to be only equipped with a cushion rather than a chair, although the fancy roof above it makes up for it. She can't quite tell who the figure in shadows in behind the burning wall of blue flames, and so she approaches it carefully.
AZULA: Are you... the spirit of this temple?
No answer. She can make out that the figure is female, and young too.
AZULA: Alright. No need to talk to me. I'll just talk to myself.
Azula reaches a distance in which the figure should be visible, yet somehow is still cloaked in shadow. It stands up, waves its hand, and a little blue flame in front of Azula seems to have produced a golden object.
AZULA: Thanks?
She decides against any snarkier comments, only eyeing the object. A crown-like headpiece, a golden flame creating the symbol of the Fire Nation. The shadow above seems to wait impatiently. In all honesty, Azula would have removed her silver headpiece on her own. She picks up the new, crowning herself. The blue flames partition in two. The shadow walks down, revealing herself to be... Azula.
AZULA: What?
An exact replica in size, clothing, stature. Azula's heart is pounding while her clone watches with an evil smile.
AZULA: What do you want from me?
As she asks the question the floor beneath her dissolves, and she lands on a battlefield. In front of her, a terrified Aang runs away, trying to dodge fire blasts coming from the side. She looks left and right, spotting scaly soldiers with white mask turning the very ground they stand on into ash. Azula gasps in horror. She finally looks behind her, seeing her duplicate again. She manages to conjure up the little bit of bravery left.
AZULA: I don't fear you!
The other Azula creates blue sparks in her fingers, drawing them around herself.
OTHER AZULA: Fear is the only reliable WAY!
She shoots a deadly lightning - Azula covers her face.
Aang interrupts his manifested anger and stops the fire blast before it hits Azula's face. The two look at each other with confusion, shock - just about every negative emotion there is.
AANG: You saw things too, didn't you?
Only now does the raven-haired girl notice his pouchy eyes.
AZULA: This is a nightmare. We need to get out of here - NOW!
Her grabs her shoulders, stopping her in her tracks. Gesturing her to look behind her, she recognizes the chamber from their spirit journey - the temple's sanctuary. She looks back at Aang with teary eyes.
AZULA (teary): Aang, I saw what I can do...
Aang's heart races.
AZULA (teary): I saw what my people can do - the Fire Nation burned your world down - I DON'T WANT TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MINE!
He lets her go, allowing her to relief herself of some much-needed tears. As he enters the chamber... nothing happens, surprising Azula.
AANG: I can't do it myself. In my world, the doors shut as soon as I entered Roku's sanctuary. Here they don't.
He walks back outside.
AANG: I think you need to come with me.
She snivels reluctantly.
AZULA (teary): Why? Because the spirit dog let me in yesterday?
AANG: Because Kaiyuko knows you are special.
He grabs her hand, which does finally calm her down a bit.
AANG: You are not the Fire Nation, Azula - whatever your people did in my world, doesn't matter. I only see you.
Her tears turn into more joyful ones.
AANG: You are Azula. You are one of the strongest people I know - sometimes literally.
She giggles a bit, feeling stupid at her insolence, but finally deciding to ignore the critical part of herself.
AANG: I'm also scared. I am scared to death that I might face the same dangers again.
He grabs her other hand.
AANG: But we are not alone.
She takes a deep breath and nods her head.
AANG: By the way - I love your new headpiece.
She blushes slightly, but Aang knows how he meant it. Together, holding hands, the enter the sanctuary, the massive ice doors closing behind them.
Kenora comes to a hold. The fountain in the middle of the room distracts her for a second, long enough so that, once she turns back around, she realizes the door has gone missing. All doors are missing. She frowns in confusion.
KENORA: Hold on...
She walks in a circle, trying to figure out how to exit the room. After the third lap, she comes to a hold.
KENORA: Okay. Think, Kenora...
She lets her breath out in big chunks. Something grabs her attention. An itch? She can't tell, and by the time she turns around, Kenora has already something else to focus on. The icy wall behind her has turned so crystal clear, that it reflects a perfect image of her and the room. Was this here before? She carefully approaches it, letting her fingers touch those of her reflection. Kenora flinches - the ice shatters very suddenly without any warning or reason she can decipher. Behind the now broken mirror lies a hallway.
