Chapter 45

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Word count 6807 words

(Y/n) POV

Aang continued his mediocre fire punches as Zuko and I scoffed, "More ferocious! Imagine striking through your opponent's heart!" He yelled at the boy.

"You should be acting like this is life or death, Aang" I crossed my arms.

He stopped and turned to face us looking a little worn out, "I'm trying"

"We'll try harder!" I told him.

"Now let me hear you roar like a tigerdillo!" Zuko yelled at him as Aang gave a light roar making fire burst out of his hands and mouth.

He then turned to us giving Zuko a light smile. We both deadpanned at the Avatar as Zuko scoffed, "That sounded pathetic! I said roar!"

Aang nodded before roaring even louder then before, causing three bursts of fire to come out of his hands and mouth. Momo gasped running over and jumped into my arms.

"He's getting better" I told Zuko while calming Momo down.

"He's nowhere near perfect"

"Just give him time" I exclaimed as Momo clutched onto me for dear life.

Zuko crossed his arms as we both watched Aang practice, "We don't have time, the comet's three days away"

My eyes widened hearing that number out loud, "I-It's that soon?" I bit my lip, do I only have three days left?

At this rate I can't go thirty minutes without a headache. Most of them are pretty minor, only making me squeeze my head to calm them down... but not all of them. Practising my bending has become almost impossible. If I go over my limit I end up passing out, how am I gonna fight?

I can't just sit on the sidelines and let them win the war. They'll die without me, and we already have one dying in three days... we don't need anymore.

"Sadly yes. I'm thinking all we need to up his training if we ever want to defeat my father"

Mom jumped from my grasp as I pinched the bridge of my nose as another headache came, I gripped Zuko's shirt to steady myself, "Then I guess we need to extend these training sessions. No breaks" I demanded as he nodded.

And just as if my opinion didn't matter Katara walked over holding a tray filled with opened watermelon's, "Who wants a nice cool glass of watermelon juice?"

Aang gasped as he stopped practicing and ran to my sister, "Ooh, ooh! Me, me, me!"

"Hey! Your lesson's not over yet! Get back here!" Before I was able to, Zuko yanked the Avatar back and held him off of the ground by his rode.

"Come on, guys. Just take a break. What's the big deal?" Suki asked as her and Sokka walked down the stairs to join us.

"A break? We don't have time for a break!" I exclaimed as Zuko let out a grunted sigh, "Fine! If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail sloths all day, then go ahead!" He yelled before dropping Aang and grabbing my hand to pull me up the stairs with him.

"What are we gonna do? These kids aren't even taking this seriously!" He exclaimed before sitting at the top as we watched our family running to the beach.

I let out a sigh, "I don't know Zuko. I do not know," I shook my head before leaning it on my hand. "They're kids. In reality none of us should even be fighting in this war"

"But we are"

"I know, and I hate it" I grumbled.

We both stopped talking as we watched all of the kids playing in the water and making sandcastles.

"They have no idea what's coming" I stated.

"No. They don't," I felt his hand connect to mine. "...Are you scared?"

I looked to him, "What kind of a question is that? Of course I am," I bit my lip. "This isn't like before. There's no person trying to capture the Avatar they are trying to kill him, and just like I told you in the catacombs someone is going to die. It's going to either be my family's blood or your's, there's no way around it"

"I know," he squeezed my hand tighter before releasing it. "War will always end in blood shed, but let's just hope it ends in our favour," his arm then went around my waist. "Then when peace is restored we can figure out how to defeat Sozin, together"

I felt a string in my heart break wide open, "Yeah... together" I lied.

"Everything will work out in the end... as long as we win the war," he explained. "Then we can find some Fire Sages and they might have the answer" he became hopeful.

But I knew better. While we were in the Western Air Temple, I needed a distraction and I regretted it the moment I stepped foot into that library.

I found a book about possession, and it went into details about what will happen.

~~~

'There are five stages to full out possession.
First, you will begin to revive memories of the spirit trapped within your soul.
Second, you will start to have Constant headaches. You know you are close to your end when the headaches become closer and closer together.
Third, you will start to have instances where you talk to the spirit.
Forth, fatigue.
Five, death.'

My hand trailed down to the end of the page where my breathing hitched.

'The moment you realize you have become possessed by a spirit, is when you should start preparing for your end. After the forth stage you must give up or in to the spirit. From our research giving in is less painful for both parties at hand. They will eat at your soul until there is nothing left, but an eaten soul will not descend into the afterlife for there is nothing to remain. The host's soul will just cease to exist'

~~~

I began to clench Zuko closer. According to the records in the Western air Temple, there has been recorded three hundred and seventy-two possessions. With no survivors.

