Fight 24: The Moon and the Ocean
Four massive fireballs fell into the city, followed by many others. It was daylight and the battle for the survival of the Northern Water Tribe had begun in earnest. And beyond the citadel, at the spirit oasis, Katara was still kneeling at the pool and berating herself.
"I can't believe I lost him."
"You two did everything you could and now we need to do everything we can to get him back. Chenlian's already doing it so we should get going too." Sokka was referring to the red markings that had appeared on the firebender. He led Yue over to Appa. His sister turned to look at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."
"Okay." Katara got up and climbed onto the bison. And as Momo chittered softly and sadly, she reassured him and told him to stay here in case Aang came back. And Appa soared into the air and the dark gray sky and started flying through the blizzard.
And at the front of a long trail, Zuko kept trudging in the deep snow, Aang's feet dragging behind him. The airbender's tattoos were still glowing...
The monk's eyes opened. He was sitting cross legged on a platform in the middle of a bamboo swamp in a meditative pose. He got up and looked around. Behind him was a small island with a temple like structure on top, made of stone with branches coiling arount it. Underneath the cross bar of the structure a figure was sitting cross-legged and meditating. Aang heard the chanting and ran up the island to the see a white haired monkey wearing a brown monk's shawl.
"Hello? I'm sorry to disturb you, but I just really need to find the Moon and the Ocean spirits." The Avatar requested urgently but politely. The ape just told him to go away without even opening his eyes. Then as there was still no change, he opened an eye to notice that the human was still here. "Yes! I need-" But before the boy could finish, the mystical monkey tightly shut his eyes and started chanting again in an obvious attempt to discourage the unwelcome visitor. A will-o'-the-wisp suddenly flew by them. The simian suggested that perhaps this thing would help him and told Aang to chase after it, which he did. A few seconds later, the animal opened one eye again to confirm Aang's departure and shook his head, sighing, glad that the nuisance was gone at last.
The Avatar chased the will-o'-the-wisp through the swamp, up onto a large branch where he caught it, a huge smile on his face. But as he did, the branch rot and liquefied underneath him and he fell, screaming, in the water below. The will-o'-the-wisp escaped his grasp and he could only cry at it to come back. He tried to follow it before stopping suddenly and looking at the water. The ripples dissipated but instead of his own reflection, he saw Avatar Roku... who simply greeted him! And the child was more than happy to see him!
Zuko was still carrying Aang through the snow and the storm when suddenly, the ice underneath him began to crack and cave in. Within a few seconds most of the ground behind him was collapsing. He ran with Aang on his back, barely managing to keep ahead. The hole finally stopped expanding as the prince tripped and fell and rolled away. He looked back at the newly formed canyon and ahead at a rock ledge overhanging a small cave. He had found a shelter. He dragged the Avatar inside by the collar and dumped him at the back of the cave and tied his hands behind his back with rope, unaware that he had been seen by a golden dragon and its rider.
"Roku, the Water Tribe is under attack. I need to find the Ocean and Moon spirits!" Aang exclaimed. The water of the reflection shot upward and solidified into Avatar Roku's spirit. He informed him that the Ocean and the Moon were ancient spirits that had crossed over from the Spirit World to the Mortal World very near the beginning. And he knew of only one spirit old enough to remember. The spirit's name was Koh. But he was very dangerous. They called him the Face Stealer. At this, the boy was very shocked and frightened. His previous incarnation warned him to be very careful to show no emotion at all, not even the slightest expression when speaking with him or he would steal his face! Aang bit the fear back from his face and nodded stoically.
Wandering through the raging blizzard, Appa rumbled and landed. Sokka jumped down and looked out over the recently created canyon. He turned around to look at his sister, whose blue eyes were wide with concern and fear. She lowered her face, fearing the worst.
"I finally have you. But I can't get you home because of this blizzard." Zuko blew fire into his hands to keep warm and looked over at Aang before walking over to the cave entrance to look out at the pouring snow. "There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister and Chenlian. Everything always came easy to them. They're firebending prodigies and everyone adores them. Or at least everyone adored Chenlian. She had always enjoyed her family's unconditional love and support. My father says my sister was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."