As she exits the staircase on the first floor, she enters a dark room, a chamber of sorts, one which doesn't seem to have an ending in any direction. Looking behind her, she realizes the staircase has been replaced by more darkness. She dares not to take another step.
KENORA: Hello?
Her voice echoes with multiple layers and an ominous waviness attached to it. What's even more ominous, is that they sound exactly like her.
ECHO: Hello?
ECHO: Hello?
ECHO: Hello?
ECHO: Hello?
ECHO: Hello?
She grins her teeth in anger.
KENORA: Stop it!
ECHO: Stop it!
ECHO: Stop it!
ECHO: Hello?
ECHO: Stop it!
She shuts her mouth, waiting for the voices to die down. After they have done so, a sudden motion scares her even more. As if turning from one dimension, to the second, to the third, a plethora of ice mirrors appears all around her. The thin objects look sharp and dangerous as the spin closer to her. She jumps into the middle of the room, or what she perceives as the middle, being surrounded by the reflective objects. Dozens of Kenoras are being reflected in the icy surfaces, imitating the waterbender's movements and expressions perfectly. They finally come to a hold. Kenora looks around the room, wondering what any of this means.
The sun is already past its zenith as Sokka glances with dour thoughts at the impressive alligator shark head. The heavy boot sound alerts him to Puwati's presence.
PUWATI: Have you made your choice?
The Vice-Chief waits patiently for Sokka to finally turn around.
SOKKA: Yes. I will marry Kenora.
Puwati doesn't bother to hide his devilish grin.
SOKKA: But only...
The smile disappears.
SOKKA: ...if we get to keep the Matariki. And everything on it.
The scarred beefcake clenches his fist but calms down after a while.
PUWATI: Fine. Bato will not be happy though.
SOKKA: Who cares about Bato?
Puwati nods his head to the side and intends to leave.
SOKKA: Where is it?
He stops.
PUWATI: What?
SOKKA: The Matariki? Where do you have it stored?
Puwati tries to physically intimidate him.
PUWATI: If you try to trick me...
SOKKA: What? We met because of the ship. I think it's more romantic if I propose on it to her.
To Sokka's surprise, the Vice-Chief's face expresses happiness.
PUWATI: You old romantic.
He slaps Sokka's back with enough force to knock him out. Sokka himself does not know how he took the hit. He also wonders how Puwati doesn't see him smirking behind his back.
The room Zuko and Ty Lee were thrown into is oval shaped, with an even larger and more impressive fountain in the middle, and a wide-open window displaying beautiful polar colors coming from outside. Of course, everything is made of ice.
TY LEE: It was her. I just know it.
The two cower next to each other against the fountain's base.
ZUKO: I believe you, Ty Lee. It's... probably some weird trick, or spirit, or vision. But if you think you saw your mother, then that's who that was.
He holds her hand, not trying to give of the wrong impression to her. For now, the two share this little moment as friends talking about their feelings.
TY LEE: Who did you see?
Zuko sighs out of his nostrils.
ZUKO: I saw Lu Ten. My cousin.
Ty Lee wonders where this is going.
ZUKO: He... fought in the war, but never came back. It almost destroyed Uncle. He still lights incense on his birthday.
TY LEE: That must have been hard. Were you two close?
Zuko thinks with a bad aftertaste about the pleasant memories of him and his cousin.
ZUKO: He used to play with me a lot. I always had to drag Azula with us, but she got used to it. She even wanted to beat us at all the games.
He snickers. Ty Lee puts both hands around his.
ZUKO: He taught me how to fight with broadswords. He gave me his before he left.
She inspects the weapons on his back. A moment of silence.
TY LEE: Should we... look for the others?
Zuko's eyes flash up comically.
ZUKO: Azula! I completely forgot!
He gets up while Ty Lee snickers too.
TY LEE: I think this is what the temple does to you.
Zuko nods.
ZUKO: But I wonder what Aang and Azula saw...
The mirrors keep rotating in a circle, emitting a glass-like sound, almost like wind chimes, but with a much deeper pitch. Kenora loses her patience.
KENORA: Okay, what is going on here?!
No echo this time.
KENORA: I know that someone is listening! What are you trying to show me?!
