Fight16: Disturbances

Aang was shaking Appa's reigns, smiling. On his left, Sokka was flying gracefully on Aang's glider and smiling back at him. As a shadow was cast over him, he looked up to see Guang slithering above him, Chenlian mounted on his neck. On his right, Katara was flying on an enormous version of Momo.

"We need you, Aang." She said after waving at him.

"I need you too." He replied, smiling at her. He turned from her to look straight ahead in alarm. A huge, black storm cloud had gathered ahead. He recoiled.

"Be careful guys! Guys?" He looked around and was shocked to discover they had all disappeared. He reported his attention to the menacing clouds ahead when, suddenly, a cross-legged Gyatso dropped from the top and rested hovering in mid-air in front of him. He uttered his mentor's name in surprise.

"Why did you disappear?"

"I didn't mean to." But as the boy leant forward to touch his old master, Gyatso turned grey as ash and was blown away like smoke starting from the head down until he was completely gone.

"We need you, Aang." The bodyless voice echoed again as the Avatar entered the humongous storm cloud. Lightning was rending the disturbed sky and rain was pouring down. Aang screamed as he held onto Appa's reins for his life. The child and the animal fell into the sea like they had done a century ago. The boy let go and began to drift away in the dark waters.

"We need you, Aang. We need you. We need you, Aang. We need you." Many voices chanted as if they came from the abyss. And for a second, visible in the afterglow of a lightning strike, the silhouette of a muscular man appeared, wreathed in flames, and coiffed with the symbol of the Fire Nation.

Aang woke up with a start. It was still night at their most recent camp. He disturbed Momo, who was sleeping on his belly, and in his 'escape', Momo jumped on Katara and Sokka waking them up. Sokka, ready with his knife and boomerang, was groggily wondering if they were being captured again. Chenlian had escaped being jumped on as she had been on Aang's other side. But the noise had nonetheless woken her up too. The monk replied it was nothing, just a bad dream, and told his friends to go back to sleep. Sokka didn't need to be told twice and rolled over. Aang returned to his foetal position, a pained look on his youthful face. Katara was still worried, however, as he had had a lot of nightmares lately and gently offered to talk about it. The boy reassured her saying he just needed some rest. The two female benders looked at each other. He was obviously lying.

"You guys want to hear about my dream?" Sokka chirped, sitting up suddenly, all excited. But then he lied back down, depressed, before the girls' dark looks. "That's ok, I didn't wanna talk about it anyway." They turned their attention back to Aang. If the burden was so heavy that he would keep having nightmares, then he should share it. They would never think any less of him because of it or the reason behind his nightmares. The boy, however, still insisted that he was alright. Evidently, he did not want to talk about it. But it was fine. They would wait for him until he was ready. And everyone fell back asleep more or less easily.

The next morning, the waves were rolling, Appa was yawning and Katara packing things on the beach. Sokka was arranging things at the back of the saddle while Aang was sitting atop the bison's head. The airbender happily noted how clear the skies were and expected some smooth flying. Standing in the middle of the saddle, waiting for Katara to throw her the bags, Chenlian apprehensively watched the birds cawing and flying in a V formation as if they were fleeing and inhaled deeply. There was a heavy stillness in the air, as if she was watching the deceptively calm surface of a river, belying the tumultuous currents inside. And she felt that soon, that river would become rapids. The breeze was very tiny but when it would blow she could feel the temperatures had decreased and the humidity increased. She disagreed with Aang. After so much time in the wild, you learn to pick up every little sign of change in everything, people, animals, weather or nature. The waterbender examined the empty food bag and dropped the crumbs on the sand. Momo jumped at her feet to pick them.

"Well, we better smoothly fly ourselves to a market, 'cause we're out of food." She stepped on Appa's tail which slowly lifted as she continued walking up to the saddle.

"And then smoothly fly ourselves to a shelter before that big storm arrives. And also, we don't have much money left." The firebender added.

"Guys, wait." Sokka stopped everyone. "This was in my dream, we shouldn't go to the market." His sister asked what had happened in his dream. "Food eats people!" He answered, his eyes bugged out in fright, and making a weird grimace. His friends stared at him blankly and shook their heads at his usual nonsense. "Also, Momo could talk. You said some very unkind things." He turned to the lemur that lowered his ears and chattered cluelessly.

