We were in the sky, flying on Appa.

We had taken flight as soon as we made sure Haru, his father and the rest of the other benders were back home safely and taken a shower before leaving.

Now we were laying on the saddle, staring at the cloudly sky.

Or well. They were. I was trying to take a nap, laying near Appa's head as Aang sat lazily atop Appa's head.

With my eyes closed, I heard Katara speaking, her voice dreamily "Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you just jump down and land on a big, soft cottony heap?"

"Maybe you should give it a try" Sokka said mockingly

I heard Katara huff in annoyance "You're hilarious"

"I'll try it" Aang's excited squeak made me snap open my eyes as he jumped off Appa carrying his staff, a big smile in his face, laughing joyously. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance, taking a deep breath to calm down "Yeah!"

I chuckled seeing the siblings look down over the rim of the saddle, Katara worried and Sokka wide eyed. "Don't worry" I reassured Katara "He took his glider. He'll be fine. He'll be here in a moment"

And truth to my word, a moment later Aang came up from behind the siblings, landing on Appa's saddle with a big smile, dripping wet. He snapped close his glider, the sound making the siblings turn around to face him.  

Aang looked at himself. "Turns out, clouds are made of water"

I laughed as Aang's breathed in deeply, slamming his balled, right fist against his stretched left hand, creating an expanding air ball around him in the process, drying himself off.

"That looked fun" I commented as Momo flew around me, laying atop of my head. "But you interrupted my nap" I pouted

Aang smiled sheepishly "Sorry Ki"

We shared a smile as Aang laid back, closing his eyes in content. I wanted to sleep again. 

"Hey, what is that?" Katara suddenly asked.

I opened my eyes and we followed her gaze as she stood, walking to the front of Appa's saddle, staring ahead. There was a large, dark patch of burned land standing out among the lush green of the forest.

We looked at the burned forest in shock

"It's like a scar" Sokka said quietly

~8~

We landed in the middle of the scorched forest, there were many burned trees. I jumped off Appa, looking around sadly.

Sooka came up from behind me, "Listen. It's so quiet. There's no life anywhere"

I looked at the burned ground sadly. Fire. Not only did the Fire Nation hurt people, they also hurt nature. Drove away everyone. And I didn't stop them.

"Kai?" Aang touched my shoulder, "Are you okay?"

"Fire Nation!" Sooka shouted angrily "Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-"

"Shhh!" Katara snapped.

"What?" Sokka whispered angrily, "I'm not allowed to be angry?"

I didn't look up from the ground, kneeling down with a soft sigh. "Why would anyone do this?" I asked quietly, picking up some ash as it slowly seeped through my hand and dropped to the ground "How could I let this happen?"

Katara looked at me concerned. "Kai, you didn't let this happen. It has nothing to do with you"

"Yes, it does" I replied, looking up at her. "It's the Avatar's job to protect nature. But I don't know how to do my job"

A small proud smile flickered on Aang's lips, though he mainly looked concerned about me

"That's why we're going to the North Pole" Katara told me, smiling softly. "To find you a teacher"

"But there's no one who can teach me how to be the Avatar" I pointed out.

"Didn't Monk Gyatso say Avatar Roku, the Avatar before you would help you?" Aang asked curiously. I shrugged, scratching the back of my head, "Though I don't understand. He died over one hundred years ago. How are you supposed to talk to him?"

"I don't know" I sighed sadly, scratching Momo's head as he settled in my lap, "And I need all help possibly to do this Avatar thing"

~8~

I had my arms wrapped around my knees, siting in the ground still. My chin resting in the middle of my knees.

"Hey, Kai" I glanced at Katara and Aang.

"You ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked

"No" I answered, looking away. Suddenly an acorn hit my forehead "Ow! Hey, how is that cheering me up?"

Sokka chuckled "Cheered me up" Katara threw an acorn at him, "Ow. Yeah, I probably deserved that"

Katara looked back at me, showing me an acorn "These acorns are everywhere, Kai. That means the forest will grow back!"

Aang nodded in agreement "Every one of these will be a tall oak tree someday, and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back"

Katara placed the acorn in my hand and closed it.

A small, hopeful smile played in my lips "Thanks, guys"

A twig snapping behind me made me look around, seeing an old man approaching us.

I stood up with the help of Aang as Sokka pointed at the old man, suspiciously "Hey, who are you?"

"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible" The old man told us, walking closer to me and Aang, his eyes flickering around our tattoos "But, those markings. One of you is the Avatar, aren't you, children?" I looked at Aang, who looked at Katara. Katara smiled, nodding reassuringly. I took a step forward, bowing slightly with a small smile. First time I did that without doubting or denying I was the Avatar. It felt nice. The old man stared at me in relief, "My village desperately needs your help!"

