= Ozai =
1:40 PM
Once he exited the courthouse...he was outside in the fog...
"...Hmph," Ozai harrumphed. In other instances, he could conjure up a flame to guide him around through the fog, but unfortunately, he didn't have his firebending...which he came here to gain back...and sadly came to realize that it was all a ploy by some crazed cult...
This seemed ironic, somehow...
No matter. I will find my daughter and we'll leave here. I'll just leave the rest of these worthless prisoners here on this island...but there's also my son, brother, the Avatar, and their friends...I need to avoid them at all costs.
Ozai began to walk around where he was, the fog obscuring his vision, the little bit of cloudy daylight still guiding him. Going through a path to his right, he went up that road and kept going through the foggy street.
As he kept walking down the path for about two minutes, he came up to a sign that was on the sidewalk...it was a map of the entire town.
"Hm?" Ozai looked at the map in curiosity. Reading it he sees that the town was formed around a somewhat natural (or perhaps artificial?) lake, where a river was flowing to the east side. The town looked to have businesses, restaurants, homes, and inns around this lake, and from where he was...he seemed to be at the northeastern side of the town, close to the northern part of it.
He observed the indicator on where he was, and he was probably a mile away from the courthouse...and was close to some museum called the Silent Hills Historical Society a little ways up...
"..." Ozai looked at the direction where the museum would be.
...
For some odd reason, he decided to check to see if his daughter was there...
She does love to learn about Fire Nation history...
And so Ozai walked up the path to where the museum was...
As he kept walking, Ozai noticed that this whole town felt...completely abandoned...
Glancing around while he walked, Ozai felt...a sense of unease...
This place...I wonder what happened to this town to make it so barren?
While he doesn't really care, as the island of Sairento Hiruzu was considered a blight in the Fire Nation history scrolls, it was odd that this whole island, this whole town, was just...empty...save for the few residents that are living here. But even then, a town this size being completely devoid of any life is really strange...
...Could there be some truth to what Daria was saying?
Shaking his head, Ozai grunted at the absurdity, "Don't be foolish. This town was just a failed tourist destination. That Daria woman is just crazy. Pfft. A Spirit called God...the only god I know that is higher is Agni. And that absurd ritual..."
However, is it true that Zuko's men are dead? Who or what could have killed them if that were the case? Was it the people who broke out of mine and Azula's prisons? ...Or was it really some kind of Spirit that's roaming around on this island?
Scowling, Ozai grumbled to himself, "I'm too focused on this. Just find Azula and the airship we've arrived here with. The sooner we leave, the better."
As he walked straight to his destination, he couldn't help but think back to what Daria said to him...about his daughter...
Does she remind you of anyone?
Yes...she looks awfully like her mother, doesn't she?
I won't judge. I mean, I surely dealt with...depravity before...
...She couldn't possibly know that...could she?
...
...Granted, it was just one time when he kissed his own daughter in the mouth...and she stood there, being the ever-so obedient little girl...she didn't turn away, nor did she fight back or resist...he instilled fear into her. Respect. She made sure she wouldn't disappoint her father...
...It was so long...so long since he missed the touch of plump lips on his mouth...his daughter surely did almost look like...his wife...
Ursa
...It was far too long...he missed that intimacy with his wife...
Hence why he did what he did to Azula...
He wasn't a depraved fool, he knew that was his daughter...but again, he missed that intimacy...that connection...that hunger...
And his daughter did look like his wife...
But it was only once...it was when she turned fourteen. She started to mature...mature into her mother's looks...
He had to get rid of that urge...
Thankfully, it was the only time he did that...it would be most unbefitting of a Fire Lord to do such an incestuous thing...
And he made sure that Azula never spoke to anyone of it...
...Yes...she's certainly a good and obedient little girl...
Just know...that this whole island where God lives...knows your darkest secrets...
...Ozai paused in his walk.
He stood there in the fog, letting the quiet surround him as he thought about that statement Daria said...
"...Feh," Ozai sneered and continued his walk.
As soon as another minute passed, he came up to the building...
The Silent Hills Historical Society.
Glancing at the front of the building, there was a sign that was on the sidewalk that said the name of the facility, and a plaque that was near the entrance that says the same thing. This was, in fact, the museum...
The former Fire Lord walked up to the doors of the building...reaching for the handle of the doors, he checked to see if they were opened...
The doors slid open...indicating that they were.
...Ozai went inside.
When he entered the museum, he was at a small lobby, where a reception desk was to his left, and up ahead were some double sliding doors that were closed. Looking around with what little light he had thanks to some windows, he saw that there were four paintings that were on display on the lobby's walls, two on one wall and the other two on another wall across from them.
Deciding to see what these paintings entailed, Ozai walked to the nearest one to the left.
The painting depicted...a family...a mother and...a father...along with two boys, one older and the other younger...
...They looked...familiar...
The mother looked like she was smiling, while the father...didn't...stone cold...
The two boys, the older one, was smiling, while the other boy was...frowning...
They were dressed in noble robes...
He glanced at the name of this painting, located at the bottom.
Fruitful Beginnings
...Ozai walked away from that painting and looked at the second painting next to it.
The other painting depicted another woman, this one...quite beautiful...but this time, an even older man was with her. The older man looked like the man from the first picture, wearing his nice important clothes...the woman, wearing an elegant attire, was giving a tray of tea, from the looks of it, to the older man, whose cup of tea looked to be emitting some kind of...purple fume...an unnatural color to give out when tea was already hot. Perhaps it was supposed to be poisonous...either way, there was another person there in the painting...and it was a man, wearing simple but nice clothes, who was at the right of the painting, hiding behind a slightly closed sliding door and peeking out to watch the scene unfold.
...Something looked...familiar with this painting...
He looked down at the name of this picture.
Love and Betrayal
"..." Ozai turned around to look at the painting that was behind him. He came up to it to view the picture a little closer.
The picture depicted...a man on a throne...it was the same man that was hiding behind the door...he was on the throne, wearing royal robes...with a young girl dressed in equally nicer robes. She was next to his right...who looked like a younger version of the woman giving the older man the presumably toxic tea…
...Ozai looked down at the name of the painting.
All Hail to the King
...For some reason...he felt there was a bit of...sarcasm in that title...
Scowling at that thought, Ozai looked away at the picture and directed his attention to the last painting.
"..." Walking over to where the picture is, Ozai gazed at the last one.
The painting depicted...the same man in the second and third pictures...he was in a jail cell...wearing a more worn and ragged version of his royal clothes, his hands wrapping around the bars of his cell...lowering his head in shame...
...Ozai felt...a seething annoyance upon looking at this painting...lips curling up into a grimace, he looked down at the title of this picture.
Punishment
"...What is this?" Ozai uttered in irritation, "Is this supposed to be about my life? ...Wait..." he stood there as he contemplated these paintings, "...How would...they all...know about this...about that?"
They all said they never left the island...so...how did...?
...He turned his attention to the second picture, looking at the woman that was serving the tea...
...He remembered that the woman back at the hotel...looked almost like...