The same flock of birds flew by Prince Zuko's ship. On the main deck, Iroh deeply breathed in and frowned. Behind him, his nephew was looking through a telescope. The old man warned him that a big storm was coming but he could not believe him: the weather was perfect. There was not a cloud in sight. The retired general insisted that a storm was approaching from the north and they should alter their course and head southwest. But again, the prince would not listen. The Avatar was travelling northward so so would they. Iroh begged him to consider the safety of the crew, which only enraged the teen.

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko burst out before noticing the arrival of a crewmember who had clearly heard that disobliging remark and did not seem very happy about it. Realizing this, the prince's expression turned from concern to defiance as he walked to his lieutenant until his face was right to his. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety." He spoke more calmly and in a contained manner before going back into the ship. Iroh approached the lieutenant and, without much success, attempted to smooth the angles saying his nephew did not mean that, he was just all worked up.

As soon as they arrived at the market, Chenlian went her own way to get some money and left the others to buy what was needed with the money they had left. She installed herself in the most crowded part and played the pipa and sang.

While shopping Sokka tried to leave innocently and without paying with a basket of fruits and the disagreeable old female shopkeeper took the basket and kicked his butt, rendering them without food or money. Katara suggested that he took a job and just at that moment they heard that old fisherman arguing with his wife. She wanted to stop him from going out at sea as there was a storm coming. He called her crazy since there was no cloud or wind and told her to quit her nagging. At this, Aang had also hoped they would find some shelter. First Chenlian, and now that woman... But Sokka was of the same opinion as the fisherman. The old woman insisted that there would be a storm, her joints were telling her so. Her husband replied that it was her joints against his brain, to what she retorted she hoped his brain could find someone else to haul that fish, cause she was not going. The stubborn old man riposted that he would find a new fish hauler and pay him double what she got. Sokka jumped on the occasion and was immediately hired.

"What? You said 'get a job' and he's paying double." The boy justified himself before the looks his friends were giving him. "Besides I can't let such a task as 'earning money' all to a girl. What will we do if Chenlian fails, huh?" Although the truth was that he just wanted to earn more than her. He was a man, if he could not beat her in a fight then at least in such situations... The two benders shook their heads again. That was Sokka after all.

"Double? Who told ya that nonsense?" The fisherman looked at the water tribesman as if he were an alien.

At sea, the storm Chenlian, Iroh, and the old woman had foretold was taking shape... a storm so large that its ominous black clouds hid the horizon. And Zuko's ship, which was at the edge of the still growing perturbance, was headed right into it. From the deck, Zuko, Iroh, and four crewmen, including Lieutenant Jee, were looking at the disturbed sky with apprehension.

"Uh! Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all." The lieutenant crossed his arms over his chest, a mocking edge in his tone. Iroh tried to defuse the conflict saying it was a lucky guess.

"Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect, or I will teach it to you." The prince walked over to his insolent subordinate and threatened him, pointing two fingers at his chest, the atmosthere between them as menacing as the sky. Zuko walked away but the lieutenant could no longer contain his contempt for the Prince.

"What do you know about respect? The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard working crew to your esteemed uncle shows you know nothing about respect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?" As he spoke, Iroh was behind him, making decapitation motions with his hand him, hoping he would look back so he could signify him it was too dangerous to continue like this. The retired general knew his nephew was too stubborn to listen to anyone and could only apologise after he had realized his mistake. But the opponent was an adult! And one he had handpicked too! Adults should stay calm and level headed! But it was really no use! Zuko stopped in mid step. Iroh sighed and put his hand over his face, resigning himself to the brewing disaster. By the end of the tirade, Prince Zuko's eyebrow was twitching. He had clearly been stung by the accusations. He turned and assumed a firebending stance, his subaltern did the same. Once more, Iroh failed to calm them. Zuko and the Lieutenant's hands crossed at the wrists. The ritual of combat had begun. Their arms forced against the other in this contest for submission. Steel rasped against steel and smoke rose in curls from the point of contact. Iroh appeared between them and broke them apart.

