It's been a few weeks since the whole incident with Katara and Master Pakku, within the timespan, Katara took lessons under him along with Aang, and Sokka flirting with Princess Yue. They all seemed busy in their little worlds, but Mirza, sought help for his own gift.

Healing.

He wasn't bad at it, far from it, it was just harder to concentrate with the flames. Yagoda wasn't surprised by the gift, she had heard stories of people who could heal outside the water element. She wasn't surprised either that he could fire bend, Mirza looked like he was part Fire Nation anyway. Without question or even turning him into the Chief, she began teaching him for an hour after her classes.

Though, instead on a wooden dummy with the chakra points marked out, along with the path ways. She had made a replicate of it, but with solid ice, every time he placed too much pressure on the area, it would melt. She easily replaced it but had him try again, Mirza was just adding too much heat into it. 

Yagoda found it enduring that he was trying, even if Fire wasn't healing the wound on the dummy fast enough or he would melt it a little, he was at least trying and not giving up.

"Easy boy, Easy, you're going to melt his leg off." She said as Mirza kept healing up the area of the leg, keeping steady breaths as the faint flame was still going over the area. The way it moved like water but still held the heat and color of the flames he would produce. Mirza watched as his hand went over the area and the chakra pathway dulled. No burns or melting ice coming from it.

"Well done, you're not a full-fledged healer but the best I can teach you with the ability." Yagoda praised with a smile as Mirza grins back, sighing in relief. 

"How do I practice more? Do I come back or?"

"That's all I can teach you, to practice, I would say pay attention to how the body works, especially when it comes to blood or piercing through the body. I wouldn't say practice on your friends, so don't go throwing hooks at people, but to stop it, you would need to press down and burn the wound close. It will hurt but it's easier said than done." Yagoda said as she unbends the frozen dummy into water.

"Yes, thank you for teaching me." He bows and she smiled before heading to the back area to rest. Mirza walked out of the hut and blinked his eyes at the sun a bit before seeing snowfall. 

Black snow, incoming ships from the Fire Nation.

He remembered that day well back home. There was so much of it, lots of ships, the feeling of his gut pulled and it made him think of Zhao.

Mirza followed after people hurrying towards the meeting hut, all of them scrambling and hurrying. Everyone drawing to the conclusion of what was happening, Mirza heard the drums being hit in warning of the incoming attack.

---

"The day we feared for so long has arrived; The Fire Nation is on our doorstep, it is with great sadness I call my family here before me. Knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe but they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits!" Chief Arnook said as he lifts his arms above, his speech trying to ease the worries and fear of his people, "I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!" He lets his arms fall and looked into the crowd, "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

Mirza saw Sokka stand up and stated confidently, " Count me in!"

"Sokka!" Katara gasped but he ignored her. "Mirza do something! He can't!"

Many other men stood up and Mirza closed his eyes for a moment and stood up too. "Mirza, no."

"Be warned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task." Chief Arnook warns as the men that stood up began walking forwards for their marks. Sokka goes first in front of Mirza, and Mirza follows after, stopping when Sokka turned back to look at Princess Yue. Mirza caught the sadness and longing in her blue eyes on his friend, though Sokka looked away as tears came down her cheeks, rolling down to her chin. 

Oh, poor Princess..

Everyone was warded to the front lines with heavier coats and weapons, Aang and Katara tagged along as everyone stood at the wall. Waiting and watching, Mirza having a spear to play along with the idea of being a non-bender. Nothing happened, and then a launch of a ball of fire. It came quick and hits the wall, knocking most of the people back, Mirza landed on others and snow. Nothing was broken but the wind was knocked out of him, then another one shot over them and hit some bridges and buildings behind.

Mirza melts the snow and shakes the remaining off him, seeing one fly over him and a loud bang behind. "What the-" He stands, stumbling and left his broken weapon alone. "How many do they have?!"

" I don't know, but Mirza come on!" Aang shouted, as Appa groans, the poor animal scared out of his witts too. Mirza without doubting the young Air Bender's word gotten on and Aang pulled on the reins. "Yip-Yip!" Appa groans before taking flight towards the ship. Katara and Sokka could handle their own at the moment, help others inside or fight.

Appa groans in displeasure as they headed towards the same direction of the balls of fire, but Aang kept directing forwards. It was coming from one ship, so taking it out would be easy.