~8~

We arrived Senlin Village at sunset. A village who looked to be partially destroyed.

The old man led us into the center building, looking at a man, pointing at me "This young girl is the Avatar!"

The village leader looked at me in surprise "So, the rumors of your return are true! It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in your presence"

"Nice to meet you too!" I greeted with a smile "So... is there something I can help you with?"

The leader frowned hesitantly "I'm not sure"

"Our village is in crisis, she's our only hope" The old man reminded him. He turned to me "For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. He is Hei Bai, the black and white spirit"

Sokka frowned "Why is it attacking you?"

The leader shook his head "We do not know, but each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the winter solstice draws near"

"What happens then?" Aang asked

"As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the Spirit World grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely" The old man explained

Aang tilted his head curiously, eyes flickering to the ground thoughtfully

"Hei Bai is already causing devastation and destruction" The leader told us "Once the solstice is here, there's no telling what will happen"

I blinked, "So, what do you want me to do, exactly?"

"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the Spirit World than the Avatar herself?" The old man asked rhetorically "You are the great bridge between man and spirits"

"Right" I nodded awkwardly. Aang and Katara exchanged wary looks "That's me"

"Hey great bridge girl, could I talk to you over here for a second?" Sokka led me toward a window. Aang and Katara following "Kai, you seem a little unsure about all of this"

I blinked nervously, "Yeah, that might be because I don't know anything at all about the Spirit World. It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff!"

"But you'll help this people, won't you Ki?" Aang asked hopefully

I gave him a nervous smile, "I have to try, don't I?" Aang's smile grew "Maybe whatever I have to do will just ... come to me"

Momo landed on my shoulder.

Katara gave me a kind and reassuring smile, "I think you can do it, Kai"

Sokka smiled reassuringly, "Yeah" He paused for a second, his smile falling "We're all going to get eaten by a spirit monster"

I gave him a wide eyed look.

What a reassurance, Sokka!

~8~

I was ready to talk to Hei Bei, steeping outside the center building as sunset neared.

I walked toward the village entrance, "Hello, Spirit? Can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm here to try to help stuff"

I waited for any sign of Hei Bei, frowning slightly as I gazed at the sky as night fell in

"The sun has set" I said to myself "Where are you, Hei Bai? Well, spirit. Uhh... I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace" I spun my staff putting it down, trying to look like I had the authority "Okay, well ... I guess that's settled, then" I began to walk away, but suddenly I felt a cold wind brush behind me and I turned around, seeing a spirit walking closer, "You must be the Hei Bai spirit. My name is–" Suddenly, the spirit released a burst of energy at me. It moved past me. "My name's Kai! I'm the, the Avatar and I would like to help. Hey, wait up!"

Hei Bai wrecked havoc, smashing buildings and destroying a tower with energy.

I cringed, trying to stop the spirit as it smashed another building, "Please, would you stop destroying things and listen? I'm trying to do my job as spirit bridge! Excuse me, would you please turn around? I command you to turn around now!"

The spirit hit me, sending me flying to the roof of another building. I groaned, looking up as I saw Sokka running toward the spirit, throwing his boomerang at it, barely affecting the spirit.

"Sokka!" I screamed wide eyed, "No! Stay back!"

"We'll fight him together, Kai" Sokka told me

I shook my head, standing up "I don't want to fight him unless I–" I couldn't finish because Hei Bai took Sokka, running away. "Oh no!" I began to run away after them toward the forest, ignoring Aang and Katara's screams of our names.

~8~

I ran through the forest, pursing after Hei Bai, looking for Sokka.

"Kai!" I heard Sokka scream, using airbending to enhance my speed, reaching for his hand "Over here! Help!"

"Hang on, Sokka!" I called out, trying to free him but before I could reach him, the spirit faded away in front of a bear-like statue, taking Sokka with it. I fell in front of the statute, knocked out

~8~

Aang's POV

I knew this was a bad idea. As soon as Hei Bei was mentioned, there was this nagging in the back of my head telling me facing him alone was a bad idea. Besides that when Kai was facing the spirit, I could sworn besides the anger coming from him, there was also this ... sadness and disappointment. The entire village and the forest had this air, I didn't know how to place the feeling. It felt like when I was mediating, it felt like I was surrounded by this whole spiritual energy.

Almost like how I felt when Kai entered the Avatar State. But this energy wasn't as overwhelming as to when she got into the Avatar State. This felt more emotional. It made me wonder why I was able to feel it. Was it the whole spiritual thing I didn't know too much about?