"Ugh!" Ozai grunted and shook his head to clear away his thoughts, "This place is getting to me..."
He glanced at the reception desk...and just now noticed that there was a piece of paper on it...
...He walked over to it.
When getting close to the reception desk, he reached to grab the piece of paper and lifted it to his face to read its contents.
It just says a simple question...
Did you miss her?
...Raising an eyebrow at this, Ozai then glared at the paper. Flipping it over...there was another one-sentence question.
Was it worth it?
Scowling at the piece of paper, he tossed it away, letting it float down onto the ground.
"Someone...is toying with me..." Ozai growled.
Just find your daughter. That's why you're here in the first place.
He turned to the direction where the double sliding doors are and went over to them. Once he was near he opened them.
The museum was rather dark...but for whatever reason, there was a candle on a candle holder all lit up...it rested on the table, right in front of Ozai.
Confused to see an already lit candle in this museum, he walked over there to check if what he was seeing was real. Once he gets close to the table, he can feel the warmth of the flame on the candle, indicating that it was real.
"...Who lit this?" Ozai wondered to himself.
Glancing around the dark area where he stood in curiosity, he decided to reach for the candle holder, looping his finger around the handle as he carried it. The light from the candle guided his path as Ozai walked around, going over to his right to see what this museum had to offer.
"Azula!?" he called out.
Maybe she lit this candle...
As he walked over and passed some display cases of artifacts from days old in the town, he came up to a painting on a wall...
It depicted the island itself...with all its natural foliage and mountainous landscape.
Looking at the plaque below the painting, Ozai read it.
Sairento Hiruzu Island
Artist: (Unknown)
Date: (Unknown)
This painting depicts what the island looked like over 400 years ago. Oddly enough, it's the only island in the world with no animal life on it.
"...Hm..." Ozai went back to looking for Azula.
As he walked further back to the museum, he came up with another painting to his right...
It depicted a field of beautiful flowers, surrounding what looked to be four offerings, and these offerings were picked up by four Spirit-looking beings, each of them looking like they were strange-looking people with glowing white eyes.
The plaque said the following:
Offerings
Artist: (Unknown)
Date: (Unknown)
This painting interprets the offerings given to the Spirits that blessed the town and island during a tragedy during the town's inception. No one knows what they look like, as this is the artist's interpretation.
"...No one knows what these Spirits look like?" Ozai asked himself incredulously.
That's...very peculiar...surely they must know what they look like by now?
Staring at the picture for a few seconds, Ozai diverted his attention away from the painting and continued onward. Once he reached the wall at the end of the building, he came up to another painting...this one...a bit odd...
It was a square room...with just a square hole...
Raising an eyebrow at this, Ozai tried to see if there was any plaque that describes the painting...
There was none...except the title...and even then, the title of this painting was...strange...
There was a hole here...it's gone now.
"...What? There was a...hole here? Just...what is this? Why is there a painting of a...of a hole?" Ozai asked himself in bafflement.
This place is asinine...what kind of Historical Society displays pointless dribbles like this?
He went to his left to see if he could find Azula through all of these displays and artifacts, since he was at the end of this museum...
But then he noticed something...quite peculiar...
As he continued to walk further...he came across another pathway...one that looked like it was in the process of being...covered up?
It was some kind of tunnel...a tunnel that looked to have been recently discovered thanks to the little bits of debris that were scattered around the pathway.
Ozai gazed at this opening in the museum rather curiously from the light of the candle he was holding.
"...What is...this?" he asked himself once again in confusion.
He went closer to the pathway to see where this leads...
...From what he sees, the path goes...down...
In front of him, there were stairs that were going down the path...
A path to where, he doesn't know...
...The tunnel was dark...and the downstairs corridor looked very ominous...
"...What kind of addition is this?" Ozai wondered, puzzled.
He placed a foot on the first step of the downstairs tunnel and leaned over to see if there was any stopping point to this descent...
There seems to be none...
It just goes...down...
Ozai stood there in silence as he looked down the dark path...
...Before he could back up, though...
Ozai?
...A voice rang through the tunnel...
He paused.
"...Hello?" he called out down the path below him.
...
...Silence...
...
Ozai? Dear?
...That voice...
Ozai's eyes widened.
That...That voice...it sounded like...
...
"...Ursa?"
...Ozai?
The voice...it became a little louder...it was her voice.
Ozai? Is that you?
"...Ursa..."
My...wife...the one whom I...banished...
Ozai...
Feelings began to come back to Ozai...feelings of relief...feelings of happiness...
"Ursa!? Are you...Are you there!?" he asked the voice.
...Ozai. Please come to me...
...How long?
How long did Ozai miss her touch?
Missed her warm embrace?
Missed her comforting words?
...Missed her beauty?
...Missed her lips on his?
...Missed...their intimacy?
...Far too long.
"Ursa...I'm coming down," Ozai told the voice that sounded like his wife.
...Please...Please hurry...
Before he could make the other step, he then paused and realized something.
...Wait...what is my wife...doing here?
"...How...did you get here?" Ozai asked the voice that might belong to his wife, Ursa.
...I decided to stay here. Because of the history of this island and how it stained our nation...I thought it would be most befitting that I stayed here on Sairento Hiruzu...the people of this island kept me here...
"..." Ozai stood there quietly as he processed that...
...This island has been a filthy stain on our country...we might even basically secede this island away from our nation in the future...if my fool son had the audacity to do so.
...Still, something doesn't add up.
Ozai? I...I forgive you.
That got Ozai's attention again.
I forgive you...for what you've done. I...I understand...I understand what you had to do...you told me that your father was going to kill my son...you told me that so you can let me take his life...I understand what I must do to save our family...and for what you have to do to rule our nation.
"...Yes...that's right," Ozai replied back.
Yes...that day...I wasn't at fault...I was only...trying to save our family...I didn't...lie...I didn't lie to her...
Since you are so childish in your endeavor to be the next heir, then YOU shall know what it's like to lose a son!
...The old man...my father...
YOU shall know what it's like to lose a son! For that, I will give your son's birthright to Iroh!
What!?
Yes! Iroh is the first-born heir to the throne and if he can't have another heir to his rule, then I will give Zuko to him!
...Yes...the old man was going to kill my son...he was...I didn't lie...it was all for my family...
"...I did it all to save our family," Ozai told her as he stared at the abyss of the tunnel.
...Ozai...you know I love you, right?
"...I do...and...I love you..."
Then...please come to me...save me...we can be a family again...
"...I..."
Is she really here? Did I find her? Is this her? ...Could I really see her again?
...
Will I...be able to touch her again?
"...I'm coming, Ursa," Ozai assured her.
Yes...I'm coming...
And Ozai took the other step...and the other step...and went down the stairs...
Down to this dark tunnel…down...down...down...down the stairs he goes...
...He goes down...
...Down...
...Down...
...Down...
...Down...
...Down...
...Down...
...
...He went down for two minutes...
...
...He kept going down...not seeing an end in sight.
...Until he reached the bottom...
The light on his candle lit through his dark path the whole way...until he reached where he is now.
...In front of Ozai...
...was a hole...
...