I know I'm dying, and I'm okay with it. If great Kings and warriors could not protect themselves or find a way out of their possession's there is no way in hell I will find one out of mine. I just need to last three more days and then I can give in for a quick and painless death. The only problem is I don't think I have three days.

"We need to get the ball rolling" I exclaimed.

Zuko nodded, "We do... and I have just the right idea" he smirked.

I began to chuckle as I saw his gears turning, "Oh this is gonna be fun"

———

We both ran down and began to charge at Aang. While Zuko punched fire strands at him, I sent a wave forward cracking the sand sculpture the group was working on in half.

Aang screamed hiding behind a sand sculpture of Appa, "What are you doing?!"

"Teaching you a lesson!" Zuko yelled as the two of us destroyed the sculpture with a combined fire blast.

Aang jumped back up to the house as Zuko and I stormed after him.

Aang made his way onto a tree to escape us as we sent another fire blast at him, forcing him to jump onto the roof of the beach house.

I was able to jump up onto the roof before I pulled Zuko up with me. The two of us cornered the Avatar as he bit his lip, "Get a grip before I blast you off this roof!"

"Really?" I asked getting back into my stance ready to pounce, "Prove it then"

"Go ahead and do it!" Zuko added before we both blasted Aang again.

He avoided us by sliding down the roof and into the house. I looked to my Prince and nodded before he broke the roof open for us both the smash inside of, droping into a room.

We both held our stances and looks around for the boy. Right on cue a dresser barrelled it's ways towards us but I was able to push Zuko out of the way as I burnt it to ash.

Zuko pointed to the door as Aang ran out. We both charged after him before the Avatar turned to us enraged, "Enough!" He screamed sending us out of the house with a blast of air.

We both screamed hitting the tree and landing abruptly onto the dirt, surrounded by our family.

"What's wrong with you two? You could have hurt Aang!" Katara yelled at us.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with all of you?" Zuko snarled at the before helping me to my feet.

"Wait!" Sokka screamed running forward and holding my face in his hands as he inspected me.

"What are you doing?" I asked as my face was being squished by my little brother.

He tilted his head, "I'm checking to see if you're still (Y/n) in there," he explained making me roll my eyes. I sent a small spark at him making him gasp shuffling back. "Yup that's (Y/n)"

"Guys, why are you all sitting around having beach party?" I snarled crossing my arms, "We have only three day's until my comet comes"

"You're comet?" Katara raised a brow.

My eyes widened, "No-I meant... you know what I mean! We don't have time for this!"

The group all began to look at each other before to me and my fiancé, "Why are you all looking at us like we're crazy?" Zuko asked as Aang bit his lip, "About Sozin's Comet... I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came"

"What?!" I screamed.

"After?"

Aang sighed, "I'm not ready. I need more time to master Firebending"

"And frankly, your Earthbending could still use some work too" Toph added making him grimace.

"So, you all knew Aang was going to wait?" Zuko asked.

Sokka let out a sad shrug, "Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord now, he's going to lose. No offense" he put his hand on Aang's shoulder.

"The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the Comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the War, but they pretty much won the War when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse" Katara sighed making me take a step back.