"Enough! We are all a bit tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles everyone will feel much better." He smirked at them. The prince and the lieutenant glared at each other a moment longer, then both turned and walked away in opposite directions. The old man joined his nephew.

"I don't need your help keeping order on my ship." The teen told him sharply. Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder, but was rudely shoved off. Zuko walked to the bow.

Two hours after their separation, Chenlian arrived at the pier. Of course since the place was small it was not a great fortune but it should be enough for now. Chenlian found the trio at the pier just when an old woman said the boy with the tattoos was right and he – her husband – should listen to him. The firebender soon learnt about Sokka getting a job as fish hauler – and how it came to be – and how Aang and the old woman had tried to convince them not to go... in vain as the fisherman was too stubborn and Sokka had given his word and would not back out because of some bad weather. They were storing boxes on the ship. The old recognized the airbender tattoos and deduced Aang was the Avatar. Aang and Katara confirmed with a smile but it was short-lived as this declaration was not met with the reaction of joy and relief they had grown to expect.

"Well don't be so smiley about it. The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years." He jabbed the child's chest with an accusing finger. "You turned your back on the world!"

"Don't yell at him! Aang would never turn his back on anyone!" Katara stomped angrily.

"Oh? He wouldn't, uh? Then I guess I must have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering." The elder retorted cynically. Chenlian, who had silently approached, attentively watched the airbender's face. Guilt, fear, regrets seemed to be welling up inside him like dark clouds.

"Aang is the bravest person I know! He has done nothing but help people and save lives since I met him. It's not his fault he disappeared, right Aang? Aang? What's wrong?" Irate, the waterbender had stepped between her friend and the fisherman. And the more she had praised the Avatar, the uglier the latter had felt deep inside. She was wrong, he was not the one she – the girl he liked – had made him out to be. He was not strong or great. And while Katara was telling the old man off, the fearful little boy had backed up, unable to withstand the pressure, opened his glider and fled toward the mountains.

"That's right! Keep flyin!" The fisherman interjected contemptuously. What could such a coward do? What was he worth? The waterbender called him a horrible old man but he did not care. She mounted Appa. Chenlian was already on the driver's seat, and at her command, the bison took off, drenching the old man. Sokka emerged from the hold just as the old man shook off the excess water.

"Hey, they left without saying goodbye!"

"Your friends ain't too polite, are they?"

"I know! This one time I was-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, get below deck."

Appa was skirting a mountain face at high speed under a pouring rain. The two female benders were shielding their eyes and searching for Aang in the rain when they noticed a cave in the rock face with an exposed platform and a stone path leading up to it. They entered, wiping the water off their sleeves. She stands still, seeing something in front of her. Aang was sitting with his hands in his lap, looking downcast. He would not even turn to look at them.

"I'm sorry for running away."

"It's ok. That fisherman was way out of line." The waterbender reassured him.

"Actually he wasn't, was he?" Chenlian asked. Aang nodded, confirming her suspicions.

"What do you mean?" Katara inquired. But the boy did not want to talk about it.

"It has to do with your dream, doesn't it?" The firebender surmised again. For someone as strongly linked to the spiritual as the Avatar, dreams often had a signification. Her female friend knelt by the Aang's side and asked him to talk with them. The boy replied it was kind of a long story. Suddenly, Momo ran back, chittering, and Appa's nose and bangs appeared behind them. The bison affectionately nudged Aang with his snout. His fur was literally dripping wet. Katara and Chenlian smiled and started a fire.

"I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar." The airbender began.

He was playing with the other kids and trying to teach them how to do the air scooter when the five senior monks – Gyatso among them – had come and summoned him. These five were the Monk Council of the Southern Air Temple. They went to a chamber where they sat down cross-legged at their respective seats. The middle monk's stool rested under an ornate parasol; he was likely the leader or abbot of the monastery.

"How do you know it's me?"

"We have known you were the Avatar for some time. Do you remember these?" One of the elders revealed a rolled up package, which he airbended over to Aang. It landed in front of him and rolled open. Inside were four children's toys. On the left was a little toy turtle. Second from the left was a propeller toy. Third from the left was a little monkey or donkey. The fourth was a Japanese drum toy. The boy recognized those as his favorite toys when he was a kid. "You chose them from among thousands of toys, Aang. The toys you picked were the four Avatar relics. These items belonged to Avatars past. Your own past lives." The Council member continued gravely.