...Ozai stood there as he looked down the hole.
The hole...looked like the painting that he saw...just a while back.
"...Ursa?" he spoke down the hole.
...
...
...
"...Ursa!?" Ozai spoke louder, concern and worry starting to creep in his tone.
...
...
...
I'm here.
Ozai heard her voice...behind him.
He quickly turned around.
And saw...his wife.
She was smiling...and she was in her Royal Fire Nation robes...
...And then, she pushed him roughly into the hole.
Ozai tripped on his two feet backward, tripping into the hole.
He didn't yell out in surprise...he was just in shock...seeing his wife again...
And he fell...hell down the hole...
...Down he goes...into the hole...
1:20 PM
= Azula, Anjera, and Ai =
Azula and Anjera sat there, looking at the woman in front of them. Ai stood there with a warm smile on her face as she gazed at the two young women.
A little confused, but mostly in shock, Azula asked Ai, "What...just happened?"
The woman looked at Azula with such a tender smile, and gave her an answer, "You and Anjera have passed your test."
"Passed our...tests?" Anjera asked, also a little puzzled.
"Tests?" Azula asked the woman, "You mean…" her shock wore off and turned into anger, the feeling of...betrayal? She doesn't know, but...she trusted Ai, and now learning that she was a part of all this? "...You knew about this? You knew what we had to endure!?"
Ai looked at Azula with the same warm smile and answered with a shake of her head, "No. I did not."
That caused Azula's expression to instantly change back into confusion. "Wh-What?"
"I am not aware of what troubles both of you," Ai informed, "I only let you rest...and thankfully, you all woke up."
Anjera blinked, confusion also on her face, "We were...sleeping?"
Ai looked at Anjera with the same smile, "You may have. Or you may have not been sleeping."
Azula just looked at Ai, puzzled at that wording. "What? We...We're on chairs. We woke up here. So we were sleeping."
"Were you?" Ai asked the Fire Princess.
"Wha...yes!" Azula said in aggravation, "You probably put us here and let us rest! All I remember was..." she paused, not wanting to reveal certain information in front of Anjera, "...Wh-What is happening!? Were we dreaming or were we really sent to some place that...I mean, it all felt so...real..." Azula stopped her sentence to think about their past ordeal.
Anjera glanced at Azula and back at Ai, asking the woman, "You...didn't really know about...I mean, you didn't know what we had to go through?"
Ai shook her head, "No, dear. I didn't."
Azula sat there in silence as she contemplated all of what happened to them...she then asked Ai, "Ai...this town...this island, what...I mean, what is this place? Is it linked to the Spirit World?"
"The Spirit World?" Anjera asked Azula.
"Well, yeah," Azula turned to Anjera, "We went to some realm or something while we slept, so..." she then turned her attention to Ai, "Just...what is this island? Are there Spirits at work here?"
Ai stood there, her gaze now at the ground as her warm smile was still on her face. "...That I do not know."
Blinking at that in bafflement, Azula asked, "You don't know? What do you mean?"
"I was created for the sole purpose of comforting those who needed a mother figure," Ai told her.
Azula and Anjera blinked in confusion at that statement.
"Created...?" Anjera said, puzzled.
"...A mother figure?" Azula asked her, her eyes portraying some form of...hope.
Ai nodded, her smile still intact. She then turned around and went over to the blocked entrance of the hotel...the little turn-key wasn't on the back of her head anymore.
Azula blinked at that.
Getting to the blockade, Ai picked up chairs and moved tables out of the entrance. While she does this, Azula and Anjera just sit there, stunned. Glancing at each other in wonder, they both got up from their seats and went over to Ai.
Once Ai got the last bit of furniture out of the way, she turned back to the two girls, her tender smile still radiating warmth.
Both girls stopped in front of Ai, and Azula was the one to ask, "Ai...what are you? Are you...a Spirit?"
Ai just looked at the girls...and answered, "I say what I am."
Azula and Anjera frowned in confusion.
"Just know...that this whole place is linked to your mind," Ai told them.
"Link...to our mind?" Anjera repeated to be sure.
The woman nodded, "Yes..." Ai turned around to face the hotel's doors and said, "Someone is coming here soon."
The girls' eyes widened in surprise, Azula asking her, "Who?"
Ai stood there...and said, "One of my children."
"...Children?" Azula questioned.
"Hmm," Ai nodded, "He'll be here soon."
"He?" Anjera queried.
"You may all know him," Ai stated, "I watched and comforted him when he was the age of fourteen..."
Glancing at each other, Azula and Anjera looked intrigued. Azula asked Ai, "Who is he?"
Before Ai could answer...
...Another person walked through the hotel doors.
Azula and Anjera's eyes widened again in surprise.
Ai just smiled at this person. "...Waten."
"Oh!" The person, that being Waten, looked surprised as well when he saw Ai, "A-Ai! Y-You're here!"
"That I am," Ai said as she came up to Waten and gave him a hug. Waten, although he was surprised, returned the hug back to Ai.
The two girls looked at the exchange, a little baffled.
When they let go of their hug, Waten asked Ai, "What are you doing here at the ho-...tel?" he sees Azula and Anjera, "Oh! Azula! And, uh...?"
Anjera blinked, and told him her name, "Anjera."
"Oh, okay...Anjera. Um..." Waten paused for a moment, until he looked like hw remembered something, "Oh! Um, I actually came to find you, Azula! I think, uh, my mother wanted to see you!"
"Huh?" Azula raised an eyebrow, "Your mother wants to see me?"
"Well, I think she meant that," Waten clarified, "She actually told me, well, she told me, my brother, and my sister-in-law to come find you."
"Really?" Azula asked in suspicion, "What for?"
"Oh, uh...I'm...I'm not too sure, but...she said you have something extraordinary within you," Waten explained.
Blinking at that statement, Azula felt a little...uneasy about that line.
However, Ai said, "Speaking of something within, may I cook you all some lunch? It's past lunch time, and I feel like you girls should eat after sleeping for so long."
Azula and Anjera looked at Ai, both girls' stomach growling at the mention of lunch. Anjera blushed at the sound her stomach made, while Azula also blushed in embarrassment and tried to keep her dignified composure.
Ai smiled, "I would take that as a 'yes'," she turned to Waten, "Would you like something to eat as well, Waten?"
"Oh, well, I...guess I haven't eaten anything...at all, actually," Waten rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I mean, I could eat something as of right now."
Nodding to that, Ai turned around and told them, "Alright, then. Follow me, everyone," she then began to walk to where the kitchen and dining room area was.
Waten turned to Azula and Anjera. "So, uh...you girls can see her?"
Both girls looked at Waten in confusion, with Azula saying, "Um...yes?"
"Uh, yeah..." Anjera
"Oh...well, that's...that's interesting," Waten looked surprised and intrigued. He glanced back at Ai who is leading the way still, "Come on. We should follow her," Waten was about to go, but he remembered, "Oh! Um, l-ladies first!"
The girls glanced at each other, Anjera looking lost a bit, while Azula just looked puzzled.
"Um...royalty first?" Anjera told Azula.