"You guys have no ide-ah!" I got cut off by an intense sting in my head before the world went dark.

~~~

I looked around the remaining strands of the Southern Air Temple and smirked seeing it go up in flames.

I could hear all of those pesky little Airbenders wailing out as they were meeting their end. Looking up to my comment I couldn't help but let out a laugh as my war had finally begun.

"Fire Lord Sozin!" My head my general Levi ran up to me.

"Have you captured the Avatar yet? We agreed I get the final blow" I exclaimed.

He shook his head, "No. they're hiding him"

"WHAT?!" I snapped.

"We were able to capture one of the head monks, some squealed and said this one raised the boy" I was informed.

"Take me to him" is all I said before I was lead to a room with an older man.

I snap my fingers and had at least fifty guards come in with me, all imposition to strike if needed.

"Sozin" the old man acknowledge my presence.

"Fire Lord Sozin" I corrected him.

"You are no lord to me or any of my people" he told me.

"Well then it's a great thing that they are all dead"

His brows dropped, "And now they will spend the rest of eternity in peace in the afterlife. Unlike you"

"I have no intention to die anytime soon" I snarled.

He nodded, "I know what you're planning. Avatar Roku and I used to discuss the possibility all the time back in the day"

"Of course you were friends with that trader," I rolled my eyes. "I can smell the cowardliness from here"

"A true coward would find a way to cheat death so they can avoid their inevitable eternity" he said making my eye twitch.

"You know nothing"

"Maybe I don't" the Airbender sat down on the ground.

I sighed getting ready to attack, "Tell me where the Avatar is"

He shrugged, "How can I? I know nothing"

I growled sending a streak of fire towards him but stopped right before it hit his face, "Tell me where he is or I'll end you right now"

"You would either way," He shook his head, "And I don't know where he is"

I growled before turning around, "Do what you please to him!" I yelled to my men, "He's not worthy of our flames, end him slowly" I demanded before exiting the room and returning out to hear all of the men and children scream.

~~~

I gasped coming back as Zuko held my wait to keep my from falling, "Hey, hey. It's okay" he told me as he wiped a tear I didn't know I saw shedding.

"What did you see this time?" Aang asked as Zuko steadied me.

I looked to him before biting my lip, "It's not important," I shrugged it off as I let go of Zuko. "What is important is that we don't have time"

"What do you mean?" Toph asked.

"It's about to get worse than you can even imagine," Zuko sighed as I clenched my hand into his for support. "The day before the eclipse, my father asked us to attend an important war meeting. It was what I dreamed about for so many years. My father had finally accepted me back" he explained.

"The Fire Lord and Azula made a plan to burn Ba Sing Se to the ground and officially end the war in their favour" I told them.

"I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't," he frowned. "My whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was"

"That's the original reason I came back here," I told them. "I know they we're manipulating me. The Fire Lord gave me everything I ever wanted and asked for. I had power, wealth and... I was able to be with Zuko without the fear of hurting anyone... but I couldn't let him kill all of these innocent people in the walls," I exclaimed. "I am happy I chose to leave, but we have to fight"

Katara sunk to her knees, "I can't believe this"

Sokka crossed his arms, "I always knew the Fire Lord was a bad guy, but his plan is just pure evil"

"What am I gonna do?" Aang bit his lip.

Zuko let go of my hand and walked over to Aang, "I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore"

"Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?" He snapped at Zuko making us all jump back.

"Well I'm sorry but no one told us we were not fighting" I snapped back at him.

"We didn't think we had to. We just assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one told us you decided to wait!"

Aang began to walk back and forth with his hands clenching his balled head, This is bad. This is really, really bad" he sunk to the ground.

"Aang, you don't have to do this alone" Katara told him.

"Yeah," I walked over and placed my hand on his shoulder. "You've got us, and we are gonna do this together" I smiled.

"Yeah, if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down" Toph punched her fist.

Sokka jumped for joy, "All right! Team Avatar is back! Air," he pointed to Aang as he got to his feet. "Water," he pointed to Katara. "Earth," he pointed to Toph. "Fire," he pointed to Zuko. "Lightning," he pointed to me before giving Suki a clump of leaves as he held up a large leaf. "Fan and sword!" Sokka's leaf then wilted.

"Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn't want to do it any other way" Aang smiled.

I put my arm around him, "Well then it's a good thing that this family has the worlds best warriors and benders" I smirked before we all joined in a group hug.

We laughed before seeing Zuko off to the side, "Hey! What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs" Katara added before we pulled him in to join us.

—————

Zuko and I brought Aang over to a more secluded area to practice a very dangerous technique.

"There's one technique you need to know before facing my father. Howw to redirect lightning," Zuko exclaimed before beginning to go through the motions. "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You turn your opponents' energy against them"

"That's like Waterbending" Aang smiled as he began to copy Zuko and I.

"Exactly," he nodded. "My uncle invented this technique himself by studying Waterbenders"

"So, have you ever redirected lightning before?"

Zuko and I looked to each other

~~~

I froze as the Fire Lord pointed at me before a strand of lightning barrelled in my direction.

Zuko pushed me out of the way before sliding back several feet from the impact of the bolt, yet manages to redirect it. Sending it back to right in front of his father.