Fireballs kept raining down on the frozen city. The invaders had penetrated the outer wall. Infantry soldiers, armored vehicles and war komodo rhinos equipped with small catapults that also launched fireballs were pouring in. The defenders were desperately holding out, trying to stall the enemy's advance until sunset despite their overwhelming power. On a wall in the middle of the city, waterbenders stopped the water from the portholes below them and released them all in the same time as powerful jets. Two tanks were washed away, but several others behind them fired massive grappling hooks into the secondary wall. The waterbenders scattered as the tanks with the grappling hooks began to reel back on the lines. The tanks are anchored in the ice to prevent the tank from just hauling itself to the wall and soon a huge breach was opened and enemies swarmed inside.
"I don't need to remind you we have a time limit." Iroh alerted Zhao on the observation deck of the Admiral's flagship. "If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises they will be undefeatable."
"I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor." Zhao smiled evilly.
"Remove the moon!? How?" The military advisor couldn't believe it.
"Admiral Choi!" Hahn yelled from behind, took off his helmet and threw it aside. "Prepare to meet your fate!" He lunged at the admiral who casually threw him overboard. Hahn screamed as he fell and a loud splash was heard. Iroh looked down and shook his head.
"As I was saying, years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret: the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form." The leader of the invasion continued, ignoring the rude interruption. His eyes were closed and a cruel smile was playing on his lips. Iroh was even more incredulous. "I was a young Lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom. I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words moon and ocean. I knew then that these spirits could be found... and killed... And that it was my destiny to do so."
"Zhao, the Spirits are not to be trifled with!" The elder man lectured him angrily.
"Yes, yes, I know you fear the Spirits, Iroh." The ambitious admiral went on patronizingly. "I've heard rumors about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world..." He stared at the city of ice up ahead, still under heavy attack. "...And now they will face the consequences!"
Aang was hopping across the top of a line of wooden pylons on his way to a huge gnarled tree. He stopped as a monstrous coyote or other dog like creature, the size of a large hill passed behind the tree. Once he arrived at the base of the tree, he saw the entrance to a cave. He approached the hole fearfully when a screech startled him. It was then that he saw a monkey sitting on the root of the tree, looking away. The boy sighed with relief. It was just a curly tailed blue nose. But when the monkey turned around, he gasped in fright. It had no face! He remembered Roku's stern warning, dropped all emotion from his face and breathed deeply.
"Show no fear. Show no emotion at all." Aang's voice overlapped with Roku's. And he walked resolutely into the hole. He descended the staircase into Koh's lair. A small and pale light was pouring in through an opening above. Roots were sticking out from the ceiling. "Hello? I'm looking for a spirit named Koh." He called a little anxiously. Some roots began to move. The monk looked around, sensing movement, but saw nothing. When he was able to pinpoint the location to behind him, he became completely emotionless. And the spirit's huge centipede-like body arched to face him. It was a white face with grey patches around its eyes and luscious, blood red lips. Koh welcomed him with a low, melodic, almost purring voice but that oozed of danger. Aang bowed slightly with his hands clasped in front of him in a gesture of honor and thanked him.
"My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time."
"You know me?"
"How could I forget..." At this moment Koh's face changed to a middle-aged man with long mustaches as if some sort of nictating eyelid or membrane closed briefly over the old face to reveal a new one. "...you! One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! It was eight or nine hundred years ago!" The spirit menacingly brought his face right to Aang's.
"I didn't know that. Why did he or I try to kill you?"
"Oh..." Koh's face changed to that of a beautiful young woman with long flowing hair. "It was something about stealing the face of someone you loved..." He said like he didn't care at all and the face changed to the curly tailed blue nose face. The spirit laughed cruelly. "Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now." He stuck his fanged, monkey face up to Aang's ear from behind. "You've come to me with a new face." It sounded as if he would want nothing more than to add that new face to his collection. Aang closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
And in the human world his physical body did exactly the same. Zuko looked over at him, then looked out of the cave. The blizzard was still raging and showed no sign of abatement.
"Guess we'll be here awhile."