"As long as we take out the catapult, they're done for once they hit home," Mirza said as Aang nods, "Yeah, come on." Aang floats in the back with his staff as another hits the sky, Aang free falling with Mirza before opening his glider. Both landings on the ship as Fire Benders all gather on the front of it for them. Aang quickly whips them all back with a swing of his glider, causing them to fly back as Mirza moves onto the weapon they were loading up. Aang whips on it, as two soldiers climb up on it, swinging their hammers. 

Mirza moved his fist forwards, the fire pushing the unexpecting guard off as the two climbs up ahead towards Aang. Cornered, he quickly blasted air onto the top of it, blowing it into pieces and Aang lands carefully on the floor. 

Mirza moved towards the other that was already on fire and reading to be launch when he stopped the flames. He dispels it as Aang slammed the hammer into the ring part, both moving back as it flings up but hits below into the ship. 

"Nice job Aang," Mirza praised as they ran towards the next one. 

Guards running after them as Aang ties the metal nets together and backed away, Mirza stepping up to the starter and pressed down on it. It runs, pulling the other catapult with it, and smashed to the floor into pieces with it. 

"Come on Aang, I think that's the last one!" Mirza called heading towards it, grabbing a hammer off the floor with Aang but then another man, a heavy-set man with black hair and hammers attached to the chain came up. Both backed up from the starter but the man used his weapons, crossing together in front of the two, both smacked into each other against the weapon for a moment before Appa came from above. He grabbed the man, throwing him off the deck with a growl.

"Such a good boy." Mirza praised as he hurried to the fluffy creature, Aang jumping up and hugging his head. 

"Thanks for the rescue buddy!" Aang praised as well, as the floor vibrated and Ice pierced the ship, more surrounding the ship and clasping it in place. "We better leave before we end up like this ship, sunken," Mirza said as he climbs up on the Flying Bison as Aang pulled on the reins, Appa takes off quickly.

"We did it! One shi-" Mirza cheered a bit but then noticed the incoming army, the entire Fire Nation army coming towards them. How could this be, he thought there were people from the tribe that would warn them about this as they did with them when they entered the area of water. How..Zhao had to be the one, as much as a Jerk Zuko was, he would never bring an army like this here...for one person, the Avatar but still.

"We have a lot of cleaning up to do," Aang said, gripping his staff a bit.

"Yeah, let's head to the front and start taking them down." Mirza agreed, but how long could they possibly do this. Appa heads down as more Balls of fire began flying through the air. 

---

"Men, you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation navy. That means you'll all need one of these uniforms..." Chief Arnook said as Hahn entered the room smoothly and boldly, wearing a very old and unique Fire Nation uniform. 

Sokka looked and began laughing, how ridiculous the outfit looked on him and how they thought the uniform was the one the Fire Nation wore now. " What's your problem?"

"The Fire Nation uniform doesn't look like that." Sokka pointed out, looking over the spikes in particular, just how long since the tribe actually fought any Fire Nation soldiers?

"Of course they do. These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers." Hahn snapped, gripping the helmet.

"When, a hundred years ago?" Sokka asked.

"Eighty-five." Chief Arnook admitted.

"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore. The newer uniforms are more streamlined." Sokka flicked at the sharp part of the older uniform, and Hahn grits his teeth, "How do we know we can trust this guy? Such bold talk from a new recruit." 

"Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn, he is a capable warrior and I value his input." The Chief ignored the smug expression on Sokka's face, turning to the rest of the men, "Now, our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officer. "

"His name is Zhao. Middle-aged. Big sideburns. Bigger temper. He perved on my best friend."

"Sokka, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn, he is leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka your respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law." With that, Chief Arnook leaves them as Sokka's jaw drops at the last pronouncement, glancing at Hahns. "Princess Yue is marrying you?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Hahn snapped.
"Nothing,  congratulations." Sokka huffed, ignoring jealousy curling in his stomach,  and began focusing on the mission.

---

Both boys landed with Appa in one piece, they took too many out but there was still a lot left to go. More than they both could handle, and there were so many left standing. Aang slides down, gripping his head, muttering how much there was left as Mirza healed the burn he had gotten from his hand, wincing as it cooed down against the heat. 

"What happened?" Katara asked as she hurried from her post. "There's too many...so many of them...even with Mirza's help...we can't fight them all." Aang groans, rubbing his temple before looking to the two girls that walked to them. 

"But..you have to...you're the Avatar." Yue said, her hands shaking a bit as she clasped them together. "I'm just one kid.."Aang whispered as he bows his head into his lap, sniffing a tad as Katara hurried over and rubbed his back to soothe him. Mirza takes a deep breath as the stinging sensation from the attack numbed him before looking at the horizon of ships coming towards them.