"I just chose them because they seemed fun." Aang contradicted him. He was not thinking or feeling anything as grand as what they were saying. He smiled and began to play with the propeller.

"You chose them because they were familiar."

"Normally we would have told you of your identity when you turned 16, but there are troubling signs, storm clouds are gathering." Gyatso explained, justifying what they were doing.

"I fear that war may be upon us, young Avatar." The Abbot announced.

"We need you, Aang." Gyatso said, gently. Aang lowered his head, his responsibility crushing him. Just like his head was still lowered even now, in this cave, with a storm raging outside.

While in the storm, somewhere on Zuko's ship, his face bathed in firelight, drink in hand, Lieutenant Jee was loudly complaining about Zuko to his fellow crewmembers... he was sick of taking his orders and tired of chasing his Avatar.

"I mean who does Zuko think he is?" He continued, punctuating his ranting with wide gestures.

"Do you really want to know?" Iroh answered the rhetoric question, surprising all those present as he stepped into view. The Lieutenant and the three other crewmen at the fire barrel bolted upright in respect.

"General Iroh! We were just-"

"It's ok." The retired general lifted his hand in peace. "May I join you?"

"Of course, sir!" Contrary to his nephew, Iroh was quite popular. The old man approached and sat down with the men. He stroked his beard and began to speak.

"Try to understand, my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much..."

Years ago... Zuko did not have his scar then, but still the same determined expression that turned into an angry one when he failed to get what he wanted: the guards would not let him into the war chamber. Iroh arrived, comfortingly took him by the shoulders and asked him what was wrong. The boy explained, clearly disappointed, his voice breaking slightly at the end. The general Iroh led him a short distance away from the guards and knowing his nephew's personality, tried to dissuade him saying he was not missing anything as these meetings were dreadfully boring.

"If I'm gonna rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" Zuko looked up at his uncle with a fresh and bright smile and even brighter eyes. Iroh gave in, with the boy's promise that he must not speak, since "these old folks" were a bit sensitive.

"Thank you uncle!" The young crown prince bowed gratefully before suddenly looking down, a poignantly sad and pained expression on his handsome face. "So things like that can never happen again..." For a time he looked as if he were about to cry. Iroh instantly guessed who he was talking about. Although his nephew was easily moved, a very preciously few people could move him to that extent. Just one month prior, Chenlian, after one year on the run, had been caught at last and put to jail. One year ago, her parents had been exiled after a rumor that they were attempting a coup d'etat by using their daughter's talent and closeness to the royal family while 'out of consideration for his children's feelings for the girl', Chenlian was only to be imprisoned under careful watch. But she had escaped and had only been caught again recently. Iroh had never believed any of it but Zuko was impressionable. And while he certainly did not want to believe such things either, his father held too much of an influence on him, rendering him incapable of doubting him. Before that incident, each time Chenlian's name was mentioned he would strain his ears, and each time he would see her, such a beaming smile could be seen on his face. But now, his feelings for her only made him more confused, sad, hurt, and torn, although this degree was nothing compared to what he would feel years later...

The general patted his nephew on his back and they walked past the guards who did not stop them. They entered the temple-like chamber, with a throne on a dais, wreathed in fire. The back wall was occupied by a huge dragon represented in sculptural relief. The war council was in session. Under the Fire Lord's watch, Fire Nation generals were sitting around a map of the Earth Kingdom continent that adorned the floor.

"The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here." One reported. "A dangerous battalion of their strongest earthbenders and fiercest warriors, so I am recommending the 41st division."

"But the 41st is entirely new recruits. How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?" An old officer pointed out.

"I don't." The first one replied coldly. "They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait then fresh meat?" He smiled cruelly.

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?" Zuko shouted, jumping on his feet, abashed and outraged by what he was hearing. The generals looked at him, clearly disapproving of his outburst.

"Zuko was right, you see, but it was not his place to speak out, and there were dire consequences." Iroh told his crew members in the present time, lowering his head in sadness at the memory.