"Oh, uh..." Azula was going to welcome that gesture, but...after experiencing what Anjera had to go through... "...No, you go first, Anjera."
Anjera's eyes widened, "R-Really? I mean, you're-"
"Young ones? Is everything alright?" Ai said as she stopped in her walk to call out to them.
Azula, Anjera, and Waten glanced at Ai, the very former saying, "Uh, yeah, we're just...um, we're coming! We'll be there in a moment!"
Ai smiled and nodded.
The Fire Princess turned to Anjera, "Anjera, really, go on ahead. You...You deserve to go first."
Anjera looked at Azula with wide eyes, and couldn't help but...smile softly, "...Thank you," she nodded.
Azula didn't know why, but doing this and seeing Anjera smile made her feel...happy...
Waten looked a little confused, glazing at Azula and Anjera, which he couldn't help but think something happened between them that they reached an understanding.
And with that, Anjera led herself to go first, while Azula followed her, and Waten also followed them. They caught up with Ai and walked their way to the dining room and kitchen...
As soon as they sat near a dining table in the dining area, with Waten sitting on Azula's right, and Anjera sitting on Azula's left, Ai announced to them, "Alright then. What do you all feel like eating? I have fruit, vegetables, and wheat noodles to prepare. Whichever you like, I will fix it with those ingredients."
Ai looked at Waten and said with a smile, "And don't worry, Waten, I think I know what you like."
Waten blushed a little, "Um, broccoli lo-mein?"
Giggling, Ai answered, "Indeed. I'll prepare yours. But what would you two like, Azula and Anjera?"
"Um..." Anjera spoke out, "That actually sounds pretty good. I like broccoli lo-mein."
"You do?" Waten turned to Anjera in surprise. "Wow, I love it. I mean, it's my go-to meal whenever I find Ai."
"Oh...o-okay..." Anjera nodded.
Azula glanced at Anjera and Waten and said to Ai, "Um, I just want some honeydew melon if you have any."
Ai nodded with a happy smile, "That I do. So slices of honeydew melon, and two broccoli lo-meins. Coming right up!" She turned around and walked to the kitchen to prepare the meals.
All three of them at the table sat there in silence...
...Until Waten asked them, "So...what other foods do you two like?"
"Um...I like roasted chicken-hog," Azula answered.
"Uh, yeah, I like that, too," Anjera nodded.
Waten, however, blinked at this choice of food, "Wait, chicken-hog? You...You two eat animals?"
The girls looked at Waten like he grew a second head.
Azula first spoke, "Um, yes? That's a common meal in the Fire Nation?"
"Oh...um...okay..." Waten looked a little uncomfortable, "Sorry, it's just...I would love to see a chicken hog...we don't see those around here."
"You don't?" Anjera asked him in surprise.
Azula then thought about the wildlife that was...not present here on the island...
"No," Waten said to Anjera as he shook his head, "We...well, we rarely get any animal life here on the island...the only animals we see are the birds flying over the island and maybe insects."
"...Why is that?" Azula asked Waten.
"Huh?" Waten turned to Azula, "Why is...there no animals on the island?"
"Yeah," Azula nodded, "It's very odd...like really odd. You didn't have a pet one time on this island or anything? You didn't like...see any livestock, birds, heck, even amphibians around here? Is it really just...you and the other townsfolk?"
"Um...I mean, I read stories of dragons, whales, badgermoles, and sky bisons, but...well, I guess that doesn't really count..." Waten thought about it, lowering his head to gaze at the table. "...I mean, there are the...Spirits? I think? I mean, there is one Spirit called God that we know is here, but God's in the Spirit World."
Blinking at that, Azula asked him, "God?"
"Oh, it's who my mother devotes herself to! In fact, we're all devoted to God here! We-" his eyes widened all of a sudden.
Seeing his reaction, Azula raised an eyebrow. She then asked, "Wait...you're devoted to a Spirit called...God?"
"...I-I think I wasn't supposed to say that..." Waten then looked anxious, "I-I'm sorry, m-my mother told me not to tell anyone about God. I-I...I may have screwed up."
"Screwed up?" Anjera blinked in confusion.
"F-Forget I said that! Just forget it! U-Um-" Waten got up from his seat.
"Wha-Waten?" Azula said to him in confusion.
Anjera also looked puzzled.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Forget I said anything!" Waten began to pace around in a circle, "Ugh, I can't believe I'm so stupid! M-Mother will be mad! W-What should I do!? I-I was so happy to talk to someone other than my brother and sister-in-law and Risa, I-I..." he grabbed his hair, "UGH! I'M SO STUPID!"
Azula stood up and tried to reassure him, "Hey, calm down, you-"
"Mother will be mad, mother will be mad, mother will be mad!" Waten frantically said, hyperventilating.
"Waten?" Anjera said, getting up, and going to him.
"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'M SO SORRY!" Waten exclaimed.
Anjera raised a hand to touch his shoulder, which made Waten flinch and look at her in fear.
The young woman looked at the young man and frowned, the feeling of pity enshrouding her being, now understanding the reasoning for his breakdown.
"Waten...it's okay," Anjera told him, "You are alright...you didn't do anything wrong...you're okay...you didn't mess up."
"B-But, I-"
"No. You didn't do anything wrong," Anjera made it clear.
"...I..." Waten looked at Anjera and gazed into her eyes…
They held something in them...an honesty...a sympathy...an understanding...
...Her eyes told him that she experienced this kind of thing before...
...Waten suddenly...calmed down...his nerves felt soothed in a way that he couldn't quite explain...
Anjera gazed at Waten with a sympathetic but stern look as she nodded.
"It's alright...you're okay..." Anjera reassured him, "You did not do anything wrong."
"...I...I...I haven't..." Waten said, feeling like he could believe her words.
"Yes...you haven't..." Anjera firmly said to him.
Azula was at the sidelines, watching the scene between Waten and Anjera. From what she studied, Anjera seemed to have a sort of confidence in her now...maybe it was because of their whole ordeal with...
She shook her head to get rid of the image of that monster.
Back to Waten and Anjera, the former looked at the latter for a moment, and couldn't help but...feel relieved...
"...Th-...Thank you...I...I really appreciate you saying that, Anjera..." Waten said, his eyes...feeling watery all of a sudden.
Seeing the tears in his eyes, Anjera kept comforting him, giving his shoulder a squeeze in reassurance.
...They all stood there in silence, Anjera and Waten staring at each other, while she consoled him. Azula watched on, and couldn't help but feel...at ease...
"Is everything alright?" said the voice of Ai.
All three of them turned to Ai, who stood there with concern, worry written on her face.
Waten looked at Ai and said to her, "Oh, uh..." he wiped his eyes with his hand, "Y-Yeah...I-I'm sorry, Ai, I, uh...I just...well, I..." he turned his attention to Anjera, "...Well, simply put, I kind of felt bad, and...Anjera told me that it wasn't my fault...and I...feel better now..."
Anjera looked at Waten and felt...happy...she gave him a warm smile.
Ai glanced at Waten and Anjera...and couldn't help but smile, too.
