CHAPTER FOUR:
MORE DARK TRUTHS..
SET IN:
EPISODE THREE: THE SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE

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AVINA WAS EXTREMELY RELIEVED WHEN HER FEET FINALLY TOUCHED THE GROUND AGAIN. It turns out, surprisingly, that a girl who's spent most of her life on foot found herself disliking being suspended miles and miles from the ground daily.

  At first, it was fun. Feeling the rays of the sun seep into her skin as they flew underneath a clear blue sky, being able to stick her hand up and feel the odd dewy texture of the clouds—it was all fantasizing. But as a few days passed, Avi found herself growing bored and missing the secure feeling of the ground.

  Fortunately, she'd managed to convince the group to land on an island near their first stop: the Southern Air Temple.

It was no secret to anyone but Aang what awaited them there. Katara had tried multiple times to dissuade him, but each failed miserably. Aang was just too curious. Avi didn't blame him, though. She would be too, if she'd been trapped inside an iceberg for a hundred years. However, no one was looking forward to the inevitable pain the Avatar would face upon seeing his homeland once again. Especially Katara.

  "I just want him to have some peace," she had whispered one day, while Aang was sleeping. "I'm sure he is already under enough stress, being the Avatar and all."

  "Of course, but he deserves to know the truth," Avina had replied. "It's always better now then later."

  Katara had just sighed. "I guess so."

Now, resting underneath the sunset blanketing their current stop, Avi sat next to the laying form of Sokka—who was currently blabbing on and on about much he disliked 'Fire Nation loyal firebenders'—as he'd decided to word it. Let's just say his ability to sugarcoat and not offend someone needed some work. Luckily for him, Avina felt entirely too much shame and frustration over her new truth that she couldn't even bring herself to be offended.

  "The worse of them has to be that guy with the scar. What's his name... oh, yeah. He's the Banished Prince, right?" Sokka rambled, and at the mention of a banished prince, Avi actually found herself paying attention.

  "That's who he was? There's no way. He was far too reckless to be Fire Nation royalty," Avi said in disbelief. There was truly no way. All she'd ever heard of the Fire Nation royal family was that of strict discipline and just plain evil. Now, she guessed, she needed to reassess her way of thinking. After all, now she was supposedly Fire Nation herself.

  "He has to be, Avi. You could tell by that scar. It was so weird to actually see in person," Sokka defended.

  Avina raised a brow. Even if the scar was unsettling, she hadn't found it weird. Really, she had thought it sad. The story was that Prince Zuko's own father had given him that scar. Avi couldn't even imagine the pain, suffering, and trauma that had left him with. However, that didn't excuse his actions.

  Stop sympathizing with the enemy, Avi. She scolded herself. He would never return the favor. She made a face at the thought. Not like I really want him to, anyways.

  "What was his problem with you, anyway? I thought he was only looking for the Avatar," Sokka continued on, frowning. "What, did he think you were just so beautiful he had to steal you too or something?"

  "Sokka!"

  "What? You can't deny he wasn't staring at you all weird!"

  "That's because a Water Tribe girl firebended right in front of his face. I would have been staring too—if I was him."

  "Uh, huh. Sure. I just think Prince Zuko's got a little crush," Sokka teased, accentuating his pronunciation of crush.

  "Ew, Sokka!" Avina protested. "You're disgusting."

  "I'm just throwing it out there." Sokka raised his hands in surrender. "No need to get all mad at me."

  "I'll get mad at you anytime I want, baby cousin." Avi watched as Sokka's nose crunched up at the nickname, rolling his eyes.

  "I hate it when you call me that."

  "I hate it when you insinuate that the Prince of the Fire Nation has a crush on me."

  Sokka sighed. "I guess we're evenly matched, elder cousin."

  Avina rolled her eyes this time. "Whatever you want to believe, Sokka."

  "Listen, mine was at least based off of reason. I mean, why else would he be so content on finding you?" Sokka replied, reaching up to scratch his head.

  Because he recognized me, Sokka. She thought, but never uttered. For some unknown reason, the Prince of the Fire Nation recognized me.

  The thought itself made her feel a little nauseous.

  Deciding to not focus on it any longer, Avi looked back down at her younger cousin. His eyes were beginning to shut, and he looked exhausted.

  "I'm gonna go see if Tara needs some help. Get some rest, baby cousin."

  The only response she got back was a weary smile.