In the cave, around the fire, Katara asked Aang why he had been upset – and not excited – about being the Avatar. In fact, it was that he did not know how to feel about it. All he knew was that after he found out, everything began changing. Although they were sad and felt sincerely sorry about it, his friends and fellow pupils felt they could not let Aang play with them anymore because having the Avatar would be too much of an advantage for whatever team he would be on. Although he tried to tell them he had not changed, that he was still the same, nothing would do. So he'd put on a fake smile, say it was ok, and leave under the regretful stares of his fellow airbenders.

Later, Aang and Gyatso were playing Pai Sho again. The boy appeared sad and absentminded. He wanted to play and have fun with his friends too, with people his age...

"Very interesting move, young one." Gyatso commented thoughtfully. Aang asked what he meant. Behind his back, the Elder Monk bended the air in an arch over his head and behind Aang and blew the child's hood up over his face, giving the Gyatso time to switch a few pieces before Aang could remove the hood. The boy was not fooled, however, and both laughed heartily before the door suddenly opened to reveal one of the other monk elders who was obviously dissatisfied with what he was seeing.

"You're playing games with him? The Avatar should be training."

"Aang has already trained enough for today." Gyatso disagreed.

"Time is short. Come with me. I must test you on some high level techniques." The other ordered. Aang stood up and began to follow the Elder out of the room. Monk Gyatso then raised his hand in a gesture of cessation.

"No, as long as I am his guardian, I will decide when he trains and when he gets his butt kicked at Pai Sho."

"Humph!" The Elder Monk stalked off angrily as Aang turned to smile at his master.

Iroh told the crew members that after Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him, and that Prince Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect. And as Lieutenant Jee had guessed, the only way to solve this was an Agni Kai, a fire duel. Zuko had declared that he was not afraid of the general he had insulted... but he had misunderstood.

"When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the General. Zuko had spoken out against a general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

The crown prince was in a rectangular arena with a large crowd on either side. His ceremonial cloth dropped to the floor as he stood up, exposing his bare chest. He turned to face his opponent, and, recognizing him, froze in horror and anguish, tears swelling in his eyes.

"Then, just when I was starting to feel better, something worse happened." Aang told Katara and Chenlian.

Gyatso had been summoned by the Abbot at the request of the monk who had come earlier to disrupt the pai sho game. Gyatso was trying to convince the Abbot that Aang needed to have freedom and fun, and to grow up as a normal boy. The other Elder snorted, saying that he could not keep protecting him from his destiny.

"Gyatso, I know you mean well, but you are letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgment."

"All I want is what is best for him."

"But what we need is what's best for the world. You and Aang must be separated. The Avatar will be sent away to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training."

Gyatso bowed, unaware that Aang had been eavesdropping through a hole in the ceiling, alarmed and distraught.

"That's awful, Aang. I don't know what to say." Katara said sympathetically. She tried to put her hand on Aang's shoulder, but he got up, angry.

"How could they do that to me! They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!" His Avatar spirit began to activate, the arrow tattoos on his body started glowing and the energy shell seen in the Southern Air Temple formed around him, his tempestuous feelings echoing tempest outside. The wind made the fire swirl and cinders fly out. Katara cried out while dodging. Chenlian was not saying anything, not moving an inch, and her amber eyes were fixed onto the fire. The cinders had not flown at her. But she was listening attentively. The cry seemed to have made Aang snap out of it. He calmed down, his Avatar spirit receding, and apologised. But the waterbender was not mad at him for lashing out. On the contrary, she understood why he would be so angry after the monks sent him away like that. However, it was not what had happened... And the boy, downcast and guilty, continued his tale.

Watching from the window of his room his fellow monks in training playing with air scooters, longing to join them, play with them, be like them again, he became afraid and confused, not knowing what to do...

And later that night, when Gyatso would enter Aang's bedroom, intent on not letting the others take him away from him, it would be to find the boy gone with only a rolled up scroll on the bed. And after reading the letter, he grew even more concerned for his beloved student's safety as he looked at the storm raging outside. At this time Aang did not know that he would never see Gyatso again. And then, the boy and his bison, unable to navigate in the wild and violent winds, fell into the sea. In order not to drown, Aang's Avatar spirit activated, encasing them both in the ice.

