It is just as I remember it to be - flying, that is. The wind whips my hair around, and the air is fresh, pressing against my mouth. I can't stop smiling again, despite Azula looming over me and Zuko's choices.
I hope it was just a lapse in his judgement, but I don't know how to get rid of the image of him turning his back on Iroh and I, to fight against Azula again and again. But how would we continue to live, with Azula knowing we are hiding in Ba Sing Se? She put us at the end of a road, with a cliff at the end of it. We have nowhere to go.
It doesn't seem like Iroh is having as good a time flying as me, but that makes sense given we are riding without a saddle. If anyone loses their grip, they'll fall and become a painting on the roads of Ba Sing Se.
Eventually, Aang brings us down to the side of the Royal Palace. It is still beautiful, with its gardens and trees. But it is manicured. Nothing grows wild. And Azula hides within the beautiful palace.
We all jump down, Iroh sliding down the tail of Appa. The blind girl, Toph, leans down on the ground. She touches it with her hand, and everyone is silent for a moment until she says, "Well, what do ya know? There is an ancient city down there. But it's deep." She stands up and earthbends the ground in front of us, creating a tunnel to lead down.
Sokka, the Water Tribe boy, has a hand on his chin, deep in thought. "We should split up. Aang, you go with Iroh and Zia to look for Katara and the angry jerk. No offense," he adds, remembering that Iroh and I care about Zuko. I try to keep from laughing, because Zuko is sometimes an angry jerk.
"None taken," Iroh says, shrugging the comment away.
The flying lemur that Aang introduced to me after landing jumps onto Sokka's shoulder. Sokka continues, "And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King of Azula's coup."
That's that. The three of us start down the tunnel, Iroh lighting the way with a flame dancing in his palm, and Aang deepening the tunnel in front of us. I feel pretty useless without my bo, but there's been no time to go back to our apartment to get it. I hope that there isn't a fight down here, that we can just grab Zuko and start running again.
But, part of me knows, Zuko will never find happiness running.
"So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice - and great tea," Aang says, looking sheepish.
"The key to both is proper aging," Iroh says.
"And patience!" I add, smiling.
"What's on your mind?" Iroh asks.
"Well," Aang starts, "I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar State and control this great power. But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn't." Aang stops walking.
"Perfection and power are overrated. I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love."
"We're supposed to be able to detach ourselves from worldly concerns, and to find internal peace. But if giving up love gives you power, I don't think it's worth it," I say.
Aang earthbends more in front of us, saying, "What happens if we can't save everyone and beat Azula? Without the Avatar State, what if I'm not powerful enough?"
Should I tell Aang that being powerful isn't everything? That I can't bend anymore, but I've found happiness in places I never expected?
"I don't know the answer. Sometimes, life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving" - Aang bends the last of the rock away, and Iroh's flames are blown out - "you will come to a better place," Iroh says. A small smile crosses his face.
The tunnel opens up to a large cavern with a waterfall directly across from us. Everything is lit with the familiar green crystals of Ba Sing Se. On the sides of the cavern are old houses built directly into the rock. The waterfall pools into channels that spread out to the houses. There are pillars that reach up to the ceiling, all with those green crystals growing out of them.
However, there is no one here.
"This is just the main area of Old Ba Sing Se," Iroh says. "There should be some side caves where they put prisoners." Iroh gestures for us to follow him. Everything echoes weirdly against the walls, and the rushing water from the waterfall is roaring even though we aren't close to it.
"Aang," I say. "Iroh is right. Power is overrated. I - I can't bend anymore. But love and people you care about can fill any hole." Aang seems shocked that I can't bend anymore, but he nods. "We're stronger when there are people around us that we care about. You chose the right thing."
"Thank you, Zia. It's so nice to see you again." He hugs me briefly again, and we follow Iroh deeper into the cavern.
Eventually, Iroh points at a section of the wall that looks different from the others, like it is freshly turned earth and not untouched stone. "Here, can you try bending this?"
Aang bends the rocks outward, and we go through the new opening. The girl I assume to be Katara spots Aang and yells, "Aang!" She throws him into a hug.
Through the dust, I spot Zuko. Iroh and I run up and hug him. He looks unharmed. Katara is talking to Aang, and Zuko pulls out of our hug, looking angry.
"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?" Zuko points aggressively at Aang.
"Saving you, that's what," Aang says.
Zuko starts to step forward to Aang, rage in his eyes. I frown, suddenly faced with the old Zuko. I thought he had changed. I thought we had put this behind us. Why?
Iroh puts a hand out to stop Zuko from attacking Aang, saying, "Zuko, it's time we talked." Iroh looks over at Aang and Katara and says, "Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you."
Aang looks at me, pleading me to come with him. I don't think he understands. I care about Iroh and Zuko so much, I can't just let them go. I shake my head at Aang and they leave through the hole Aang made, Katara looking sadly at Zuko.
Zuko looks hurt, saying, "Why, Uncle?"
"You're not the man you used to be, Zuko," Iroh starts, smiling. Zuko turns his head away from Iroh and I, looking at the glowing crystals. I put my hand on his arm, but he shrugs me off. "You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."
Before Zuko can say anything, for him to confirm all that I ever hoped for him, crystals erupt out of the ground and trap Iroh and I. Azula and a couple of Dai Li agents slide down from the sides of the chamber. I struggle but can't get out of the grip of the crystal.
"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle," Azula says, walking up to us. Zuko is in a fighting stance, ready to fight again. "But Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?"
Zuko relaxes out of his fighting stance, but I can still see he is on edge. "Release them immediately!" he demands.
"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself." She is manipulating him, getting him to listen to her words like flies to honey.
"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you," Iroh says.
Azula frowns at Iroh, saying, "Why don't you let him decide, Uncle? I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want."
"Zuko, she's lying. She didn't know we were here, remember?" I shout. Azula frowns at me.
"Zuko, I am begging you," Iroh says. He is incredibly calm. "Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want."
"You are free to choose," Azula says. She puts a hand up and the Dai Li agents slide back up and out of the cave. Azula walks past Iroh and I and into the tunnel Aang made. She is going after Aang!
Zuko's head is bowed, and he isn't saying anything. I want to speak, but Iroh shakes his head at me. Internally, I am screaming, "You were happy, Zuko. We were happy! Please!" But I honor Iroh's request and watch in horror as Zuko turns his back on us and follows Azula and the sounds of fighting.
"No!" I scream, tears streaming down my face. I struggle anew against the crystal, but I can't do anything. Zuko has chosen against me, and he has left Iroh and I here for dead. He doesn't even look back at us!
"Zia," Iroh says, voice quiet. "Stay still." I look over to Iroh and notice a faint glow underneath the green crystals near his hands. He is trying to melt the rock. Lava is just molten rock, heated enough. And crystals are just another form of rock, shown by how easily the Dai Li agents bended them.
I notice him punch a hole through, and he starts to melt the crystal around his body. Once he steps out, he starts to work on the crystals around me, being as careful as he can. I can't stop crying, but I hold still. A few blobs of molten crystal catch my skin, burning me. I hold very patiently, though time seems to stand still.
What can we do? What can Iroh and I do now without Zuko? Where will we go?
"What are we going to do now, Iroh?" I mumble, stepping gingerly out of the crystal prison.
With sadness in his eyes, he looks at me. "We go help your friend, the Avatar. I think he will need it."