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WHEN THEY FINALLY CAME ACROSS THE TEMPLE, AVINA WAS IN AWE. Its structure was unlike anything she'd ever seen. Towers seemingly made out of white ivory, scaling snow-riddled trails snaking up and down the mountain side, mist that hung still in the air, as though it was permanently sealed there. Needless to say, it was the most beautiful structure she'd ever witnessed.

  It seemed Katara and Sokka agreed with her.

  "Aang, it's amazing!" Katara exclaimed.

  "It is... uh. Nice to look at. I guess," Sokka said with a judgmental brow raised. "If you squint."

  Avi twisted around so fast he flinched.

  "Spirits, you just can't be happy, can you?" Avi hissed, rolling her eyes. She turned back around. "Don't listen to Grumpy Mcgrumpington back there. It's beautiful, Aang."

Aang beamed. "Thank you, Avi."

The airbender then softly looked down upon his bison.

"We're home, buddy. We're home."

Avina and Katara exchanged glances. Her youngest cousin looked as though she could cry. Avi simply sent her an encouraging nod. Meekly, she received one back.

Katara desperately wanted to shield Aang from the truth. From the horrors that were done to his people by the Fire Nation. Guilt began to wound in her chest. The Fire Nation. She tried to get it to leave. It only increased.

Avina came to the shameful conclusion that it would never leave her.

At least not in till the Fire Lord was dead. Or in till she was dead.

Whatever happens first.

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AVI HELD TIGHT TO THE CLIFFSIDE. It seemed, as airbenders could basically fly, they had deemed railings unnecessarily on their trails. Unfortunately for Avi and her cousins, that was not the case.

However, it seemed she was the only one with a problem with the absence of railings.

"Why are you literally hugging the cliff?" Sokka questioned, stopping to watch his elder cousin shuffle pathetically along the rocky wall. "You can walk straight, right?"

"Yes, Sokka. I can walk straight," Avi replied sharply.

"Then you don't need to hug the rocks, since you won't walk off the cliff," Sokka stated matter of factly.

"I'm not taking any chances!"

"The chances aren't even taking you."

"Shut up. Also, that doesn't make sense."

"Right, just like you hugging rocks makes sense."

Avi pulled herself away from the mountain. She then marched right over to him and glared bloody murder into his blue eyes. Sokka just smirked.

"I hope you fall off the cliff."

"Look at you! Magically, you aren't hugging rocks anymore." Avina nearly slapped him then and there. "Oh, gosh. Avi, you definitely are a firebender. Look at the burn marks you left!"

Snapping around, Avina looked behind her at the dark zig-zag lines of slightly burnt rock she'd left. She barely managed to conceal her cringe. Was it truly that noticeable?

"Sorry..." she found herself murmuring, ducking her head down. No longer was she scared of the cliff. Now, she was just mortified.

I hate it. The thought itself stung like a burn. I hate it.

Sokka noticed the shame on her face. He frowned, but said nothing. Avina couldn't blame him. She couldn't even console herself. She didn't expect him to know how to, either.

So instead of acknowledging the sudden seriousness in the air, Sokka simply changed the subject.

"So where do I get something to eat?" he asked, him and Avi finally catching back up to Katara. All three of them squinted ahead, being met with the sight of Aang speeding up the winding path.

Katara gaped at her brother. "You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple, and all you can think about is food?"

"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs," Sokka replied, shrugging.

  They arrived at the cliff Aang stood upon quickly after him, observing as Aang seemed to be reminiscing. From the corner of her eye, Avina could already see the worry nearly pouring from Katara's eyes. Sighing, she refocused back onto Aang.

  "So that's where my friends and I would play airball, and over there is where the bison would sleep. And..." he eventually trailed off, sighing rather loudly. Below them was a large clearing, one filled with wooden poles and other contraptions. Avi tried to picture this place before the Fire Nation attacked; where instead of ruin and memories, there was play and hope. Surprisingly, it wasn't as difficult as she thought. In fact, she'd hoped it would have been more difficult to conceive because, then the lingering nausea in the pit of her stomach wouldn't have increased once again.

  "What's wrong?" Katara asked him, eyebrows furrowed.

  Aang's voice was softer than usual. "This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds." Then, his voice hardened. "I can't believe how much things have changed."

  Avina immediately caught her cousins' eyes, all three of them sharing looks of concern and pity. Then, they stepped forward, with Avi quickly noticing the shine of an idea brewing in Sokka's mind. It was always so easy to tell when he was planning something—mostly because his eyes light up as if he'd just seen the moon itself walking among them.