"...Alright then," Ai nodded, "In that case, I will go back and prepare your lunches." She turned around and went back to the kitchen.
Azula glanced at the retreating Ai and back at the older young man and woman, feeling a little out-of-place from all this drama. Not wanting to feel like that, she cleared her throat, getting both of their attention.
"Um...okay...since that was all sorted out, maybe we can...sit down now?" she asked the two.
"Oh, uh, right!" Anjera said as she let go of Waten's shoulder.
"Oh, um, yes..." Waten said as he felt the warmth of Anjera's hand off his shoulder...he kind of liked that warmth.
So they all sat at the table again, waiting for their food...
...But not until Azula asked, "Waten?"
"Huh? Yes, Your Highness?" Waten said.
"Um...first of all, you don't..." Azula paused for a second.
Wait...why am I...opposed to being called Your Highness?
"...I mean...uh, yeah, just...call me Azula," she told him.
"Oh...uh, okay," Waten blinked at that.
"Yeah...um, anyways, I just want to ask...when you said if we can see Ai...what do you mean by that?"
"Oh...well...Ai usually comes to me when I...well, when I really need her. Like..." Waten paused as he thought about what to say next, "...You see, when I was fourteen, I was...having a bad day...mother...mother yelled at me..." frowning at the memory, he shook his head and kept going, "And...I remembered...calling out to something...maybe it was..." looking a little uncomfortable, he contiuned, "A-Anyway, I wanted someone to...maybe understand me? Someone other than my brother, sister-in-law, and Risa...and...Ai came...she...she took care of me...she taught me things...we played games...and we talked..." Waten smiled, "...Whenever I feel lost, I go to Ai...and Ai is always there when I need her...I don't know where she came from, but...she was a blessing...she's almost...like...my..."
...Waten stopped there, shaking his head, and told them, "Ai is kind of like mine and Risa's caretaker, in a way."
"Risa?" Azula asked. "Is she...Maikera's other daughter?"
"Yes, his second daughter," Waten nodded, "She...well, Maikera has been a little harsh on her lately, and...it was when she turned fifteen, I introduced her to Ai...I think that's also when Maikera was acting differently lately."
"Acting differently?" Anjera asked in curiosity.
"Well, Maikera used to be more...laid back, I would say. Like he was the biggest teddy lion-bear you'd seen. But...ever since Risa turned fifteen, she's twenty now, it seems Maikera is...acting a lot different."
Azula thought back to what Maikera said when they were going to the hotel.
If she is even worth existing.
...From how Maikera said that, he made it seem like...this Risa...wasn't...
"...Waten?" Azula spoke out.
"Huh? Uh, yes, Azula?" Waten turned his attention to the Fire Princess.
"...Well, first of all, about Ai, she...are you saying that...I mean, do you think Ai is a Spirit?" she asked him.
Waten blinked, "A Spirit? You mean, like...in the stories?"
"Stories?" Azula raised her eyebrow.
"Actually," Anjera intervened as she decided to be bold, "Are there any Spirits on your island?"
"Spirits on our island?" Waten turned to Anjera, "Uh...well...um..." he looked a little nervous all of a sudden.
Anjera, sensing this, asked him, "You said God earlier, right? Is it some kind of Spirit?"
"Uh...I-I can't...really talk much about that," Waten said, feeling cornered.
"Why?" Azula asked.
"I...I just...I just can't. Mother forbade me to not talk about God in front of outsiders. She said the outsiders wouldn't understand and...well, I just don't want to make her angry, and-"
"Waten."
He turned to Anjera, who looked at him in determination.
"...You don't have to worry. We won't tell your mother about this Spirit called God. We...We can keep it a secret. Right, Azula?" Anjera asked, directing her attention to her.
Azula blinked, "Uh...I mean, sure. Any other Spirit is different in the world, so you can tell us about this, uh...God Spirit. We'll keep it a secret."
Waten glanced back at Anjera and Azula...he lowered his head to contemplate whether he should say anything at all...
"...Promise?" he asked them.
Anjera smiled, "Promise."
Azula paused, until she said, "Yeah. Promise."
"...Okay...um..." Waten rubbed his head, "Honestly, I don't think...we have any Spirits on our island...it's just so...quiet here...but...mother did say there was one Spirit that resides here. She said she feels it. And she calls the Spirit God...we, uh...we devote ourselves to worshiping this Spirit, cause my mother said God is known to be all-powerful, and...God can grant wishes."
"Grant...wishes?" Azula asked slowly, trying to understand that...then, she thought about something...
Wait...grant wishes? That...I mean, Father wouldn't...no, he's not that desperate...is he?
"Yes! God is said to grant wishes, and..." he then remembered something...he turned to look at Anjera. "...Uh..."
Anjera blinked, "Um...yes?"
"...Wait...were you in...prison?" he asked in confusion.
"Oh, uh...y-yes?" Anjera answered.
"Well, yeah," Azula also added, "You were there at the prison break. She went with us."
"...Oh, um, yeah, but..." Waten stared at Anjera, almost studying her. "..." his eyes slowly widened.
Anjera felt...a little uncomfortable from his staring...
But it was then, Waten asked her, "Something...Something bad happened to you, didn't it? And...you were blamed for it...weren't you?"
Anjera looked at Waten in shock. Azula's eyes widened in shock as well.
"Uh...I..." Anjera said, the words not coming out...until she said, "How did you know?"
"...Your eyes were very kind, but yet they are very brave...Ai said looking into someone's eyes are the very gateway to someone's soul," Waten explained.
...Anjera stared at Waten's eyes…
"...You're...You're a very kind soul..." she said to him.
Waten's eyes went wide and...his face turned red.
...Azula raised an interested eyebrow.
Hello...are there sparks flying, or...?
"Um...th-thank you, uh...A-Anjera," Waten said, looking away, feeling embarrassed.
The young woman looked at Waten...and smiled.
...Azula cleared her throat again, "So...is Ai a Spirit too, or...?"
Waten turned to Azula and answered, "Oh, um...I...honestly, I...don't know."
"You don't?" Azula raised a peculiar eyebrow.
"I mean...maybe it has something to do with...God...maybe," Waten sat there as he contemplated, "...I should probably ask Ai."
Intrigued by that statement, Azula turned her attention to Anjera, who...seemed to be staring at Waten, without him noticing...she had a slight smile on her face...
…Two things were present in Azula's mind.
Yep. Anjera seems to like Waten...maybe Waten might like her too...but that goes to the other thing...Waten said Ai came to him when he turned fourteen, but...where did she come from? And he said that AI was his and this Risa's caretaker...
Before she could ask her other question, she asked Waten, "What was the turn-key on the back of her head for? And why does she have metal feet?"
Waten looked at Azula in...confusion?
"Turn-key? Metal feet? Who are you talking about?" he asked.
Surprised at that question as she blinked, Azula said, "Um, Ai."
Now Waten raised an eyebrow. "I...never saw anything like that on Ai."
"...What?" Azula's eyes widened in shock, "Are...Are you sure? It's pretty noticeable."