~~~

"Once, against my father" Zuko told him.

"What did it feel like?" Aang asked.

Zuko froze for a moment before sighing, "Exhilarating... but terrifying. You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over"

He began to chuckle, "Well, not over over. I mean there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water action," he turned to her. "Am I right?"

Katara cringed, "Actually, I used it all up after (Y/n) shot you"

"Oh"

"Yeah... sorry about that" I cringed.

Zuko placed his hand on my shoulder before turning to Aang, "You'll have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours"

"Yeah, I'll just do that"

—————

"Gather round, Team Avatar," Sokka told all of us as he put a carved melon on a draped mannequin. "In order to take out the Fire Lord - or in this case, the Melon Lord - our timing has to be perfect" he explained before we all took a knee as Sokka drew out a battle plan.

The plan was simple, a mock battle where we give it our all. Aang might be facing the Fire Lord but we all needed to be prepared for the worst.

"First, Suki and I will draw his fire. Then, Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offense, and while the Melon Lord is distracted with (Y/n), Aang swoops in... and bam!" Sokka smashed the Mellon Lord symbol, "He delivers the final blow"

Toph raised her brow, "Uh... what about me?"

"For now, you're the Melon Lord's forces" he explained.

She smirked, "So I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?"

"Yeah, pretty much" I nodded.

"Whatever makes the training feel more realistic"

Toph had an evil grin on her face that could only be evenly matched by Momo, "Sweetness"

——

Toph let out a no I can't laugh as fire sprouted around the tar covered rocks.

We all got into position as we watched her prepare to attack. I tightened my bracelet as we all nodded to each other. 

Sokka signaled to the others to start moving as he and Suki ran towards the Melon Lord, but become confronted by stone Fire Nation soldiers, who suddenly rise out of the ground. Sokka slashed one in half while Suki smashed down another one.

We waited for our signal as they kept running until a large burning rock boulder falls out of the sky. Suki easily jumped over the Boulder but Sokka finds himself fallen down just a few inches away, "Watch it, Toph!" He yelled with his fist of the air.

"I am not Toph. I am Melon Lord! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" She maniacally chuckled again.

I then took my cue and ran forward so I could be in direct line of the Mellon Lord. I got in position before blasting a strand of lightning forward to distract her before making a wall of fire to surround us.

"Now Aang!" Sokka and I yelled as he ran up from behind but stopped his attack just before smashing the Melon Lord and backed away.

I became a loss for words as I made all the fire go out, "What are you doing?!"

"What are you waiting for? Take him out!" Zuko yelled.

Aang shook his head, "I can't"

Sokka stomped over towards him end got in his face, "What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lightning right now"

"I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself" he told my brother.

"Yourself? Yourself?!" I growled running over, "Aang I don't care that you're the Avatar, you don't have a choice in this matter!" I yelled making Aang's expression darken.

"How could you tell me that? Who do you think you are?!" He got in my face.

"The Southern Dragon whose possessed by the genocidal Fire Lord!" I yelled back before immediately blasting the Mellon Lord statue, making it explode, "That's what he'll do to you if you don't fight back!" I screamed before walking away, clenching my throbbing head.

"(Y/n)! Wait up!" Katara ran after me.

—————

"How could he be so careless?!" I asked Katara as we looked for pots and pans in the attic.

"He's just a kid (Y/n). You can't get mad at him for not wanting to murder someone" she exclaimed.

"But Toph's all for it" I murmured.

Katara pushed me slightly, "That's because it's Toph"

"You're right, it just bugs me," I shook my head. "He has all of this condensed power to save the world. It's not his destiny, it's his duty to do this. It's the Avatar's duty to restore balance"

She sighed, "He never wanted to be the Avatar-"

"So?" I asked cutting her off, "Life's shit. You never asked to be born a Waterbender, I definitely did not ask to be a Firebender, Zuko never wanted his left side to be fried, Sokka never wanted his first girlfriend to turn into the moon, Suki didn't want to be separated from her entire team and Toph didn't asked to be blind," I told her. "Life gave us these obstacles and we had to overcome them. You became a master, I became proud of element, Zuko learned who his true family was, Sokka became a better person, Suki became stronger and Toph used her disability to make her the greatest Earthbender in the world. You get your problems and move on. He should too" I rubbed my temples.