The mirrors stop. Then, one after another, they all burst, first into pieces, which then turn to dust. Eventually, far away from where Kenora is standing, only one mirror is left. She hesitates, but eventually walks up to it. Coming closer with each step, she sees herself again, perfectly reflected in every motion. She comes to a hold right in front of it, shaking her head in frustration.
KENORA: What am I supposed to do with this?
The reflection frowns back at her, making her even more angry. She finally figures something - she carefully walks behind the mirror, trying to see if it has any effect. And it has.
KENORA: This one's broken.
She looks into an empty image. At first, she figures it's some kind of door, but behold, she notices a little impurity in the otherwise smooth ice floor being reflected in the supposedly broken mirror. Kenora wonders what would happen if...
She gasps. Bending the water from her pouch, it is mirrored perfectly in front of her. All the waves, little air bubbles, the transparent color with a touch of blue - all shows up in the mirror. All but herself.
KENORA: What?
The mirror falls over, breaking into dozens of pieces. She retracts the water, finding one of the pieces particularly intriguing. Picking it up, it shows her another fountain, in a room with an open window. And two of the Avatar's friends. The boy with swords stands up very suddenly.
ZUKO (in the piece): But I wonder what Aang and Azula saw...
Kenora gasps. Light flashes in front of her eyes.
Ty Lee gets up and almost flinches at the sudden appearance of a waterbender girl. Zuko readies himself, drawing his blades.
ZUKO: Who are you?
A few weeks ago, she would have complied with the answer and responded to Zuko. Right now, she's angrier and more confused than interested in a conversation.
KENORA: Where am I? Did you do this?
Her sharp words provoke Ty Lee into aiming her fists forward.
TY LEE: We asked you a question! Who-
It finally clicks for the acrobat.
TY LEE: You're Sokka's little helper.
A statement that pushes Kenora over the edge. She clenches her teeth at her opponents and takes on a firm stance across from them.
KENORA: I am Kenora of the South, daughter of Vice-Chief Puwati, and Princess of the Moray Barracuda Clan!
Ty Lee and Zuko are a little shocked, but also...
ZUKO: O...kay?
TY LEE: That's a long name.
Ty Lee blinks comically.
TY LEE: Wait, you are a girl! I knew it!
Kenora and Zuko are confused, stopping Ty Lee in her track.
TY LEE: What?
She gasps at Zuko.
TY LEE: You knew?!
Zuko shrugs in shame.
ZUKO: I uh... I didn't want to spill her secret.
Kenora nods.
KENORA: I appreciate it.
She opens her pouch and bends a body of water around her shoulders, reading herself.
KENORA: Now tell me where the Avatar is!
Their convo gets interrupted by singular sunbeam, shaking the temple to its core. They all look outside, where the light is hitting the tip of the temple, far above them. The polar lights begin to flare up.
As soon as the door closes behind them, Azula is overwhelmed by the colors created within the ice shard cluster in the middle of the sanctuary. Fog appears all around them, all flowing towards the statue in the center of the wall across from them. From the fog a figure emerges. A young, tribal waterbender with dreadlocks and a cocky smile.
Act III. – Avatar Kaiyuko
Aang always pictures his previous incarnations as elderly people, so seeing Kaiyuko as a young man in his prime puts the thing as a whole into perspective. He wonders for a second if he can also choose it once his time is over.
KAIYUKO: Hello Aang. I was hoping you'd show up.
With the attitude of a surfer-dude he smiles at Azula, coming off as a little dazed.
KAIYUKO: Woah! And who are you?
Aang is in addition thrown off by Kaiyuko's... relaxed nature. Azula just seems perplexed in general.
AZULA: Uh... me?
KAIYUKO: Yeah dude. I don't remember inviting more than one person.
Azula and Aang exchange looks. She non-verbally demands him to stop.
AANG: We uh... I am Avatar Aang!
Azula slaps her forehead.
KAIYUKO: I know dude. But you're not the real Aang, aren't ya?
Aang stutters.
AANG: Well, um-
AZULA: He's from another reality.
Kaiyuko gawks at her.
KAIYUKO: Huh?
Azula sighs.
AZULA: A different world. One where he fights an evil Fire Nation with the help of the Water Tribe.