"I..." tilting his head, Waten said, "I never...noticed? Are we...talking about Ai, or...?"
...Azula looked at Waten suspiciously.
Waten blinked. "I-I mean it, I don't know what you're talking about."
Anjera looked at Azula's curious gaze and said to her, "Azula, I haven't noticed anything like that either."
Now Azula was floored as she looked at Anjera stunned.
"...Are you messing with me right now?" Azula said with a frown.
Waten and Anjera glanced at each other and back at Azula, the latter saying, "No, Azula, we aren't."
"Yeah," said Waten, "I mean, I'm telling the truth. I've never seen anything like that on Ai."
"...But..." Azula wasn't crazy. She saw the equipment on Ai, turn-key and metal feet in all.
...Although, her turn-key wasn't on the back of her head anymore...and she didn't glance at her feet lately...
"Alright! Lunch is served!" Ai said in a sweet tone as she came back with a tray of food.
Waten and Anjera turned their attention to Ai and the food, as well as Azula, although she was looking at the approaching woman.
She remembered what Ai said...
I was created for the sole purpose of comforting those who needed a mother figure.
...A mother figure...
Azula observed Ai for a moment...
...She knew that song, the one Ai sang to her to calm her down...the one that her...mother...sings to her when she calms her down...
...
...She...really does...look like her mother...
"Enjoy!" Ai said with a smile as she placed a plate of fruit on the table in front of her.
Azula looked down at the plate of fruit and back at Ai.
"..,Thank you...A-Ai..." Azula said softly.
Ai smiled tenderly. "You are most welcome, Dear."
"..." Azula looked down at her plate and thought about the other thing she was going to ask Waten...about Risa...
That Makeira guy could only act like that towards his own daughter Risa and let her...see Ai? ...Either way, her father could only act like that to her, if...Risa wasn't...his daughter at all...right?
...She turned to glance at Waten and Anjera slurping their noodles...mostly at Waten...
...If that's the case, then...does Waten...does he, his brother, that Kura woman even know?
"Azula, Dear?" came Ai's voice.
She turned to the woman. "Y-Yes?"
Ai looked...concerned. "Are you alright?"
Waten and Anjera turned their attention to Azula.
"...Yeah, I'm just..." she looks down at the plate of fruit, "...It's just...I really..." she looks up at Ai, her eyes giving out a glint of...respect. "I really appreciate your kindness..."
Ai looked at Azula...and smiled warmly at the girl.
"Thank you, Azula, Dear." she said to her.
...Azula smiled also at Ai.
She went back to the plate and picked up a piece of fruit and bit into it.
Waten and Anjera looked back at each other, wondering what that was all about as the latter just shrugged.
As she munched on a fruit, Azula also remembered another thing that Ai said...
Just know...that this whole place is linked to your mind.
…I wonder what she meant by that?
Azula pondered that as she continued to eat. Waten and Anjera continued to eat as well...while Ai stood by, watching the three enjoy themselves with a smile full of warmth...
= Risa =
1:40 PM
The young woman rushed around town, maneuvering around the buildings as she made her way to the hotel...
As she went to her destination, Risa could only think about this whole ritual deal and how Mother Daria didn't at least tell her anything about it.
Why didn't Mother Daria tell me about this? I...I wasn't that bad of a student, was I? ...But even then, this whole ritual is...it seems...it just seems wrong.
...What would Ai think of this?
...Actually, what would Waten think of this? He introduced me to Ai...
She paused in her run as she thought about that peculiar woman.
Ai...she was such a blessing...I...I never knew my mother...she was kind of a replacement for her...
...Risa then thought of something else.
The key to the Historical Society...I was walking in the graveyard that day...I saw my mother's grave...next to my grandfather's...Mother Daria said she died of a heart attack after I was born...and my grandfather died of a stroke right after...
She lowered her head to reflect on the moment that led to all of this...
...I found the key next to my mother's grave...
...Thus, she went to the museum, and learned interesting secrets about the island...
...
Risa shook her head, and thought about the kids that were on the island.
I hope Aang, Katara, and this Zu will be alright...I don't know much about these 'sacrifices', even this whole ritual that's taking place, but I would think doing things like this would be the wrong thing to do...are there really five people dead right now on the island?
...
...Is this island...this town...really a sacred place?
...Deciding to keep going, Risa continued on to go to the hotel.
As she walked, though...she heard something.
Gasping at the sudden noise, she stopped, pausing in her run once more, and kept her ears open.
...
...
...A faint voice came through.
"Hello!?"
Risa heard it again.
Turning to the voice, it sounded like it was coming from...the path where the infirmary was.
"Hello!?"
Wondering where that was coming from, Risa made her way toward the voice.
"Hello!?" she called out.
"...Hello!?" the voice sounded unsure,
She got closer to the voice, calling out whenever necessary.
"Hello!?" Risa called out again, "Wh-Who are you!?"
The far-off voice became a lot clearer as she got a lot closer to it. The fog obscured her view, so she couldn't see who or where the person was.
"I-I'm trying to find where I am!" the voice called out, sounding like a male, "My name is Jemusu!"
"Jem...usu?" Risa said the name slowly as she looked for this man.
As she looked for the man named Jemusu in the fog, she spotted something moving in the mist.
Seeing the moving figure, Risa called out to it, saying, "Jemusu!? Is that your name!?"
The figure paused for a second, and replied, his voice sounding much clearer than before, "Y-Yes! My name is Jemusu! I-I can barely see you in this fog!"
Risa went closer to the man named Jemusu, curious, but also taking cautious steps.
As soon as they get close enough, Risa sees the man, Jemusu, come up to her. He seemed to be taking some cautious steps as well, not wanting to take any chances on who this person is. From his expression, he looked confused and unsure as he neared toward Risa.
"Uh...h-hello?" Jemusu said to Risa.
"Um...hello...?" Risa said as well, a little confused as well.
"Uh...I-I'm trying to...find someone..." Jemusu told her.
"Oh...okay. Um..." Risa trailed off there as he looked at Jemusu.
Who is this man? Is he part of the family that's stuck on this island?
"...Who are you looking for?" Risa asked him.
"Uh...well, there's this girl that I'm trying to find. Her name is...I think Katara," Jemusu stated.
Eyes widened at the name, Risa said, "Katara? I...I met someone named Katara!"
"What? You have?" Jemusu blinked in shock.
"Yes! Do you know Katara?"
"Um...well, not really. We were at the infirmary and...some...weird stuff happened there. I just want to make sure she got out alive," Jemusu said, now looking worried about what could happen to Katara.
"Got out...alive?" Risa also looked shocked, concern written on her face, "I...y-yes, she is alive...does she have dark skin, wavy-like long hair, and wears blue?"
Surprised by that description, Jemusu blurted out, "Yes! That's her! I-Is she alright? I mean, you said she's alive, so that's great to hear."
"Um, I-uh, I think she's alright. She was looking for her friends...and..." Risa recalled back who Katara was calling for before she found her, "...Her mother?" she mumbled.
"Huh?" Jemusu uttered.
"Oh, uh, nothing!" Risa said, snapping out of her thoughts, "She's fine, though. But what do you mean by 'she got out alive'?"