The Water Tribe teens were flying on Appa, scanning the ground for signs of Zuko and Aang. Katara was especially anxious. The princess tried to reassure her as Zuko couldn't have gotten too far in this weather. But the waterbender was more worried that could NOT get away in this blizzard. Her brother was more optimistic (or maybe realistic) If they knew one thing about Zuko it was that he never gave up. And he needed Aang alive. Those two would definitely survive, and they would find them. It was then they saw a red light moving at high speed a little lower than them far on their right.
"It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection." The face stealer wrapped loosely around the Avatar, now showing the face of an owl. "So... how may I help you?" He kept closely circling Aang, like a shark circling a prey. The boy needed to find the Moon and the Ocean. "Their spirit names are Tui and La. 'Push' and 'Pull' and that has been the nature of their relationship for all time."
"Please, help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help." The child begged. Koh's face flipped to that of an old man.
"Oh, you think you need their help? Actually, it's quite the other way around." He raised an eyebrow before switching face to that of that a scary blue ogre with red eyes and big fangs and suddenly pressing it within inches of Aang's in hope to surprise him. "Someone's going to kill them!" He yelled. However, the plan failed and the Avatar merely closed his eyes and opened them again and asked what he meant, and how he could find them and protect them. "You've already met them, actually. Tui and La, your Moon and Ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other... push and pull... life and death... good and evil... yin and yang..."
Aang's eyes opened wide, as he remembered the white and black fish circling each other in the pond and how they had seemed to turn into the yin and yang symbol. "The koi fish!" He smiled, proud of his discovery. Hearing the emotion in Aang's voice, the face stealer appeared instantly with his blue ogre face right in front of him, ready to take his face. But too bad for him, the child's face was once again a model of impassivity. The Avatar politely excused himself as he had to go.
"We'll meet again." Koh murmured and receded back into the shadows. When Aang emerged frem his lair he looked down at his reflection on the ground and Roku appeared. When the airbender told him the spirits were in trouble and he needed to get back to the physical world, he informed him a friend was here to guide him back. Roku faded away and the sweet panda form of HeiBai was right behind him. Aang was more than glad to see him. He jumped on his neck and they headed towards the place where the child had appeared.
Night had fallen, but the Fire Nation assault was still very fierce. People were screaming and running away. Fire balls now blasted the residential section in front of the citadel, which was protected by the third and final wall. The secondary wall had been fully wrecked and Fire Nation troops and tanks were pouring through. But now that the full moon had started to rise the defenders managed to launch a counterattack, as uncoordinated as it was. Fire soldiers were sent flying or frozen into ice and tanks were sunken or sliced through. Master Pakku was squaring off alone against three tanks which were closely supported by three infantry platoons. And he was positively unstoppable. Ryuho was also confronted by a number of invaders... and defeated every last one of them, tanks and komodo rhinos included. A tank was sent flying and crashed right in front of Zhao was was riding a komodo rhino. He had a guard on either side of him riding similar mounts. A soldier melted the snow he had been splashed with when the tank had crashed. The admiral was holding a scroll in his hand...
"We'll be following this map to a very special location. And when we get there..." A cruel smile spread over Zhao's face that was silhouetted by the moon. "...we're going fishing."
Hei-Bai and Aang reached the paifang from where Aang had entered. The boy jumped down onto the platform. He recognized the place but didn't know how to get back. In response, Hei-Bai reared up on his hind legs and breathed a pulse of blue, spiritual energy out of his mouth at the child who froze, engulfed by the energy and disappeared. The mystical monkey, who was still meditating nearby, cracked an eye open and bade him good riddance. And Hei-Bai appeared beside the grouchy monkey in his monstruous form and in retaliation for having badly treated his friend, blew him away with a blast of spiritual energy. Hei-Bai changed back into his panda form and walked away.
Aang reappeared in the Water City Sanctuary. He noticed Momo sleeping on the ground and tried to touch him when he realized he was still in his spirit form. Where was his body?! He looked around frantically. He stopped as a blue ball of energy surrounded him and he was lifted or beamed out of the sanctuary valley and out into the wasteland above like a comet. He was seen by Katara as he flew over them. And he was heading in the same direction as Chenlian!