She bit her lip, "(Y/n), you know Aang is different"

"But he still has a part to play," I exclaimed pulling out a large pot. "If he can't kill the Fire Lord, how is he going to kill m... a bigger threat" I trailed off.

"He will be able to do more as we get older," she reassured me. "And besides, no threat will be as big as this one... it just sucks that it's right now"

Yeah, this is his biggest threat...

I sighed, "Katara I need to tell you something-" she gasped cutting me off, "What's wrong?!" I gasped as well running to her as she held up a scroll.

She chuckled, "Oh this one is definitely gonna be shown at your wedding"

"Let me see!" I grabbed it out of her hands and looked at the parchment.

A little boy with a round face sat there with a smile plastered on his face, "Awwww! Look at my little grands- I mean look at him!" I corrected myself and luckily she didn't hear.

"Do you think it's Zuko?" She asked as I held onto the paper.

I shrugged, "It probably is, I mean I've never seen him without the scar"

"Really?" She raised a brow, "Didn't you see paintings of him before he got the mark?"

I sighed, "I've only seen a couple, most were burned before I got the chance," She then took it out of my hands and began to walk away. "Where are you going?"

"To embarrass your fiancé" she yelled out as I stood there for a moment.

"Wait! Not without me!" I ran after her.

————

We both ran over to the team all sitting around outside, "We have a surprise for everyone!" Katara exclaimed as Toph gasped, "I knew it! Katara did have a secret thing with Haru!" She smiled while Sokka, Suki, Zuko and I look at her strangely.

"Uh, no" she told her as I raised a brow.

"Really?" I asked in shock making her sigh in embarrassment.

"(Y/n) and I were looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this!" she unraveled the scroll showing a painting of a happy dark-haired baby playing at the beach, "Look at baby Zuko. Isn't he cute?"

Everyone began to gush over the painting as Zuko looked away in disgust, "Come on Zuku, I think it's cute"

"Oh, lighten up. I'm just teasing" Katara told him before rolling up the scroll.

Zuko scoffed, "That's not me. It's my father"

My eyes widened as I looked at the scroll, "W-what?"

Suki tilted her head, "But he looks so sweet and innocent"

"Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster, and the worst father in the history of fathers" Zuko clenched his fist.

"But he's still a human being" Aang joined the conversation making all of us turn to him.

"You're going to defend him?" Zuko growled.

"No, I agree with you," he stood up. "Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person, and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way"

"Like what?" Zuko got to his feet as well.

Aang but his lip, "I don't know," he then perked up and smiled. "Maybe we can make some big pots of glue, and then I can use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore"

I blinked a couple of times, "Wow! Do you think the same thing would work on Sozin?" I dramatically gasped looking to Zuko.

"Yeah! And then Aang can show him and my father these baby pictures, and all those happy memories will make them good again and Sozin will leave you alone!" He sarcastically smiled putting his arm around me as Suki and Sokka laugh in the back.

Aang smiled in excitement, "Do you really think that would work?"

"Fuck no! He's a genocidal maniac!" I told him, "Both of them are!"

Aang sighed pacing back and forth, "This goes against everything I learned from the monks. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like"

"Sure you can. You're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you" Sokka exclaimed.

Aang's sanity finally broke and screamed at my brother, "This isn't a joke, Sokka! None of you understand the position I'm in!"

My eye brows sunk down low as I took a step forward but Zuko held me back, "Hey! Don't talk to us like that!" I spat.

"Aang, we do understand. It's just-"

"Just what, Katara? What?" Aang yelled cutting her off.

"We're trying to help!"

"Then, when you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it!" He screamed before running away.

"Aang, don't walk away from this" Katara began to charge after him but Zuko stopped her.

"Let him go. He needs time to sort it out by himself"

I glared as my latest headache started to attack me. I waited a moment before excusing myself and went to have a little chat.

——————

I walked over towards Aang as he sat down meditating in front of four candles, some berries, a plate of fruit, and a small cup of water.

"What the hell was that?" I crossed my arms breaking him from his peace and quiet.

"(Y/n) please not now" he told me as I scoffed, "No. I want to know what the hell is wrong with you right now. We are all trying to help you, and you were doing nothing but snapping at us"

He growled still not facing me, "You wouldn't understand, you have no idea what I'm going through right now"

"No idea? I think out of everyone in this entire group I know exactly what you're going through right now, and unlike me you can actually fix the problem"

He got to his feet and turned to me, "(Y/n) go away! You have no idea how much I don't want to do this!"