Those questions whirling inside my head were distracting me from thinking about my friends being taken by the spirit. We had waited all night for Kai to return with Sokka, trusting my best friend to save him but there was no signal of her nor Sokka everywhere. We were worried

The old man approached me and Katara as we stood on the entrance of the village

"I'm sure they'll be back" He told us

Katara blinked tiredly, nodding "I know"

The old man looked at us sympathetically "You should get some rest"

"Everything's going to be okay" Katara murmured

"Your brother is in good hands" The old man reassured. It was then when I felt a shiver pass through my back. It was filled with a familiar sensation "I would be shocked if the Avatar returned without him"

"Katara?" I heard a whisper, a familiar sensation warming me. "Aang? I'm sorry. I lost him"

Kai?

I looked around frowning, but I couldn't see anyone. Why was I hearing Kai then?

"The sun is rising" The old man noted, looking at the sky. "Perhaps she will return soon"

I blinked, seeing some kind of glow in front of us, Kai's voice filtering through my ears again, "What? No, I'm right here! Wait... I'm in the Spirit World!"

I shook my head. No, I was not hearing my best friend saying she was in the Spirit World.

"You should go sleep, Katara" I suggested. I wasn't tired either way. I wouldn't be able sleep, not yet anyway "I'll be here, waiting"

Katara hesitated but a yawn made her nod tiredly. "Okay" she said quietly following after the old man.

I looked away toward where I could see this glow. "Kai?" I asked as soon as Katara was away. I sat down on the ground, frowning "Is that you?"

"Aang! You can see me?"

"More like hear you" I replied. A soft chuckle came from my right, "You know? I think I was able to sense the spirit all this time"

"You're not called a spiritual guide for nothing, Aang"

I blinked as I felt something cold brush my shoulder. It was so sudden. My eyesight turned blurry for a moment and that's when Kai appeared in front of me. However, she was blue.

"Wow" I murmured blinking in shock, standing up, shaking my head. Kai stared at the ground in front of me "You're blue!"

"There's two of you" Kai countered in shock. I followed her gaze to see that indeed there was another me in front of us. "And you're blue too!"

I looked down at myself to see my body blue. I looked toward the other me, seeing I had my eyes closed and I was in my meditating position.

"You made me enter the Spirit World" I realized, looking at Kai in awe. I had never been able to enter the Spirit World before. It felt amazing.

Kai looked at me incredulously "No. I barely touched you. It's your weird spiritual thing"

I sighed. Everything about me came down to that. Now, think, Aang. Kai was in the Spirit World somehow. Her guilty and sad expression and no Sokka around let me know she had no luck finding him and that made her disappointed in herself.

Kai crossed her arms, eyebrows furrowed as she looked away "I need to figure this out. I'm the bridge between the worlds, right? There must be something...Oh, how I'd wish to talk to Avatar Roku now. He'd know what to do"

I sighed. I was starting to dislike Roku. I don't know why. It wasn't like he was guilty for all this war, right? He was just being trouble to be found. I looked up suddenly hearing something.

"Sokka?" I asked in confusion.

Kai looked around, biting her lip. Her eyes widened suddenly, "Ah, Aang? Tell me that's not a dragon"

I followed her gaze to see a dragon coming straight to us. I grabbed her hand. "Run!" I tried to fly away but I couldn't, starting to panic "I can't airbend!"

Kai jumped, seeming to have the same problem as she looked at the dragon fearfully, "No bending in the Spirit World, then" She commented, trying to stay calm as the dragon landed in front of us. A brief flash of a man I couldn't remember the name of and the dragon passed in front of me "You don't know where Sokka is, do you?" The Dragon touched Kai's forehead and she blinked with a gasp, turning to me "You're Avatar Roku's animal guide! Like Appa is to you and Bea was to me!"

Roku. The name filtered to my head as I finally recognized the man riding the dragon. "This could be your opportunity, Kai!" I told her "He can help you how to find Sokka"

Kai looked at dragon with hopeful eyes, "Is there some way for me to talk to Roku?" The dragon curled around us making me blink. He wanted me to come as well? As if hearing my thoughts, the Dragon roared as Kai climbed atop "Come on, Aang. We're in this together, aren't we?" I smiled widely, climbing the dragon, sitting behind Kai, "Take us to Roku!"

The dragon began to fly away.

~8~

The dragon named Fang took us to a temple in an island, flying into the temple and toward the roof.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Kai asked as Fang flew right through the roof and into a mysterious room making us scream. Within the room was a celestial calendar and a statue of Avatar Roku. "I don't understand, this is just a statue of Roku"

Fang pressed one of his feelers to Kai's forehead, the contact with her soon made me witness some kind of vision of a comet.