The female firebender crashed through the entrance of the cave and landed in a battle stance.
"So you've come after all." Zuko also took a firenbending stance.
"Yes. I've come after you like you wanted. I've come to free Aang!" She moved. The prince immediately launched two fireballs at her. She stopped them with an arch of fire she sent with her foot. In the same time, she cut through the bonds with her fire dagger. A few seconds later, there was a blinding light and Aang woke up. "Welcome back." She greeted.
"Yeah... good to be back." The monk greeted back and instantly grasped the situation. When he moved to escape, Zuko fired and was parried again by the female firebender. The Avatar flew out of the cave. Fireballs collided together.
"How long will you keep siding with the Avatar!?"
"As long as there will be people to try and capture him. As long as he needs and wants me to. Aang is more important than any of us." Chenlian declared. As expected, Zuko snapped, besides himself with rage, and shot a powerful blast at her. She caught it and sent it back with its power doubled, knocking the prince against the back of the cave. She stared at his fallen form for a few second. There were fresh scars on his face and his movements had showed signs of recent injuries. He too was fighting, struggling everyday. She had met people. She had close companions, and new allies. In his own way, Zuko was also fighting against himself, and against the world. Iroh would not leave him. But were things really alright just like this? The girl instinctively reached out to him before stopping, curling her hands into fists, and suffering etched deeply onto her features, she walked out.
Appa landed. Katara jumped down. The airbender was running to her when suddenly a fireball almost struck him from behind, doused just in time by Katara. They all turned to see the Prince who had come out and had his fist aimed at them.
"Enough, Zuko!" Chenlian yelled out.
"Here for a rematch?" The male firebender challenged. He couldn't give up. Not now.
"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match." The waterbender replied. She blocked a fireball just as she finished her sentence and sent a shock wave of ice hurtling towards him. When it reached the prince, she encased him in a pillar of ice that she raised up high, then dropped. Zuko fell to the ground unconscious.
"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!" Aang told them urgently. They all climbed onto Appa. All but Chenlian. The amber-eyed girl went over to Zuko and stared at him for a time.
"Sorry, but I can't leave him here." She grabbed his arm and raised him.
"Sure you can! Let's go." Sokka retorted.
"No, she's right. If we leave him, he'll die." The Avatar agreed and went to help the female firebender bring the fallen man onto Appa. Chenlian kept quiet. She could never leave that man to die... really... she could not leave him alone after all...
"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!" Sokka agreed sarcastically and reluctantly.
"But as long as I am with him, watching over him, I will be able to stop him." Chenlian replied. The bison took off.
A pair of hands reached into the spiritual pond. The right one caught the struggling white fish and forced it into a bag held by the left hand. Zhao stood up holding the bag. And behind him, the moon turned a ghastly blood red.
The blood red light washed over the whole city. And as it did, the counterattack against the invaders faltered. No, it came to a complete halt. The waterbenders could no longer use their art. They could only flee before the Fire Nation's advance.
On Appa, Yue was holding her head and feeling faint. It was the same for Aang and Chenlian. The Moon Spirit was in trouble. The princess told them she owed the Moon Spirit her life. When she was born she was very sick and very weak. Most babies cried when they were born but she was born as if she were asleep, her eyes closed. Their healers did everything they could. They told her mother and father she was going to die. Her father pleaded with the spirits to save her. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought her to the oasis and placed her in the pond. Her dark hair turned white, she opened her eyes and began to cry and they knew she would live. That was why her mother named her Yue, for the moon.
"I am a legend now!" Basked in the bloody light, Zhao raised his fist to the heavens. "The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon! They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! ZHAO THE INVINCIBLE!" The megalomaniac admiral declaimed. At this moment Momo jumped onto his head and started pulling at his face. "Huh! Get it off!" The man struggled. The lemur flew off as the guards surrounded their officer to help him. He landed on Aang's outstretched arm. Appa had landed and the teens were more than ready to square off against Zhao and his men. The guards also took their stances. But against all expectations, the admiral stopped them and told them not to bother. He turned his fist towards the bag containing the Moon Spirit. Aang dropped his staff and raised his hands in surrender.