"Next thing I knew, I was waking up in your arms after you found me in the iceberg." The Avatar child looked vacantly across the fire, with that same guilty expression.

"You ran away." Katara stated, with no hint of judgement in her tone.

"And then the Fire Nation attacked our temple. My people needed me and I wasn't there to help!"

"You don't know what would've-" The waterbender began.

"The world needed me and I wasn't there to help!"

"Aang-"

"The fisherman was right! I did turn my back on the world!"

"You're being too hard on yourself. Even if you did run away, I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed you would have been killed along with all the other airbenders." The brown-haired girl said softly, kindly, and reassuringly.

"You don't know that." The boy retorted, still not convinced.

"It's true, we don't know." The firebender asserted brusquely.

"Chenlian!" Katara exclaimed, incredulous and irritated at her friend's apparent lack of tact.

"We don't know and we can't know. It is impossible to know or do anything about what could have been. So there is no need for us to concern ourselves about it. And I don't think they would have wanted us to. We are alive, and we are here. So don't you think we should concentrate on what we can do now?" Chenlian said with a sweet, soothing, understanding and yet sad smile. Aang looked up at her. That was right. Despite the way she acted and what she would say, it was impossible for Chenlian not to have or have had regrets about the past. Both had regrets, both had been unable to protect their families, but they had to overcome them. "The only mistake they made was telling you before you turned sixteen. But we can't concern ourselves with what was. We must act on what is." The light of hope appeared back on the child's face. Katara smiled too, reassured. She had jumped on conclusions again. Despite her manners, Chenlian cared greatly about Aang, and she knew how to directly address people's hearts...

"I know it's meant to be this way. The world needs you now, Aang. You give people hope." The waterbender added. And slowly, smile and hope spread more and more over his face. Chittering, Momo returned to Aang who petted him affectionately and gratefully.

"When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy..." Iroh continued his story in the fire lit chamber of his nephew's ship...

"Please, father, I only had the fire nation's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!" The young Zuko apologised from his heart as the massive and towering form of his father was closing in on him.

"You will fight for your honor."

"I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son." The crying child knelt as low as he could.

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!"

"I won't fight you."

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher." The Fire Lord was now standing a few feet away, as the Prince raised his tear filled face to his father. And the spectators – mostly military personel – watched on. Among them was a maliciously grinning Captain Zhao, General Iroh looking fearful for his nephew, and a cruelly smiling young girl in a soldier's uniform who was clearly hoping for the worst to befall the boy on the arena. She was raising her left fist in anticipation of the disgrace her brother was undergoing. Iroh looked away in despair, but could not block his nephew's heart-rending scream of anguish and excruciating pain that would keep resonating in his head even now as his younger brother permanently burned a stigma of shame and infamy on the left side of his own son's face.

"I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident." Lieutenant Jee commented, abashed.

"It was no accident. After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor."

"So that's why he's so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

"Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope."

In his own chamber, Zuko was sitting alone in the darkness, except for the flame on the altar in front of him. He too, was remembering the past, the happy times on Ember Island when he, his little sister were running across the crest of a hillside, laughing, followed by their father, and when his father would put his large hand on his shoulder. How blessed and proud he was then, to be his father's son, before he was branded. Just how hapless he looked now... the scar did not disfigure his appearance nearly as much as his soul. And that mark showed on his face much more than his scar. Suddenly, Zuko turned his head as he heard lighting striking the bridge.

The old fish hauler woman from the docks ran into the caves, crying for help. Katara rushed to her, reassuring her that she was safe. However, she wasn't talking about herself, but her husband. The brown haired girl asked what she meant and where Sokka was. The elder answered that they haven't returned. They should've been back by now, and this storm was becoming a typhoon. They were caught out at sea. Aang stood and resolutely declared he was going to find them.

"I'm going with you." The two female benders decided in the same time.

"I'm staying here!" The old woman sat down, her expression clearly showing she was no fool to go risking her life in this storm at her age. Aang promised her they would be back soon and Appa flew away with the airbender, the waterbender, and the firebender on his back.