  "So, uh, this airball game—how do you play?" Sokka asked, gazing curiously downwards at the rows of wooden poles.

  Aang merely smirked in response, clearly now distracted from his brief moment of emotion.

  The next hour or so was filled with Aang first explaining the rules to a very confused Sokka, then proceeding to airbend a wooden ball continuously through the poles, that eventually would reach Sokka and knock him over. Avi found quickly that she quite enjoyed watching airball. Especially when Sokka was the target.

Another round began right after Sokka had climbed back onto the goal he was supposed to be guarding, and Aang once again launched a strong current of air that drove the ball forward at an increasingly aggressive pace. Knocking through the poles, the ball then darted forward and hit Sokka pretty hard in the gut, which sent him flying backwards right into the snow. Avina and Katara bursted into giggles, watching as he picked himself up as Aang taunted him with the score.

"Aang 7, Sokka 0!" Aang exclaimed, grinning wildly.

Sokka huffed. "Making him feel better is putting me in a world of hurt," he remarked tiredly, before he stilled as his eyes caught something a little a head of him. "Avi, Katara, check this out."

Avi and Katara locked eyes for a moment, confused at the tone of Sokka's voice. Never, really, was he this serious. The two girls trailed over and found him crouched by the cliff side, staring at a charred Fire Nation helmet. Avina felt her stomach drop again.

"Fire Nation," Katara whispered, her voice icy as well as her face.

"We should tell him," Sokka replied, looking up into Katara's eyes and attempting to convince her.

Avi choose to stay silent, as she felt if she spoke her own guilt might swallow her. Why? She asked herself. Why do I feel so guilty? It's not like I am one of the firebenders who slaughtered the Air Nomads. Then, it hit her. Because I know what it's like to suffer at the Fire Nation's hand. Because I've witnessed their destruction firsthand. Because I know how it feels, or how it felt. Avina felt her breathing pick up. And now I am one of them.

She hadn't even noticed Katara had called Aang over and once again decided to shield the truth from him in till snow had fallen over the helmet, and Aang was urging them to continue seeing the rest of the temple. Katara looked deathly worried for Aang, so worried that she somehow missed the face of horror and guilt on her cousin's face. Normally, with how sensitive she can be, Katara would have at least asked Avina if she was alright. Instead, it's Sokka who seems concerned.

"Avi? Are you okay? What's that face for?" he questioned, brows knitting together.

"Uh—it's nothing, Sokka. Just got a little lost in my thoughts," she futilely explained herself, knowing how unconvincing it sounded. She knew he wouldn't understand what currently plagued her, even if she tried her best to explain it. It just wasn't something a pure Water Tribe boy like him could ever understand. Besides, who would want to listen to her troubles? They pale in comparison with Aang's, or even Katara's and Sokka's. But, at least for them, they know who they are—who their people are—and what life they are supposed live. Avina knew none of the kind anymore.

Sokka frowned, clearly unconvinced. "Are you sure?"

Avi scowled. "Yes, I'm fine. Stop being nosy." She hoped merely playing it off would get him off her trail.

"Okay, whatever." Sokka gave up and followed Aang and Katara, motioning for her to leave as well.

Avina took one last look at where the helmet was buried beneath the snow, before whipping around and following Sokka. I need to focus. She scolded herself. Thoughts are nothing but distraction.

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  AVINA WALKED BESIDE SOKKA MOST OF THE JOURNEY UPWARD, AS KATARA SEEMED TOO BUSY IN HER WORRY FOR AANG. Her younger cousin seemed to get more and more restless the more temple they climbed. Avi and Sokka both could tell from a mile away that hiding the truth from Aang was eating away at her. However, she still refused to tell him.

Farther up in the temple, the four of them took a quick break in a small courtyard, with Aang shooting ahead and the Water Tribe cousins staying behind. Sokka was staring Katara down, still insisting on telling Aang the truth.

"Katara, firebenders were here. You can't pretend they weren't."

Katara dotted away from him. "I can for Aang's sake. If he finds out that the Fire Nation invaded his home, he'll be devastated."

Avina stilled at Katara's words. Of course, she knew this information already—none of it was new. But hearing it from Katara made it seem even worse than ever before. A guilty pain ripped through her weak defenses, and she was right back where she started: encased in shame. At this point, it truly was never ending. The coil of rotting shame within her hadn't even began to falter—even after the initial shock wore off. Avi just guessed it came with the notion of being Fire Nation.