"Zhao! Don't!" The boy pleaded.
"It's my destiny to destroy the Moon and the Water Tribe."
"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." The Avatar tried to reason.
"He is right, Zhao!" Iroh concurred. He had stealthily followed his superior.
"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" The admiral wondered in a bored lecturing tone. The general lowered his hood.
"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold! LET IT GO, NOW!" Iroh thundered, pointing an accusatory finger before assuming a firebending stance. Chenlian was just as ready. She was staying silent but the sheer intensity of her aura and fighting spirit were threatening and deterring enough as they were. The two men locked eyes for a moment. Then Zhao faltered, lowering the bag. He knelt and released the fish back into the water. The world returned to normal. But just as it did, Zhao's face was quickly overtaken and distorted by madness and desperation and with a cry of rage he bolted upright and struck the water with a blast of fire. The blast passed Iroh, who recoiled in horror, not so much of the flames but of Zhao's unspeakable act. And the moon vanished out of existence.
Iroh and Chenlian instantly sprang forth and attacked. They fired blast after blast. Zhao blocked two and backed away to let his escorts take care of them. He stared in horror though as his six guards were wiped out in a matter of seconds by the aging man and the little girl with such ease and precision. He had forgotten it, but despite everything, Iroh had once been Crown Prince and an esteemed General hailed all over the nation and known as the Dragon of the West while Chenlian had been successfully taught by the best men in their arts, and she was known as a prodigy whose skills were more than enough to rival the Princess'. The Admiral fled. The guards struggled to get up and do the same. They turned to the pond where the black fish was swimming frantically around the white one that was floating, a large gash on its side. With great sadness, Iroh gently lifted Tui's body from the water. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Yue hurried to them. Not a single person noticed that Zuko had also taken advantage of the darkness to disappear...
"There's no hope now. It's over." Yue said, on the verge of tears, her voice quivering, Sokka's hands on her shoulders. Aang's sorrowful expression turned to determination as his eyes and tattoos glowed white. A similar change occurred in the female firebender. Their Spirits spoke through their mouths.
"No, it's not over." They affirmed in the same time, their voices deep and other-worldly. By striking at the Moon, he had forgotten his place, doomed the whole human world, and incurred the wrath of all Spirits that in their benevolence had chosen to dedicate their whole selves to humans. Zhao's heinous crime shall not go unpunished. She would definitely stop him and bring him to his knees to receive justice...
Aang walked into the pond. Katara moved to follow, but she was stopped Iroh. The Avatar was standing in the middle of the pond, arms in prayer. He looked down at the black fish, whose eyes and white mark on his spine glowed white. The monk's markings glowed bright white. He dropped into the pond as if a hole had suddenly appeared below him and he vanished. Chenlian's eyes had also started glowing and markings were appearing over her body. She soared into the pitch black sky.
The water around the oasis glowed a deep blue veined with white. The glow spread from and soon encompassed the entire citadel area of the city. A huge, incandescent blue wave rushed under the footbridge as if some huge creature were moving underneath it. In the sanctuary, Appa, and even the citadel itself were dwarfed by the creature that rose from the pool. It had the appearance of a huge blue fish, veined with white that was standing. And at its center, in a white bubble, was Aang. The boy spread his arms and so did the Ocean Spirit. It moved down into the city. Master Pakku and all the Water Tribe people instantly bowed to the floor. Across the canal, some Fire Nation soldiers raised their spears in defiance, but were swept away by a wall of liquid. As the Avatar flailed his arms, more invaders were swept away. Fire Nation tanks fired blasts of fire at the Ocean Spirit that were absorbed with no effect and all soldiers and tanks were washed away like toys. Every Water Tribe citizen was bowing deeply. The routed Fire Nation army fled desperately to escape the vengeful living Spirit. La reached the main canal in front of the third wall and melted into it. Chenlian was combing the city from the air, lighting the streets, nooks and cranies with jets of fire, herding back some Fire soldiers.