On Zuko's ship which was battling the waves, Zuko and the Lieutenant, just like everyone else, were struggling to stay upright on the ship's main deck, the rain and ocean water not giving them a second's rest. Zuko asked where they were hit but his subordinate didn't know. Iroh pointed at the bridge tower where a crewman was hanging off some of the rigging. The prince noticed it was the helmsman and began to climb the external ladder up to the bridge area, the lieutenant behind him. On the deck, Iroh sensed something, and lighting struck, but the retired general bended the lightning through his body, away from the men trying to rescue the helmsman and forced it to strike open water, leaving him smoking and looking confused, but otherwise undamaged. The helmsman finally let go with a cry, before his wrist was caught by Zuko and the lieutenant helped him against the ladder. The officer smiled at the exiled prince who smiled back at him.

Aang, Katara, and Chenlian were still lokking for Sokka and the fisherman when the Avatar saw a massive wall of water up ahead. Appa could not pull up in time, but they busted through its crest with a combination of the bison's strength and the boy's airbending skills. In the distance they noticed a small boat, silhouetted by lighting strikes and hurried to it. However, Appa could be clearly seen by Zuko, Iroh and Jee...

"The Avatar!" The banished Prince exclaimed, his desire to give chase evivent on his face. The lieutenant asked what he wanted to do. Zuko paused to consider, and restraining his initial impulse, decided to let him go. They needed to get this ship to safety.

"Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm." Iroh advised gravely before a light smile curved his lips, satisfied and proud of his nephew's decision.

Sokka and the fisherman were struggling to pilot the fishing boat. The boy was crying that he was too young to die and the old man that he was not but still didn't wanna. Appa flew in close and Aang and Chenlian jumped onto the boat. Lighting struck the main mast, breaking off. Before it could hit anyone, the firebender burned it to ashes. The gold glow of her eyes receeded. The two benders attached Sokka and the fisherman with the rope they were holding and told them to hold onto it. They bended themselves back onto Appa, pulling Sokka and the old man with them. Both landed safely on the saddle, the old man spitting out some water and smiling sheepishly. Behind them a shadow appeared and the sound of rushing water was heard. A huge wave was building up behind them, much larger than even the one before. Appa tried to escape, but the wave was too fast, and they were submerged. In a scene that was eerily similar to the one where he had frozen himself, Aang drifted away from Appa and his friends in the water. His avatar spirit triggered, he surrounded himself and his friends with a ball of energy and raised them back up out of the water and into the sky.

Zuko and his crew had reached the eye of the storm, where the wind had died down and the downpour reduced to a light drizzle.

"Uncle, I am sorry." The teen apologized sincerely and ruefully.

"Your apology is accepted." Iroh smiled, putting a comforting hand on his nephew's shoulder... just when the Avatar's bubble of energy erupted from the sea in a boiling blue mass in front of the prow and rocketed into the air. Aang and Chenlian looked back at the ship, at Zuko who stared back at them until they disappeared from his view.

Appa landed on the parapet outside the cave where Aang had told Katara and Chenlian his story. The old couple embraced each other.

"Oh, you're alive!" The relieved woman exclaimed. Then her voice turned sour and she pointed at Aang. "You owe this boy an apology."

"He doesn't have to apologize." Aang disagreed.

"Mmm, uh, what if instead of an apology I give him a free fish and we call it even?"

"Actually, I don't eat meat."

"Fish ain't meat."

"Seriously, you're still gonna pay me, right?" Sokka held out his hand into which the old man dropped a fish with a wet smacking sound. The boy made a frightened sound.

The Avatar turned to the girls and told them he thought they were right. He was done dwelling on the past. The girls were reassured. Aang couldn't make guesses about how things would have turned out if he hadn't run away. He was here now and he was going to make the most of it. They smiled. To their opinion, he was no longer gonna have those nightmares anymore. The old fisherman put his hand on Aang's shoulder.

"Uh, if you weren't here now, well, I guess I wouldn't be either. Thank you for saving my life, Avatar." He expressed his gratitude before at the cave entrance Sokka remarked it had stopped raining. The sun was starting to break through. Appa shook himself off, drenching everyone. They all yelped in surprise and moved away, yelling the bison's name who grunted, not feeling the least bit sorry...