If she was an outsider, looking on at herself, she might have called herself dramatic or attention-seeking. After all, why should she feel guilty for crimes she didn't commit? She shouldn't. But she did. And she felt the guilt like she had been the one to kill the airbenders—or the one who murdered Aunt Kya and killed and captured all the waterbenders in her tribe. Maybe it was all those years hating the Fire Nation—or hating the way she quite literally lit up at the warmth of a fire—that made her this guilt-ridden mess of a girl now that she knew her truth. To be honest, Avina did not know for sure.

That seemed to be her answer for everything nowadays.

"Avi?"

Her head lifted at Sokka's call, purple eyes meeting the concerned deep blue of her younger cousin's. Shoot. She thought. With that look, he won't let anything go.

"Are you completely and utterly sure you're okay? You keep spacing out randomly," he said, brows knitted together.

Avina tried her best to pull herself together and shove down the guilt, forcing herself to give Sokka a meek smile. "Yeah, of course. Just got a lot on my mind. Nothing—uh—important, though."

Once again, he didn't look convinced. "Okay... well let me know if any important thoughts come up. Or if you come up with a way to get Katara to just tell him the truth."

Avi nodded. "Sure thing, Sokka."

  She then turned her attention back onto Katara and now Aang, who was stood in front of a stone statue. The statute was of an airbender, one that even from the carving she could tell had been older when it was built. Aang was staring at the statue longingly, as though memories of another time were swirling through his mind in an uncontrollable wave. Suddenly, she felt a pang of sadness—and finally not shame—for the boy.

  He'd been taken from his own time and thrown into a hellish mess of a future, forced to assume a role many Avatar don't in till they are at least 16, and weighed down with the weight of the entire world on his bony shoulders. By now, any normal person would have already broke down. Many wouldn't have even dared to get back up. But Aang somehow kept his head high and his spirits even higher. Spirits. Avina thought. This boy is something else.

  Katara went over to comfort him after a few minutes, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder. Most times, Aang would accept this gesture with a smile and an accompanying blush on his cheeks. Today, he just acknowledged her and said he was going somewhere to meet someone he was apparently now ready to meet.

  As he disappeared into the large, dark, looming archway, Katara turned back and made quick eye contact with Avi and Sokka. Avina merely gave her a sympathetic half-smile—attempting to try to make her feel better—while Sokka just shrugged. When Katara turned around again, Avi shot him a glare. He replied with throwing his hands up, rolling his eyes, mumbling something about how he can never do anything right, and followed after his younger sister. Avi just barely stopped herself from laughing at his dramatics.

  Even if he was annoying and immature and sexist, at times, Sokka had his moments. He could be endearing when he actually decided to pull his head out of his ass—sometimes even considerate. But that was a rare phenomenon that happened like once in a blue moon, and right now the moon wasn't even near the sky. The one constantly good thing about Sokka was that he would always find a way to make you laugh—no matter how much you'd rather not in the moment.

Once again trailing behind her cousins, she followed them in till they came to a large wooden door. The door had an odd symbol in the middle, one that resembled two trumpets that spiraled and meet three blue swirls in the center. Avina stared upon it curiously, trying to figure out what it could mean.

"Aang, no one could have survived in there for a hundred years. I'm not sure this is a good idea," Katara warned, looking just as confused as Avi.

Aang seemed to have gotten over his momentary mood—as he was back to his usual, optimistic self. "It's not impossible. I survived in the iceberg for that long."

"Good point," Katara replied shortly. Avina met her eyes for a quick glance, seeing the hesitation clear as day within them. Whatever lie in that room, Avi had a feeling it would be difficult for the Avatar to witness.

"Katara, whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing," Aang said spiritedly, glazing at the door hopefully.

"And whoever's in there might have a medley delicious cured meats!" Sokka exclaimed, rubbing his hands together like a starved man. As if they didn't eat some fruit from their last island before they landed. Avi rolled her eyes, watching as her perpetually-hungry cousin raced towards the door and ran head-first into it. Lying in a heap on the ground, Sokka stared up at the three of them.

Avina huffed. "Sokka, maybe try to use your head instead of your stomach before making decisions."

Sokka glared at her, sticking his tongue out in a response before turning his attention back to Aang. "I don't suppose you have a key."