Zhao was running over a foot bridge somewhere in the city. Until now, he had managed to skilfully avoid detection. He exited onto a parapet and was almost hit by a blast of fire that hit the wall in front of him. The smoke cleared. He looked up but against all expectations, it was Zuko who standing on the wall on the tier up above him.
"You're alive?" The admiral muttered, incredulous.
"You tried to have me killed!" Zuko yelled in anger and launched a few fire blasts but Zhao dodged, rolling along the parapet wall.
"Yes, I did. You're the Blue Spirit and enemy of the Fire Nation! You allied yourself with the traitor Chenlian! You freed the Avatar!" The officer spat with all the venom and spite he could muster.
"I had no choice!" The exiled prince shot back, firing volley after volley at Zhao, who broke them with his hands held together in a wedge in front of him. The blasts subsided, and the admiral dropped his smoking cloak to the ground.
"You should have chosen to accept your failure, your disgrace! Then, at least... you could have lived!" Zhao returned fire. They traded volleys. The fight raged back and forth in the darkness. At one point Zuko managed to swat his enemy's arm upward and hit his unguarded chest and left side. The blast projected him down onto the tier below. The teen jumped after him. However, this exchange had caught the attention of a troublesome person who was rushing towards them...
With great care and concern, Iroh placed the dead Moon Spirit back into the pond, obviously hoping against hope to see it move again... but it was too late. It was dead. Yue, Iroh and Katara were mourning the passing of the Moon Spirit when suddenly the old firebender looked up at the princess in wonder.
"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you!" He exclaimed, surprised. Yue snapped her head. She had immediately realized the meaning of his words... as well as the meaning of her life.
"Yes, you're right. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back." She stood up and with sad determination, walked to the pond's edge. Sokka bolted upright and grabbed her hand to stop her.
"No! You don't have to do that!"
"It's my duty, Sokka." The princess looked down.
"I won't let you! Your father told me to protect you!" The young man squeezed her hand tighter.
"I have to do this." Yue raised her head. Her voice was quivering. She resolutely walked forth. Sokka let go. Iroh held the dead fish in his hands. She put her palms over the Moon Spirit which began to glow. She closed her eyes for the last time, exhaled a final breath, and fell into Sokka's arms.
"NO!" He cried in intense despair. He cupped her cheek and looked at his companions. "She's gone." He uttered softly, hugging her body as tight as he could. "She's gone." He repeated. Because if he didn't he would never be able to accept it.
The Fire Navy ships were also desperately trying to flee from that watery monster. The incandescent blue of the Ocean Spirit flew out past the city wall into the bay were the ships had been anchored. It reformed and, towering over the fleet, strongly pushed two ships far out back at amazing speed. The fireballs thrown at him proved completely ineffective. It sliced through bridge towers and trebuchets. La raised its arms, forming a huge wave which upended many vessels and pushed all that remained of the fleet far out to sea.
Sokka was cradling Yue's inert form. Her body glowed dimly and briefly and vanished. The koi in Iroh's hand gleamed and he put it back in the pond where it started swimming. The pond shone white and a ghostly shape rose from it that coalesced into Yue's pure white form. Her hair was floating around her.
"Goodbye, Sokka. I will always be with you." The new Moon lovingly kissed the young man, her hands on his cheeks. Now at last, she could be honest with her feelings. Sokka caressed her cheek. She faded away, and the Moon shone bright again.
The Ocean Spirit, standing like a sacred guardian at the entrance of the bay, looked up to see the moon beaming once again. The creature dissipated into the ocean. The Spirit's essence flew back to the wall and deposited Aang atop it. The boy's eyes and tattoos stopped glowing but he wobbled and held the side of his head, spent with the effort. On a bridge, Zuko and Zhao were still trading blows when a series of direct hits from the exiled prince laid the Admiral flat. As Zhao tried to get up, he saw the moon over Zuko's shoulder.
"It can't be!" He exclaimed in horror. Just then, a torrent of fire fell upon him and hid him from Zuko's view for a time. When the flames dissipated, the prince saw Chenlian. But a Chenlian like he had never seen before... Her eyes were glaring with a ferocious golden light, red markings covered her body, and from her emanated a wise and regal yet fierce and overwhelming aura. And he saw wrath. And in him, fear mixed with awe. She was standing behind Zhao and had him on his knees, a foot on his back while she was keeping his arms stretched backward. Zuko tried to run to them but she glared at him and growled, making him recoil instinctively. But it wasn't Chenlian! It was a feral growl, like she was possessed by a sacred beast, by a Dr...