Kaiyuko seems to get it together somewhat after hearing that.
KAIYUKO: Oh, that makes sense.
The spirit clears his throat.
KAIYUKO: Our Avatar energy has been totally off-balance ever since you came into this world. Our previous incarnations have been wondering what's up with that.
Azula rolls her eyes over. Aang at least tries to stay focused.
AANG: Our Avatar energy?
KAIYUKO: Yeah dude. I don't know if you've noticed, but you can't control the Avatar State quite that well. Normally it kicks in as a defense mechanism, but whenever we sense that you're in danger it becomes all fuzzy and weird!
Fitting gestures accompany his rant.
AZULA: That's why you keep flashing so much.
Aang nods.
AANG: I've only been able to do it once properly.
KAIYUKO: Yeah, I remember. That was totally radical too. But that was the only time you were really in danger. The other times...
Kaiyuko sighs, unable to give a clear answer.
KAIYUKO: It's so fuzzy and weird! We can barely keep it stable, man!
Aang waves his hand.
AANG: That's not why you wanted us to come here though, right?
KAIYUKO: Huh? Oh yeah.
He gestures Aang to come closer, then stops as he glances at Azula again.
KAIYUKO: Who are you?
AZULA: You asked me already.
KAIYUKO: And you didn't answer!
Azula throws a tantrum.
AZULA: Because I'm not supposed to be here! I don't want to be intertwined in some Avatar nonsense! Why do I have to be here?!
Aang is unable to help her with her feelings. To his and her surprise, Kaiyuko gasps all of a sudden.
KAIYUKO: Oh. So that's what Hoa meant.
Azula crosses her arms and tries not to cry again.
AZULA: What?
KAIYUKO: You came here on my companion animal, right?
AANG: Yes?
Kaiyuko nods obnoxiously.
KAIYUKO: W- Well, you see, Hoa told me that he didn't just have the Avatar with him. He said there's someone else there who's like... special or something.
Azula stares at the Avatar in shock.
KAIYUKO: I think he meant you.
The sun is almost setting on the ocean, with Puwati tapping his fingers impatiently on the balustrade, as Sokka gawks at his ship down below.
SOKKA: Just as pretty as I remember her...
Puwati rolls over his eyes in disgust, more concerned about what is taking Ae' Kiki so long.
SOKKA: Can I ask you one last question?
Puwati glares at the prince, finding the question itself rather suspicious.
PUWATI: Yes?
SOKKA: Since Kenora is going to be my wife, I was going to ask you-
PUWATI: Spit it out, boy!
Sokka is not the least intimidated.
SOKKA: Well, I was just wondering why she left and escaped to the Boiling Rock.
Puwati reacts as if put on trial, trying to keep his composure.
PUWATI: We had... a disagreement. Nothing earthshaking.
He turns his back towards the prince, who pops up behind his shoulder like a cartoon.
SOKKA: Seems kind of earthshaking to me if she faked her identity.
Puwati grabs the prince by his shirt and holds him over the submerged anchor chain. With his other hand he holds his harpoon.
PUWATI: If you are trying to trick me, or pull my leg, I'll have you chained up and dropped to the ocean floor.
SOKKA: Father... wouldn't like that...
PUWATI: Your father cares as much about you as I!
Silence.
SOKKA: Uh... and that is?
PUWATI: Not a lot!
Sokka was hoping for something like this - an escape attempt which included the balustrade, the anchor chain and Puwati's temper.
SOKKA: Might I suggest that you GROW UP!
He heroically slips out of his shirt and... is just caught by Puwati again, who lets him dangle upside down.
SOKKA: He-he, oopsie...
Puwati grins at him as he throws the prince back on deck. Sokka gasps as he looks up at one of the sails.
PUWATI: Why should I let my daughter marry an incompetent-
Puwati notices his stare. As he turns around, a Blue Spirit launches at him, cutting him right through the face. The Vice-Chief roars in pain.
SOKKA: Why, thank you...
The Blue Spirit tilts its head and charges Sokka, who can merely get up. At the last minute, the hook-end moves, causing the Blue Spirit to trip, although it still manages to land with balance. Puwati, a gashing scar bleeding across his face, stares down the Blue Spirit.
PUWATI: You will pay for that.