Mirza rubbed his hands together for warmth before something came up, Aang could ask for help or even be the calvary they needed. "Aang, I think we need some Spirit help, like..help as in Avatar Roku, Avatar Kiyoshi, or something. Once the Fire Nation began coming, then most of everyone is."

Aang perked up at Mirza's little rant and thought back, that he was right, if he could communicate or ask for guidance then they could win. "You're right! I...I can find someplace to meditate and I could ask for some help."

"I think I know a place, but tonight will be better," Yue said as she yelped when another fire rock hit the foundation. Mirza stands up, "We should go to it now and wait there." Mirza said, letting Katara and Yue hurry first and he leaves after them once Aang follows with Appa. Once night began to fall, Yue moved them towards a more secluded area of the North and to a small door. She opened it and they moved in it, seeing a little area that was growing land and bamboo it seemed, hot even.

"It's..warm," Mirza said as he pulled off his fluffy jacket and onto the floor along with Katara.

"I thought I wouldn't miss grass this much." Aang laughs as he rolled around on the growing green land. 

"Mirzas right, it's so warm here." Katara agreed as she looked around, "It's the center of all spiritual energy in our land." Yue explains as Momo digs his hand into the water, trying to catch the fish but both Yue and Katara put a stop to it. Momo yelps and padded away, as Mirza looked at the fish. One black with a white spot, and one white with a black spot on his head. They circle each other, like a Ying-yang symbol, the balance between them.

"You're right Yue, I can feel something," Aang said as he moved and sits in his meditative position while gazing at the fish, "Very...tranquil." 

Mirza watched him calm himself before looking at the fish, one good and one evil if he remembered.

The good and the bad, like Zuko and me...

"Should we get some help?" Yue's panicked voice made Mirza look up and noticed Aang in the spirit realm. "He's fine, as long as we don't move him," Mirza said as he sits up a bit.

"And besides, I'm his friend, I'm perfectly capable of protecting him," Katara said with a smile.

"Well..aren't you a big girl now." A familiar voice said, amused by its tone. Mirza sits up straighter and looked to see Zuko coming toward them while on the bridge. He looked like he's been in a few nasty fights and the snow-white outfit was new too.

"Zuko?" Mirza croaks a bit, as fresh relief came over him, he was alive and well. That silly dream was something his mind made up that night. "You're alive?"

"Barely, but now that I'm here, I'll be taking the Avatar from you." Zuko said as he advanced as Katara made her fighting stance and Mirza stands up. He was a bit wobbly but glanced to Princess Yue.

"Yue, go somewhere safe, we'll handle him," Mirza said kindly as the young girl stares at him before nodding. She hastily runs out of the spirit area and Mirza narrowly dodged the fire that was aimed at them. Mirza moved as Katara attacked, Zuko kept punching fire towards her and gets pushed back to the floor by her. He stands up and glared, "Impressive, but I'm not here to lose to you." He began fighting more vigorously with his punches and lashes. Zuko was coming closer and Mirza moved. He moved Katara away from the battle as Zuko's hands came close with red fire burning from the palm. He disperses them quickly like they were playing a game before their wrist clinks together.

"Zuko, please, think about what you're doing," Mirza begs quietly as their hands began to emit smoke.

"What is my duty?" Zuko sneers before the fire comes from his palms and Katara knocked him into the water with a stunning yell and Katara bends. She swirls the water around Zuko, lifting him up against the thick ice wall before freezing it. She holds him there and Mirza takes a deep breath, watching Zuko lay there.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked as she came to her friend's side. 

"I'm good...I'm good." Mirza assured her before feeling warm, he narrows his eyes to see a blinding light of the sun rising up. "Oh-"

He watched the sunlight hit Zuko and made the prince jolt, steam coming from his nose while melting the ice. He goes giving a powerful stream of fire towards them but Mirza stops it, but couldn't stop the second attack of it. He was knocked into the water, hitting his head harshly at the bottom of the tiny pond. Katara was soon knocked out, her own hitting the pole and out cold.

"You rise with the moon and I rise with the sun.." Zuko whispered, gripping the young Avatar by his shirt. He tied him up for easier travel before noticing Mirza's body, floating, head still under the water, and bit his lower lip. He moved, yanking Mirza's unconscious body up, laying him on the green grass. He seemed fine and even breathing, though Zuko pulled back.

"You owe me," Zuko whispered as he pulled the young Avatar onto his back, making his way up the thick ice. He gives a lingering glance to them, then up the wall, he went before someone could report him.

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Guess who's stupid ass was locked out of the account? :D