The Ocean Spirit approached fast and coalesced around the bridge. It grabbed Zhao and began to pull him off the bridge. Zhao struggled. Zuko snapped back and ran and reached out for him.
"Take my hand!" The teen yelled desperately.
Zhao tried to reach for it for a moment, but then he looked upon that scared face. Even though he was just a pathetic child rejected by everyone, even though they had been fighting until just a moment ago, even though he had tried numerous times to kill that disgraced little prince that no one would cry over... why was that failure of a prince trying to save him now? No! He was the great Admiral Zhao! The Moonslayer! How could he accept help from that failure?! He drew back his fist against his chest, arrogance, hate, contempt etched onto his face. The Ocean Spirit dragged him underwater where he disappeared. Zuko turned, full of anger and frustration, towards Chenlian who was back to normal.
"Why?!"
"You know why. That man killed the Moon. His sins were too great. He had to be punished no matter what. There's a limit to what people can do and hope to get away with. Be they a peasant or a king, everyone has to take responsibility for their decisions, their actions. I can ask the same to you. Why? Why did you try to save him after everything that he did?"
"Why you ask?!" But he didn't know. Even though it seemed so obvious, he didn't know! And he couldn't say it. And that angered him and frustrated him even more. The girl stared at him for a time. She sighed and her provoking, trying contenance disappeared. She walked towards him, lightly tapped his right breast with the side of left fist, her forehead leaning against his chest.
"It's fine. People shouldn't need a reason to save others. You... weren't wrong." She tightened her fist. Zuko froze, his eyes wide. "You... weren't wrong." A few seconds passed. Her left hand slid to his shoulder, close to his neck. "But... I'm glad." She lifted her face and smiled. It wasn't a sad, derisive, or ironic smile. Her voice thick with emotion, her eyes glistening, it was a genuinely happy, relieved, sincere smile. "I'm so glad... even though you changed, that side of you didn't change." Her hand moved up to rest on his cheek. "You're still the kind and compassionate man to whom I made that promise, aren't you?" And staring back into her warm, tender, gleaming amber eyes, the prince felt himself captured, captivated, like his soul was being drawn in.
Early morning. The Water Tribe City was heavily damaged. Several people were surveying the scene from the citadel. Master Pakku informed Katara that he had decided to go to the South Pole. Some other benders and healers wanted to join him. He then turned to his sole female disciple. It was time they helped rebuild their sister tribe. But Katara was still unsure. Aang still needed to learn waterbending.
"Well, then he better get used to calling you Master Katara." The old man smiled with pride and satisfaction.
"The Spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born. I saw a beautiful, brave young woman become the Moon Spirit." Chief Arnook said wistfully. He closed his eyes in grief. "I knew this day would come."
"You must be proud." Sokka replied.
"So proud. And sad." They looked up to the moon, still visible in the morning sky.
Some time later, Aang was looking out over the city from that same place. He turned to see Katara behind him. They gazed at each other for a moment. They come together and hug very tightly. A chittering was heard and Katara looked down to see Momo staring up at them.
"You too, Momo." She invited. The airbender extended his arm, laughing and the lemur jumped up on him. Sokka arrived and and put an arm on Aang's shoulder. Chenlian came up behind him and place a hand on his other shoulder. The five looked over the city. With a rumble, Appa rose from below, loaded for the trip. But as Katara and Sokka soon walked over to the bison, Aang turned and put both hands on Chenlian's shoulders. For some reason, she was carrying her own luggage, minus her pipa.
"You can go now." He smiled.
"But, Aang-" The firebender protested.
"That's right, Aang! What are you talking about?! Why are you asking Chenlian to leave!?" The siblings added, indignant.