The blue mask spins its katana. Two swipes get blocked by the weapon, even putting this mighty man on edge. He counters with a weeping roar, closely missing the attacker, who dodges and jumps away. Puwati swings his hook, only hitting the sail, while the Blue Spirit can easily escape.
PUWATI: Sound the alarm! Someone infiltrated the ship!
Some on-board soldiers try taking on the Blue Spirit but fail miserably at it. Then Puwati remembers.
PUWATI: Sokka.
He turns around. The prince is gone, so is is shirt, and as Puwati looks down, the Matariki is nowhere to be found. He punches the balustrade in pain and frustration.
PUWATI: Set the course for Kaiyuko Island!
As he roars the order, he looks ahead and shock and fear. The Blue Spirit is gone. What it really wanted is unclear to him. Unless its goal was to leave a trail of bodies behind it, which is what happened to the brave soldiers on deck.
PUWATI: Spirits may help us...
Azula feels the need to sit down. There is nothing to sit down on, but she does so anyways.
AZULA: What do you mean by that?
Kaiyuko shrugs anticlimactically.
KAIYUKO: I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with your vision.
She stares at him in shock. Aang would also like some answers.
AANG: Yeah, what were those?
Kaiyuko sighs. His tone becomes a bit drier.
KAIYUKO: I built this temple after I lost the love of my life.
Aang's heart sinks to the floor. Katara's image flashes in his mind.
KAIYUKO: I loved her more than life itself. More than surfing. And more than my county, or the task I was given as the Avatar...
He hangs his head down low.
KAIYUKO: I failed to stop the Water Tribes from our conquest. When I was supposed to stop the Great Chief, I was too upset by her death...
His eyes wander from the ceiling down the walls.
KAIYUKO: I built this temple for her. To keep her memory.
AZULA: So, is it her spirit? Is she in the temple?
Kaiyuko falls silent, then chuckles.
KAIYUKO: Nah. That sounds like it sucks.
Azula gets up while rolling her eyes one more time.
KAIYUKO: But I think my grief attracted some spirits. Or just one, don't really know. But I do know that the spirit shows you your greatest fear.
Aang and Azula exchange looks.
AZULA: Why? To torture us? Mock our mortal weakness?
KAIYUKO: No.
She is surprised at his response.
KAIYUKO: It's a test of sorts. Everyone is afraid of something. The important question is: Can you overcome your fear, or let it consume you?
Azula and Aang exchange fearful glances again.
Kenora stares angrily at her opponents.
KENORA: I'm going to ask this one last time - where is the Avatar?
Zuko gets the impression that Ty Lee is intimidated by the waterbender.
ZUKO: We will never tell you!
Kenora swallows her anger in a scoff.
KENORA: I don't want to have to do this-
TY LEE: Then put down your water!
The screeching demand goes unheard.
ZUKO: You said you felt sorry for us in Mai Sa Lu! You don't want to follow down that path!
His wise words touch her in some way, but they don't stir her away from her goal. Ty Lee shivers slightly, unnerving the other two.
KENORA: What's wrong with her?
Zuko extends his blades.
ZUKO: That's none of your concern!
TY LEE: Your aura...
Zuko falls silent. Kenora tilts her head to the side.
TY LEE: Your aura is... dark.
An ominous shiver runs down Zuko's spine. Kenora frowns.
KENORA: What?
TY LEE: It... it scares me.
A short, precious moment of silence. Only the clouds and winds outside echo through the chamber.
KENORA: I scare you?
Ty Lee nods. Kenora scoffs, which turns into a smirk.
KENORA: Maybe I should.
Kenora pulls her arms to the side, crashing a wave from the fountain into the two opponents, who tumble on to the icy floor. Kenora switches positions, directing her body of water into a whip hanging from her foot, with which she continues her offensive, whipping it at Zuko and Ty Lee in circles. Zuko can dodge once but gets slapped the second time, while Ty Lee dodges the first one with a jump, landing on the fountain statue. She produces two streams of wind, pulling them up from below her, although both get blocked by an ice shield Kenora summons from the ground. Ty Lee is caught mid-jump by a wateracle, smacking against the ground, where Zuko cuts the liquid constraints. Kenora grins her teeth, launching a series of ice projectiles at Zuko, who can block the first two, but is knocked down by the third. Ty Lee cartwheels into a spin, blasting air from her feet and landing a hit - Kenora getting knocked back but rolling over on her knees. Ty Lee creates a funnel, but before she can launch it at Kenora, her braid gets caught by fountain water, which freezes right after. The acrobat screams in pain.