"Well you have no choice!" I flailed my arms.

"Well I'm trying to find one, he still a human being!"

"A human being that has killed hundreds if not thousands of people and is planning on killing millions in a few days!" I tried to explain to him, "The only way to end this is to end him before he ends you!"

"What is with you and my safety?! You sure didn't care in the catacombs!"

"Excuse me?! I tried to help you but you were ushered away from me! If I know the Fire Lord -because I do- he will do a lot worse than what I did back then! And you're not gonna have some stupid magical spirit MacGuffin to save you this time!"

He growled storming up to me, "Then why don't you do it then?! I know you want to, you've always wanted to kill him!"

"Because I can't Aang!" I clenched my fists.

"Wow you sure are a hypocrite! You want me to kill someone because you don't want to!" He got in my face.

"Oh I want to kill him," I grumbled. "If it were up to me I would slash him where he stood right now!"

"Then why don't you?! Why do you have to leave this burden to me?!"

"BECAUSE I'M GONNA BE DEAD BEFORE THAT HAPPENS!" I yelled before throwing my hands over my mouth.

He took a step back, "W-what?"

I shook my head and put my hands up, "N-nothing. It's nothing"

"What do you mean it's nothing? What do you mean you're gonna be dead?!" He freaked out as I looked away.

"I did my research. I'm already close to the final stage, he should have full control over me before the comets over," I looked away in tears. "I don't care, I was expecting this for a long time now. But the only thing I wanted to see was the war done. All I ask for is to see the war end before I die" I sniffled.

"(Y/n)-"

"There's no way out of this Aang. It was either find me a solution, or prepare for the final battle," I turned towards the door and began to walk away. "The lives of many outweigh the lives of the few," I rubbed the salty liquid away from my eyes. "But if you can't kill the Fire Lord... how the hell are you going to kill me when I die and become Sozin?" I asked.

"What do you mean kill you?!" He gasp as I didn't look back.

"When he fully takes over my body, I will be fully dead. I will have no soul, I will have no mind and I will have no afterlife. I will just cease to exist, and I don't want him using my body to run around in and kill innocent people," I let out a choked sob. "So that's why I'm hoping you do the right thing" I turned to him with glossy eyes.

He stood there in shock unsure of what to do, "W-w-what do you mean, 'the right thing to do'?"

I began to cry, "You have to kill the Fire Lord or he will never stop. He will find a way to get out of his chains and burn the world to the ground, as long as he can bend he's a threat. The same goes for me. When I'm... when I'm gone you better kill my body"

"What?! I can't do tha-"

"You have to and you will! You are the only one with the skills to do it! You are the Avatar, so suck it up!" I pointed to him, "Your eternal duty is to keep peace between the human and spirit world. The entire war started because your past self couldn't kill the problem! They are both still here because the last Avatar didn't eliminate the problem when he had a chance. So when I tell you to kill me, you have no choice. This isn't a choice for a friend to make, this is a demand for peace. I will not be used as a tool for war, I will be used as nothing!" I explained before walking away and shutting the door behind me.

——————

The next morning the gaang and I prepared to leave the island so we could find a closer space towards Ba Sing Se to camp. It's better if they bring the fight to us, so we could all end him together.

"Okay, that's everything" Sokka clapped his hands together.

"No, it's not. Where's Aang?" Toph asked.

I sighed, "Probably still sulking in his room, let's go get him" I motioned everyone to follow me.

Yes I know what I did last night was not... good. But he had to know. If I am dying -which I am- she needs to know what the complexity of the situation. But now that he knows that he hast to do what he hast to do, he will do it. I think I said do to many times but I don't care.

"Aang? Aang!" Zuko called out to him as we entered his empty room.

Toph groaned, "Come on, lazy bones, let's go"

Zuko and I look to each other before eyes widened. We noted before everyone began to search the house up and down top to bottom to see if we could find the Avatar.

Sokka came running forward with Aang's staff in hand, "He left his staff. That's so strange"

I bit my lip, did I freak him out that much?

"Aang's not in the house. Let's check the beach" Zuko pointed to the beach as we all ran down to see a trail of foot prints leading into the water.