"Well, we...um, we faced some really freaky and weird-looking monsters inside the infirmary, and...well, it was dark and...now it's not anymore," Jemusu looked around the area he was in. He turned his attention back to Risa, "I barely escaped from this red pyramid head thing while Katara escaped this...black leather-bounded woman with a whip," he recalled the monsters that they fought.
Risa looked at Jemusu for a moment, her expression turning into worry and concern. "...Monsters?"
"Yeah...I-I think this place is dangerous. I..." Jemusu paused, "...I was...actually...trying t-to find my wife..."
"Oh...your wife?" Risa asked in surprise.
"Y-...Yeah..." Jemusu glanced down with a frown on his face, looking...hopeless.
"Well...oh!" Risa remembered, "I'm actually trying to get to the hotel! One of my friends is over there, and..." she paused also, as she looked at Jemusu for a moment.
Upon seeing that Risa was staring at him, Jemusu looked nervous and uncomfortable as he turned his head away a bit, "Wh-What?"
"...Did you...um, I'm sorry for asking you this, but...well, I'm just..." Risa lowered her head to try to gather the courage on what she had to say next, "..." she looked up at Jemusu, "Did you happen to do anything wrong?"
Jemusu's eyes widened in shock, "What?"
"I-I...I mean, this place, it's...there's...there's kind of something...wrong with it. And even though I lived here throughout my life, I always felt...like I wasn't alone..."
"Wait, you live here?" Jemusu asked her, a little surprised.
Risa nodded, "Yes, I do."
"Oh...then...do you happen to know people that are named, uh...Maikera, Vucen, Waten, and a priestess here named Mother Daria?"
Eyes widened, Risa opened her mouth a bit agape. "Ye-...Yes. Maikera...is my...my father. Vucen and Waten are my brothers-in-law, and the wife of Vucen is my sister, Kura. M-My name is Risa, by the way. And Mother Daria is my...well, my teacher...and is the mother of Vucen and Waten."
"Oh...o-okay," Jemusu blinked, letting that information sink in.
Wait...the other daughter that Maikera said...is this her? This Risa woman?
If she is even worth existing.
...He didn't mean to overhear, but...it was a disturbing claim...
Risa then reminded herself the reason she was going off by herself. "Oh! I-I'm sorry, I-well, I'm actually looking for Waten! He said to be at the hotel, and...well, I was going to find him to help me find this family that's stuck on this island! We...I mean..." she bit her lower lip, not wanting to say anything about this ritual, which was bizarre in itself. Either way, she couldn't tell this Jemusu that. "I mean..." then she blinked, a thought occurred to her, "Wait...how did you get to this island? Are you with the family?"
"A...family?" Jemusu asked, his tone sounding...somber almost. But he then got back to the task at hand, "Oh, uh...no...and, well, I actually...uh...I...um..."
Oh boy. Think of something! What did I say originally to the Katara girl?
"Uh...well, I was...looking for my wife...and..." he then paused as he thought of something, "...Wait...did you know about...a...uh...prison break that rang out in the Fire Nation?"
"A...prison break?" Risa looked confused, "I...don't think so? I mean...we're so isolated, we don't know much about world news...why?" she asked in curiosity.
"...Uh...y-yeah, I was just...I mean, I wanted to test your...uh, recent world news knowledge...um, look, anyway, me and my friends were, uh...helping me out on finding my..." he winced, feeling really bad for lying to this woman, "...my wife."
"Oh...is she...missing?" Risa asked in concern.
"...Y-Yeah..." Jemusu replied, the shame rising up in him.
"Oh my...I-I'm so sorry," Risa shared her condolences.
"...It's...alright..." Jemusu told her, looking unsure.
Feeling bad for Jemusu, Risa decided that she needed to help this man. That was when she also decided to tell him the truth about what was happening here on the island.
"Jemusu, I...I don't want to scare you, but...well, I want to ask you this first, but how many people came with you?"
"Huh? Um, well, uh...I-I have m-my friends here with me," Jemusu advised, "Their names...well, there's this portly guy named Edi, this woman named Meira, and this younger woman named Anjera. There's also a father and daughter here named, uh..."
I think I can say this. She said she and the people that she knows are isolated, so...I mean, I don't think she would know who Ozai and Azula are.
"...Ozai and Azula."
"Oh...a father and daughter?" Risa asked, the disturbed look appearing on her face as she realized another family was on this island.
"Yeah..."
Risa stood there, thinking, contemplating what to say next...she spoke out and said, "Okay...like I said, I don't want to scare you, but...I mean, I don't know for certain, but you, your friends, and this family that's here...are...I think are being used for a ritual."
...Jemusus blinked once more, puzzled. "Wh-...What?"
"I know, it sounds crazy, but...I..." Risa frowned as she thought about all of this, "...You might need to leave now. I don't know why this is happening, but I will not allow a family and innocent blood to be shed on mine and all of our hands."
"...Um...wait, what?" Jemusu asked in confusion.
"I-It's very complicated, I...I just feel like in my heart, this is a good thing I need to tell you. Your friends are in danger and this family is in danger! You need to get out of here now!"
"...I...um..." Jemusu was floored.
"I mean...l-look, just follow me, okay? Maybe we can find Katara, your wife, your friends, and all the people here that are on this island!" Risa assured him.
"...I...I'm sorry, I'm just...a...a ritual?" Jemusu asked, flabbergasted.
"Again, I know this all sounds crazy, and yes it does sound crazy, which...I think that's the point..." Risa thought about the teachings she missed with Mother Daria...
...Maybe there's a reason I didn't go to her lessons...
"...E-Either way, we need to find everyone before something bad happens!" Risa concluded.
"..." Jemusu looked...almost dubious, but...from what he had seen...back at the infirmary... "...I..." he shook his head, "You know what? I've seen some stuff that isn't even possible...like going down tunnels below and then finding a door and going outside, even though I was below the ground at one point...so, I...I think I'll follow you."
Blinking at that, Risa stood there stunned. "Really?" she gave a relieved smile, "Oh thank goodness! I mean, I know this all sounds bizarre, but thank you for believing me! Come on, we have to find these people!" Risa then turned to the direction where the hotel was and rushed over to that path.
"Uh...r-right!" Jemusu then followed her.
And they ran toward where they needed to go...
However, Jemusu thought of one thing.
Just...what is going on here?
= Katara =
1:30 PM
She ran...
Nothing was chasing her, she just needed to run…
Whatever this place is...it's trying to take control...
Don't let the guilt consume you.
Katara-Dear...
She can hear her...
Katara-Dear…
How can she still hear her voice...can't it just be quiet?
...Katara-Dear.
"Stop," Katara hissed, "Just stop. My mother is dead...I'm going to find my friends."
So she ran...
...
...until she slowed down...her steps feeling like weights...
...her run reduced into a stagger as she tripped on her own feet again.
"Ugh!" she grunted as she landed on her hands. Kneeling down, she whimpered, and just...cried...
She cried...thinking about her mother...
Placing her hand on her eyes, she just let the tears fall...