The scream echoes through the palace, even sounding into the sanctuary, alarming Aang and Azula. They share yet another look.
AANG & AZULA: Ty Lee!
KAIYUKO: Woah, that sounds brutal. Did you bring friends with you?
Azula lashes out at the Avatar.
AZULA: We don't have time for this nonsense - tell us why you brought us here!
Kaiyuko takes a deep breath, shuddering in fear and subsequently confusing the firebender.
AZULA: Are you scared?
KAIYUKO: Yeah dude, I totally am! It's normal to be afraid, you know?
As he says those words his eyes glow with a white shimmer, so do Aang's eyes and tattoos. Azula fears the upcoming vision. She too takes a deep breath before touching Aang's shoulder.
KAIYUKO: The first Great Chief, Meiki, was keen on expanding his domain and that of the Water Tribes...
Visions of the first Great Chief, a rather average-looking man with a fancy mustache-beard and short hair, appears.
KAIYUKO: When a comet destroyed the Fire Nation capital, he sensed that the time was right...
The vision shows a massive meteorite crashing into a mountain caldera, destroying a city below it. Azula's heart is pounding out of her chest, but she somehow manages to keep herself under control. She will not let her fear get the upper hand.
KAIYUKO: The Water Tribe was already in a position to strike, but Meiki wanted to make sure nothing got in his way...
A shadow climbs up and down a storming sea, hidden in waves and darkness, being of massive size. Azula can never quite identify the actual shape of the being, yet its roaring howl is already enough for her.
KAIYUKO: On the strongest full moon of the year, he called upon the spirits to guide him in his conquest. A terrible sacrifice was made...
Who or what was sacrificed can also not be identified, although the chills of the blade dropping down give a bad enough image already. Azula takes a deep breath, ready to continue.
KAIYUKO: He managed to awaken an ancient being from its slumber...
Aang frowns in shock.
KAIYUKO: Ogro the Leviathan...
The being roars again, Aang also being unable to see it in its full form.
KAIYUKO: With it, Ogro brought a storm that raged for months, reshaping our world as we know it...
Locations flash under lightning - storming rain falling upon the Twins, showering the Earth Kingdom canyon, even drenching the Si Wong Desert.
KAIYUKO: With this massive advantage to the waterbenders, Meiki attacked the Air Temples. He didn't even mean to kill the Avatar - he wanted to send a message, that anyone standing in his path would face total destruction...
Aang almost gasps at the image of Meiki and his army hitting the Southern Air Temple with massive waves.
KAIYUKO: Aang, listen man, by the end of this summer - which is next summer technically - Ogro will awake from his slumber once again - the Water Tribe army could wreak havoc on the world. I don't want to imagine what the current Great Chief has planned...
An image of Great Chief Hakoda, cloaked in shadows, appears at last. Then, the vision ends, rather abruptly.
Zuko's boomerang is blocked by a swift hand movement, flying back at its owner. Kenora lets out a grunt, summoning water around her waist, expanding it outward towards Zuko, who ducks, countering with his blades. Kenora either dodges the attacks or blocks them with a coat of ice. Eventually, she catches both blades with ice gloves. The two grin their teeth at each other.
ZUKO: I thought you were different!
KENORA: Only because you thought I was WEAK!
Ice from below melts into water, which Kenora pulls up with her knee, hitting Zuko's chin. He stumbles backwards, where the waterbender pushes another stream towards his gut, finishing him off with a capoeira spin-kick, which launches a stream of water directly into his face. Zuko falls backwards, grunting in pain, but eventually, he gets back up, equipped with nothing but his boomerang.
KENORA: Surrender now.
She creates ice daggers on her knuckles. Zuko shares a quick glance with Ty Lee, who nods in pain.
KENORA: TELL ME WHERE HE IS!
ZUKO: He's right... THERE!
His boomerang flies - Kenora quickly makes a shield from her daggers. But...