"So, he went for a midnight swim and never came back?" Suki asked as the footprints just disappeared.

Katara began to bite her nails, "Maybe he was captured"

"No, they would've captured him. With the clips only days away they definitely would've killed him but there's no sign of a struggle" I explained.

"I bet he ran away again" Toph scratched her neck.

Sokka shook his head, "Uh-uh. He left behind his glider and Appa"

"Then what do you think happened to him, oh sleuthy one?" She asked him.

Sokka sighed, "It's pretty obvious. Aang mysteriously disappears before an important battle? He's definitely on a Spirit World journey"

"But if he was, wouldn't his body still be here?" Zuko asked.

Sokka looked down, "Oh, yeah. Forgot about that"

"That's not always the case," I explained. "Remember when I got kidnapped by that one spirit in a random colony?"

"Yeah but your body was just hidden. He's got to be somewhere on Ember Island. Let's split up and look for him" Katara said as I nodded.

"I'm going with Zuko!" Toph ran forward and latched onto Zuko and both began to blush, "What?! Sokka went on a life-changing field trip with Zuko. Now it's my turn!"

I sighed grabbing my sister and we began to look for Aang, but we had no luck.

————

A couple hours later we all met back up at the beach house, all looking pretty bummed out.

"Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing you guys didn't find Aang, either" Sokka exclaimed jumping off of Appa.

Zuko sighed, "No. It's like he just... disappeared"

"He always does this," I clenched my fist. "Whenever he can't figure something out he decides the best option is to run away. He did this in the desert and he did this to his own people. If we can't find him, Ba Sing Se is going to be destroyed"

"Exactly," Toph sighed before raising a brow. "Hey, wait a minute. Has anyone noticed that Momo is missing, too?"

Sokka let out a shriek, "Oh no! I knew it was only a matter of time!" He ran over to Appa and screamed, "Appa ate Momo!" He then proceeded to enter the bison's mouth, "Momo, I'm coming for you, buddy!"

"Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo. He's probably with Aang" Katara rolled her eyes.

"That's just what Appa wants you to think," I chimed in. "Appa and Momo are both convicted war criminals"

"What do you mean?" Suki asked me.

"Well... Momo did kidnap a baby... Appa kill the guy" I explained.

"What?!" They all gasped.

"What?" I asked, "When we we're up north some guy tried to attack Appa, and Appa proceeded to throw him off the boat. We don't know if the man drowned but I don't think Fire Nation soldiers can swim"

Zuko looked to me and then to Sokka almost like he regretted everything, "Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka. We have a real problem here," he groaned before looking to the group. "Aang is nowhere to be found and the comet is only two days away"

"What should we do Zuko?" Katara asked him.

He raised his brow, "I don't know. Why are you all looking at me?"

I tilted my head, "What have you been doing the for the last three years?" I unassumingly asked him.

"What?"

"Well, you are kind of the expert on tracking Aang"

Toph nodded, "Yeah, if anyone's got experience hunting the Avatar... it's you"

He looked to us before letting out a long sigh and nodded, "Alright get on the bison"

—————

"Zuko, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job, but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? There's no way Aang's there" Sokka exclaimed as we began to land by an old Rinky-dinky tavern in some random colony.

"Just trust me" is all he said.

Once we all landed we stepped inside the tavern to see a lot of mishmash people fighting drinking and gambling. On the bright side since Aang was not there I did not have to shield his eyes from the ungodly sites, I will not name.

"And the reason you've brought us to a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern is what now?" Katara asked as Zuko pointed to a women I almost forgot about, "June"

She stood there alone holding a drink in hand as a thug tried to attack her, but she easily took him down without spilling her drink. Before proceeding to make him a foot rest. As another thug tries to punch her she dodges every punch still holding her drink.

"Oh yeah, that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole" Sokka exclaimed pointing to her as well.

"Mole? Her skin is flawless" Suki gestured to her perfect skin.

Sokka shook his head, "No, she has this giant mole creature she rides around on"

"It's able to paralyze its opponents, and it's very dangerous" I explained.

"The shirshu. It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world. It's the one shot we have of finding him" Zuko told us as we walked over towards June sitting down without a scratch from the fight present.

"I don't know who this June lady is, but I like her"

Let's just hope we can use her to find Aang, before it's too late.

•••