"A comet?" I asked in confusion. Kati turned to face me in confusion, "That's what Roku wants to talk to you about?"

"You saw that?" Kai asked curiously

"Yes" I nodded. "I've been able to sense you when you're in the Avatar State as well. It gives me a headache" I gave her a small smile, "But, it looks like we're connected spiritually"

"Cool" Kai told me in awe and fear. Yeah. That didn't sound very nice. She turned to Fang, "When can we talk to him?"

Fang moved his head, allowing a light beam to appear. That was just to the right of Roku's statue. Fang pressed another feeler on her forehead making us see a vision of the sun setting and rising repeatedly, and the light closing in on Roku.

"It's a calendar" I realized "And the light will reach Roku on the solstice"

"So, that's when we'll be able to speak to Roku?" Kai asked. The dragon breathed an apparent yes. "But we can't wait that long! I need to save Sokka now!"

The dragon grabbed me and Kai and took us away from the temple

~8~

Kai's POV

Fang took us back to where Aang's body laid, seeing Katara kneeling next to him, trying to shake him awake

Aang jumped, seeming to know what to do, "See you soon, Kai"

Aang woke up, dropping his meditating position with a gasp, "Don't do that again, Katara. I was meditating"

"Aang!" Katara hugged him in relief "What happened?"

"I was in the Spirit World" Aang answered as Fang took me away, flying toward the statue at fast speed, that's where I noticed my body laying in there.

I prepared for the impact as Fang led us closer to the statue, he disappeared right before he touched the statue and I opened my eyes with a gasp.

I was laying in front of the statue, looking at my body to see I was no longer blue. I looked at the statue, curiously before opening my glider and flying back to the village.

~8~

I ran back to the village, seeing Katara and Aang waiting for my return.

Katara embraced me, "Aang told me what happened"

I nodded in understanding, "I think I know how to stop Hei Bai"

Aang and Katara looked at each other and then back at my determined face.

~8~

We waited again to sunset and I was ready to stop Hei Bai once and for all.

I stood at the entrance waiting for the spirit to appear, frowning as I turned around, starting to walk toward the center building, however as soon as I turned a familiar cold sensation washed me.

Hei Bei was back

I threw a shield of air to stop his attack.

"Kai, what are you doing?!" I heard Katara yell at me "Run!"

"Wait, Katara" I heard Aang as I jumped in front of Hei Bei as he prepared to attack again "She knows what she's doing"

I felt around Hei Bei's forehead, sensing that a panda lurked below it, "You're the spirit of this forest!" I realized, looking at the spirit in a new light "Now I understand. You're upset and angry because your home was burned down. When I saw the forest had burned, I was sad and upset, but my friends gave me hope that the forest would grow back" I showed Hei Bai an acorn, leaving it at his feet.

The spirit picked it up before reverting to a panda form, walking away peacefully. As soon as it left, a series of branches grew, and three villagers missing and Sokka emerged from it

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed in relief, running to him and embracing him.

The other villagers embraced their families as well

A small smile played on my lips at the sight

Aang stood next to me, grinning "Well done, Avatar"

I just smiled.

"What happened?" Sokka asked

"You were trapped in the Spirit World for 24 hours" Katara answered "How are you feeling?"

"Like I seriously need to use the bathroom" Sokka answered

I giggled

Katana gave Sokka a somewhat disgusted look.

The village leader turned to me, bowing "Thank you, Avatar. If only there were a way to repay you for what you've done"

I waved a hand dismissively. "It was no trouble"

"You could give us some supplies" Sokka told him "and some money"

"Sokka!" Katara scolded

"What?" Sokka asked innocently "We need stuff"

"It would be an honor to help you prepare for your journey" The village leader told us

"I'm so proud of you, Kai" Katara told me, squeezing my arm. "You figured out what to do, all on your own"

I shared a look with Aang

"Actually, I did have a little help" I told her "And, didn't Aang mention it?"

"What?" Sokka asked

"About talking to Roku?" Katara asked "And finding a way to contact his spirit?"

I nodded "Yes"

"Creepy" Sokka commented "But great"

"There's a temple on a crescent-shaped island" Aamg explained. It took me a moment to realize he hadn't told them the most crucial detail about this "And if Kai goes there on the solstice, she'll be able to speak with him"

"We" I corrected "We're in this together, besides that we need to ask him about what you can do"

Aang nodded slowly "Yes"

Katara looked between us, "But the solstice is tomorrow!"

"Yeah" Aang shrugged "Which is why we have to hurry"

I grimaced, "There's one more problem" I told them casually, "The island is in the Fire Nation"