KENORA: You missed.
Zuko catches his weapon with a smirk.
ZUKO: Oh yeah?
Kenora turns around. Before she can react, a powerful wind blast knocks her back and against a pillar in the back of the room. She falls down unconscious. Ty Lee breathes heavily with anger - her braid was removed and still sticks out of an ice pillar. Her hair is now open and about shoulder length. Zuko smiles at her, grunting when trying to get up.
TY LEE: Zuko!
She runs towards him, when her legs get stuck in the melting floor.
ZUKO: No!
As he gets up, his legs are also caught in the floor.
ZUKO: I thought we had her!
They look back at Kenora, who is still unconscious and on the ground.
AE' KIKI: Wrong direction.
They gasp towards the open chamber side, where Ae' Kiki is just melting his ice-ice-picks, with four other waterbenders appearing from below the window.
Aang immediately runs over to Azula.
AANG: Are you okay?
To his surprise, she seems quite calm.
AZULA: I'm fine.
She smiles at him, and he returns the favor.
KAIYUKO: Now you know what to do, Avatar. You got to stop the Great Chief and end the war before Ogro returns.
Aang is overwhelmed.
AANG: This is so different. I only had to face a comet in my world - how do I even defeat a giant spirit like that?
KAIYUKO: Well, you got to learn all the elements and master them.
Now Aang is the one who panics.
AANG: But I-
He cringes in fear.
AANG: I failed in my world. How am I going to do it here?
AZULA: With us.
She puts her hands on his shoulders.
AZULA: You already know the elements, all you got to do is master them now. And you know where we need to go and what will happen - we are literally prepared for everything!
AANG: I know but...
He sighs.
AANG: We are not prepared for everything. Things keep... changing and being different.
She grabs Aang's cheeks with a kind of gentleness he didn't expect from her.
AZULA: Then we will do something different. Together.
A hopeful warmth builds up in his stomach. He can't remember the last time he felt like this. Almost... optimistic about the future.
AANG: Thank you.
KAIYUKO: Woah...
Azula lets go and the duo focuses back on the Avatar.
AZULA: What?
Kaiyuko closes his eyes, sharing a vision with Aang - his friends and a waterbender girl being captured by Water Tribe soldiers.
KAIYUKO: A great danger awaits you at the temple. I can help you face the threat, but only if you are ready.
The two kids smile at each other.
AANG: I'm ready.
AZULA: Of course he's ready.
Kaiyuko spits out a laugh.
KAIYUKO: Rad.
Aang's and Kaiyuko's eyes start glowing at the same time.
Ae' Kiki plays with a puddle of water in his hand. Ty Lee's former braid is now flowing around in the water.
AE' KIKI: Quite fascinating.
He turns towards his prisoners - three teenagers with ice shackles behind their backs, the elite four standing behind them.
ZUKO: We are telling the truth!
Kenora wakes up again with a grunt.
TY LEE: Yeah! We don't know where he is!
Kenora's eyes snap open.
KENORA: Wait, what?! You don't know?!
Zuko glares at her.
ZUKO: No, we don't!
KENORA: Then why didn't you say so?! I didn't want to attack you!
ZUKO: You chose to attack us! This is all on you!
While his words make sense in her mind, her face expresses a glare back at him.
KENORA: And I almost won.
AE' KIKI: Almost.
His chilling voice strikes fear in all three of their hearts.
AE' KIKI: The Vice-Chief will be pleased to hear you're alive.
Now Kenora glares at him. Ae' Kiki forms a thin dagger from a film of water on his wrist, reminding Zuko of Zhengyi's ruler.
AE' KIKI: As for you two, I have no use for you. I'm only here for the Avatar.
A rumbling almost knocks him over. An earthquake-like force shakes the temple to its core. Bits and pieces of ice fall down from the ceiling. Everyone gasps in awe when looking at the window - Kaiyuko is surfing down a wave on an ice board.
AE' KIKI: Impossible...
Kaiyuko smirks, bending a bubble of water from the fountain and dropping it on to the elite four, freezing the soldiers in a comical ice ball. Ae' Kiki, in fear of the mighty spirit that's out to get him, runs away, jumping out the window and sliding down the wall on an ice-ice-pick. The collapse of the temple speeds up at a rapid pace. Kaiyuko himself even rips down walls and parts of the ceiling.