I...I can't...no matter how much I try to push it away...it comes back to haunt me...I got closure from Yon Rha, but...I just...I just want to see her...one more time.
...She weeped...
...
...Katara heard...footsteps...
...They came from...behind...
Before Katara could get up and stand to face whoever was coming up to her-
"Katara...Dear..." said...a woman's voice, her tone being soft...
Katara froze in place, her position still kneeling.
"..." Katara went silent.
"...Katara. Sweetheart...why are you running away?"
"...You're...not my mom..." Katara said in a dull tone.
"...Dear...I am..."
"...What is my brother's name?"
"Sokka."
Okay, that one was a little easy...
"What is dad's name?"
"Hakoda."
Okay then, maybe I need to think of harder questions.
"Gran-Gran's name?"
"My mother's name is Kanna."
"...How old was I when you-"
"You still kept the necklace..."
"...What?" Katara, with better judgment, looked behind her.
...It was...
...her mother…
She's still dressed in the Southern Water Tribe robes like she did when she...died...
"And if you were going to ask me that question...you were five when I was lost," Kya said with a warm smile.
"...This..." Katara turned to see her mother, "...This can't be real...can it?"
Kya looked at her daughter with such warmth...she came up to Katara and gave her a loving hug.
Katara stood there, frozen in shock...
She feels...warm...from the hug...
...It was real...
...She was real...
"...Mom..." Katara's eyes teared up and her arms slowly went up to hug her mother back.
They stood there in the fog for a minute...mother and daughter reunited...
"...It's...It's really you," Katara whispered to her.
"...It is," Kya said softly, releasing the hug as she had her gloved hands on her daughter's shoulders, looking at her with such happiness, "Katara...it's been so long. Look at you...you've grown into a beautiful young woman."
Still having teary eyes, Katara just looked at her mother with a smile.
"And most of all...you've grown into a fantastic and powerful waterbender," Kya said with a tender smile, "You've made the Southern Water Tribe proud."
Katara just stood there, the tears falling down as she kept her smile on her mother.
"But most of all...you made me proud, Sweetheart," Kya told her.
"...I...really made you proud?"
"Of course!" Kya said with a chuckle.
"But...I..." Katara's smile then turned into a solemn frown.
Kya's expression turned concerned. "Dear? What's wrong?"
"...You died because of me..." Katara softly said.
Knowing what her burden is, Kya then gave her another hug and told her, "Sweetheart...I would do it all over again."
"...Would you really? I mean...I...I wish I could've-"
"Katara."
Kya released her hug and looked her daughter in the eyes, giving her a stern but caring expression.
"...You couldn't have done anything. You were too young...I mean it. I would do it all over again if I had to save you once more."
"..." Katara grimaced at the sincerity of what her mother told her, believing every word as tears went down her face again.
"Your brother and father, as well as my mother are so blessed to have you...you fought a war...you helped the Avatar...you befriended a Fire Lord...you became a Waterbending Master...I am so proud of you," Kya told her with such pride.
"...How...How is this even possible? How can you...be here?" Katara asked her mother.
Kya just smiled, "This place...it's a special island. Some say it's sacred land...but to be honest...I don't really know."
Katara blinked, "You...don't?"
Her mother nodded, "How I'm even here is also questionable. Although, if I can theorize, I felt something when I was in the Spirit World. It was something that brought me here to you...it was probably your love for me. Your love is so pure. It was so bright that I had to come to you by my will."
"..." Katara's mouth formed a warm smile again, "I guess...it doesn't really matter...I just want to say...thank you, Mom. Thank you for everything you've done for me, Sokka, and Dad...thank you for...for letting me live."
Kya's smile radiated love, "Yes...I would've done anything for my family."
Katara nodded, more tears coming out of her eyes.
"Now...I ask you, Katara...go on with your life holding your head up high. Be proud..." Kya's smile then turned more...melancholy. "And choose wisely."
...The waterbender blinked at that last statement.
"Choose...wisely?"
"On choosing a man," Kya said with a chuckle.
"Oh! Um...I...well, I..."
...
"...I will..." Katara told her mother.
I...I think it's time now that I...grow up...
"...I will," Katara nodded with a determined smile.
Kya smiled one last time and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek...and used her nose to nuzzle Katara's nose. Katara giggled and gave her mother one last hug.
"...Thank you, Mom..." she gave Kya a kiss on the cheek as she closed her eyes, "...I love you."
"...I love you, too, my Katara-Dear."
...
...
...She was still hugging her...not wanting her mother to go...
...But it was then...she felt nothing...no one was around her arms...
Her mother...went away...
Katara opened her eyes and saw that her mother wasn't there anymore.
...But that...was fine...
...It was time to move on...
...
...Katara...felt at peace.
She looked up at the sky...the fog was still...there, but...it seemed a lot...brighter...
...
...
...Katara!?
Snapping out of her daze, Katara heard the voice.
"Katara!?"
That voice...it sounded like-
"Katara!? Where are you!?"
"Zuko!?" Katara called out.
"Katara!?" the voice of Zuko rang in.
"Z-Zuko, I'm right here!" she called out to him.
"H-Hold on! I'm going to find you!" Zuko called out to her.
And soon there was a figure coming through the fog...
As soon as he saw Katara's figure, Zuko smiled and rushed over to her.
She sees all the features of Zuko, and Katara couldn't help but rush over to him.
They collided and hugged each other.
"Oh my gosh, Zuko!" Katara said in elation, "I can't believe we found each other!"
"Me neither!" Zuko pulled back and looked at Katara, "Thank goodness! I finally found someone I know!"
"What happened, Zuko?" Katara asked her friend in concern.
"It...It's kind of a long story," Zuko explained, "A lot of stuff happened."
Katara smiled back at him, "I think we have some time right now to catch up. I got some stuff to tell you as well."
"You too, huh?" Zuko softly smiled. He then noticed something, "Uh...hey, you look...different somehow."
"I do?" Katara blinked.
"I mean, not in a bad way! You just look...brighter...if...that makes sense," Zuko explained as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Wondering what he meant by that, she then thought about the meetup she had with her mother...
"...Zuko, this place...it's...I don't know how to describe it, but...well, I talked to someone that I haven't talked to for a very long time," Katara started.
End of Chapter 20
Okay! A little something for you all to ponder on! But yeah, I said we'll focus back on Aang and Toph, but well...look, I just take what the story is leading me, okay? XP
Also, I might...need to put this on hiatus for a bit…as well as my other stories. I did a poll on Tumblr to ask my readers what stories they want me to focus on, and well...out of 100%, the leading majority wanted me to focus "Joke's On You, Kid", "Bits of Who I Am", and "The Effect of Water", so...I may focus on those a lot more...either way, I'll come back to this, no worries! Who knows, I might just break my whole promise to myself on putting the rest of these stories on hiatus and going back to writing them, including this one! XP But yeah, again, who knows? I do want to finish at least one of these stories, though.
But either way, tell me what you think of this! I love to hear your reviews/comments! :D
Thank you all for reading and keep on rocking everybody! :)
-TSP