"It's fine. Right now, we're not the ones she needs to be with. I'll tell you more later, so for now please just let her go." The Avatar told them. He turned to the mahogany-haired girl. "We'll be fine. Don't worry so much about us. Besides, it's not like you to be hesitating. So just go." He reassured her. The firebender tightly hugged him before doing the same to Sokka and Katara who were still quite confused. Of course, she did not forget Momo and Appa. And then, she took flight.
Among the wreckage of the sunken Fire Navy ships a small raft was sailing...
"I'm surprised, Prince Zuko, surprised that you are not at this moment trying to capture the Avatar." Iroh remarked cautiously as if testing the waters.
"I'm tired."
"Then you should rest. A man needs his rest." Iroh put a hand on his nephew's shoulder.
"That's right. You're lucky enough to have such a fine and healthy body. You shouldn't ruin it." A female voice said from behind. Iroh returned to his occupation pretending he had not seen or heard anything.
"Yeah..." The exiled prince agreed weakly.
"Maybe you'd prefer sleeping on my lap?" She suggested. Zuko froze for a few seconds, blushing.
"Stop joking." He recovered a bit of dignity and waved his hands dismissively. Then his eyes widened and he sharply turned around. "What are you doing here?!"
"I'm coming with you." Chenlian replied.
"Coming wit-" The total absurdity of the situation was shocking him to the point he was speechless for a time. They stared at each other, calmly, as if studying the other. "I thought the Avatar was more important to you than anyone else. Shouldn't you be with him, protecting him because of the promise you made him?" He questioned. But although there was bitterness, there was fear in the same time. Fear that he had said too much and once again driven her away. And there was hope. There were expectations that could never be voiced for fear of being disappointed...
"Right now, he doesn't need me. He'll be fine for a time."
"I haven't given up on capturing him."
"I know. The Fire Nation considers him as its number one enemy after all. And I'm also one of its most wanted criminals. I still can't afford to be caught now so I'll escape if I need to. But... I think if it is now, if it is the way you are are now, maybe... maybe, it could be fine. But Zuko what about you? What are you going to do with me? What do you want of me exactly? Is it to hand me over to your father? Or is it because you want me at your side like before?" And this time it was her turn to gaze at him with fear and hope. Such a disarming gaze it was... and still Zuko was hesitating. He had chased Chenlian all this time. And now she was right there, offering to stay by him. Wasn't it what he had always wanted her to do? And yet why was it that he still couldn't answer her?! What was it that he truly wanted? Who was he to begin with?! Was he Zuko, who simply wanted and needed her by his side? Was he the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation whose duty was to capture her, a traitor? There shouldn't be a damn difference! And yet...
"I... I want..." He began. Time passed. He thought he knew. He thought it couldn't be more obvious. Seconds ticked into minutes. And still nothing. Chenlian closed her eyes and sighed. She hung her head.
"Maybe... it was just my wishful thinking. Maybe... I should leave after all..." She turned around. But just as she made a step, a hand grabbed her wrist. She looked at Zuko. There was so much pain on his features. He was fighting so hard. He was struggling so desperately. And still he would not let go of her. He was squeezing her wrist so tightly it hurt. Suddenly, Iroh slammed the teens together, tightly holding them in a bear hug. Even though the two had instinctively let go and put their hands forwards to try and keep some space, Zuko's arms were now around Chenlian's shoulders while her hands were on the young man's chest. They were so squeezed it was almost hard to breathe. Such was the strength of Iroh's love for them.
"Isn't it great?! Being together again after such a long time! It's been so long since we've had such a lovely feminine presence with us! By the way, can you fish?"
The Fire Lord was sitting in his throne room, his dais wreathed in flames. Before him a young woman in her teens was kneeling.
"Chenlian still hasn't been recaptured, Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure. I have a task for you." The Fire Lord declared. The Princess looked up at him, a cruel smile on her face.
Author's note: this concludes the first season. So now, please tell me what you think, should I continue or not? I have put a poll on my profile, favorite and alert subsriptions will also be counted as well as reviews. By the way, reviews may also include negative points. And if you use reviews, I'd like you to explain WHY you like this story and want it to continue. It's so I can know my strong points and make the 2nd season even better if you actually want me to continue. So proper feedback will REALLY be appreciated :)