ZUKO: Please don't hurt us - we're friends of the Avatar!
Kaiyuko's voice has a shimmering, echoey sound.
KAIYUKO: I know, dude.
With the flick of his wrist, all shackles melt. All shackles. Although Kenora is too intimidated to do anything.
AZULA: Need a ride?
Appa hovers at the window, with a smug Azula at the helm and a cheerful Sabachi on her shoulder. She lands the bison in the collapsing hall.
ZUKO: Where is Aang?!
Azula points nonchalantly at the surfing Avatar, breaking down the temple.
AZULA: Give him a minute. Oh, Ty Lee, I love your new hair!
The acrobat frowns at her.
TY LEE: Don't mention it...
Ty Lee jumps on to the saddle, with Zuko choosing to climb. A final swipe from Kaiyuko and a wall in the back bursts open, revealing a staircase down. With that, fog surrounds Kaiyuko. As it disappears again, it spits out Aang.
ZUKO: I'll go!
He runs up to the collapsing airbender, the floor underneath him is close to falling apart. As Zuko hoists up Aang he shares a fateful glance with Kenora, who doesn't quite know what to do. Zuko, despite everything, extends his hand, waving her towards him.
ZUKO: Come with us!
Kenora considers it. After looking at the staircase again, she gives the swordfighter a glare and runs away.
AZULA: How tragic, now COME ON!
Zuko snaps back, climbing up the saddle with Aang.
AZULA: Yip-yip!
With a growl, the bison flies away.
By the time Kenora reaches the shore, half the temple is shambles. Huge chunks of ice fall down next to her, almost crushing her like a bug. Her canoe is on the other side of the island, how is she-
SOKKA: Ke-no-RA!
A happy gasp escapes her mouth, as the red catamaran is close to shore.
SOKKA: Come over here! I don't want to dock with all the-
A huge ice chunk crashes down next to him in an overly comical fashion. Kenora smiles, casually bending herself across the ocean water, landing with a spin next to him.
KENORA: You came to rescue me.
SOKKA: Of course! We're a crew, remember?
He winks at her and she smiles.
KENORA: Now come on, the Avatar is heading north again, if we leave now, Puwati's fleet won't catch us...
As she rambles her plans, turned away from Sokka, his heartbeat increases. The sunset reflects beautifully off the water and on to her. For a second, he takes the betrothal necklace out of his pocket and looks at it. He decided to carve a flame on to it.
Ae' Kiki gets up with a headache and a lot of questions. Somehow, none of the ice chunks managed to hit him, and he even finds the elite four, still frozen in their comical ball. The sun has almost completely set on Kaiyuko island, and with fear in his heart the lieutenant sees the ironclad ships closing in on his location.
Endless oceanwater stretches for miles as the sun finally sets. Zuko has taken over the reins, with Ty Lee close behind him.
ZUKO: I do like it, and I'm sorry.
TY LEE: It's okay, Zuko. It's hair - it grows back.
AANG: I also like it.
Aang and Ty Lee exchange a smile.
ZUKO: So, are you going to tell us what happened with Kaiyuko, or...
AANG: Let's make our plans once we reach land.
Appa groans.
AZULA: Which is when Appa would like a reward for his hard work.
Aang pets the bison with a cheerful laughter, one Azula hears for the first time.
AANG: Of course, buddy. Well get you all the litchis you want!
Appa groans again. With everyone being cheerful and happy, Azula stares at the ocean, not entirely sure of what to make of everything. One thing she know for sure, is that her fear has turned into a stern resolve to save her world. Maybe she will also help to save Aang's. In addition, she knows that she's not alone, as Ty Lee and Aang give her a warm hug from behind.
Fire. Earth. Water. Air. My uncle used to tell me stories about the old days, how the four nations once lived in harmony, how everything changed once the Water Tribes attacked...
Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless waterbenders. But when the world needed him most, he disappeared.
Nobody had seen him for a hundred years, until my brother and I found him, an airbender named Aang.
The problem is, Aang is from a different world, a distorted reality, and even though his bending skills are great, his painful memories are sometimes too much for him to handle by himself...
But I believe Aang can save the world.