"The key, Sokka, is airbending," Aang explained, taking a step back and motioning for the girls to move to the side. Then, he took a deep breath, positioned himself in a tight airbending posture, and pointed two hands of strong winds toward the two trumpet-like openings. The blue swirls flipped to purple, making a flute-sounding noise as the grand door swung open.

Avina watched as Aang yelled out to whoever he was looking for, hurriedly rushing in. The Water Tribe Cousins followed soon after, each of their steps echoing off the stone floor. The room was dark at first, but after a few moments, Avi's eyes finally adjusted.

The room was a huge spectacle. It was stores upon stores high, with each row filled with stone statues of distinctly different people. Aang took the lead as normal, eyes dashing around each statue with so much wonder in his grey eyes you would think they might pop out at any minute. Katara followed him closely, also amazed. Avina and Sokka lingered behind, with Sokka just confused and disappointed, and Avina entranced by the room.

  "Statues? That's it?" Sokka complained, huffing and puffing. "Where's the meat?"

  "Up your stupid butt and around the corner, Sokka. Now, come on." Avina rolled her eyes grabbed the hood of his parka, dragging him behind her to where Aang and Katara were standing while ignoring his pleas for help. Letting him go with a slight shove, she took her place next to Katara, squinting to try to wrap her mind around whatever mystery was behind these strange statues.

  "Who are all these people?" Katara asked suddenly, eyes scrutinizing the sculpture in front of her.

  Aang sighed in response. "I'm not sure. But it feels like I know them somehow." The Avatar glanced up at the statue. In the look in his eyes, Avi saw a thousand distant memories reflected in them. "Look!" he then exclaimed. "That one's an airbender!"

  "And this one's a waterbender," Katara replied quickly, snapping to the side to look upon the statue next to the airbender. "They're lined up in a pattern," she concluded, beginning to scan the room and connect the dots further. "Air, water, earth, and fire."

  "That's the Avatar Cycle," Aang finished for her.

  "Of course. They're Avatars," Katara continued on excitedly. "All these people are your past lives, Aang."

  Avina smiled at Aang, watching as he looked around with astonishment written all over his cute little face. Her cousins were behind her, and Sokka was trying to argue with Katara about the legitimacy of the Avatar Cycle—like an idiot—while she just squashed his doubts. Unannounced to Avi, she'd followed Aang over to what looked to be the last Avatar in the cycle, as no statue stood to the right of him. This one had to be Fire Nation. Traditional Fire Nation robe and regal hair clip in all, there was no questioning his origin.

  Avina didn't know how to feel about a Fire Nation person being the Avatar. After all, weren't they all washed up and self-serving? The Avatar was supposed to be the embodiment of unity and peace between the four nations. In the past hundred years, nearly everything the Fire Nation had done was exactly the opposite. How could there have ever been a good Fire Nation Avatar, given the nature of their people?

  Avi suddenly stopped herself. Remember, it's not their people. It's your people now. Spirits, she didn't realize just how difficult it truly was to deal with change. Now she was seriously regretting wishing for some excitement in the Southern Water Tribe. Now, she knows all excitement brings is trouble.

  "Aang, snap out of it!" Avina suddenly snapped to the side to see Katara lightly shaking Aang, and both teens glazing up at the Fire Nation Avatar. She was glad Katara had chosen to shake Aang instead of her, since her nonsensical mind ramblings would do her baby cousin no good in hearing.

  "Who is that?" Katara asked Aang curiously.

  "That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me," he explained easily, as if it had just been on his mind.

  Sokka had finally decided to pay attention, and had crept up behind Avina. "You were a firebender?" he said in clear distain. Avi felt her stomach tighten. "No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met." Then, it seemed Sokka realized what he'd just uttered, and backtracked pathetically. "Oh, I meant no offense, Avi. Sorry—I really didn't."

  His senseless pity's did nothing to make her feel any better. You're just going to have to accept it, Avina. She told herself. Your cousins will never truly see you the same again.

  Still, however she was actually feeling, Avina chose to keep it to herself. "It's fine, Sokka." The words sounded so dry and lifeless that if they weren't in the current situation they were, her cousins and Aang would have noticed something off.

  "There's no writing," Katara said to Aang. "How do you know his name?"

  "I'm not sure," he answered honestly, sporting a look of confusion that even surpassed Katara's. "I just know it somehow."

  Sokka grunted, crossing his arms. "You just couldn't get any weirder."

  "It's not weird, Sokka. It's..."

  Avi trailed off as she heard the clicking of footsteps against the stone, spinning around with Aang and her cousins. Sokka was quick to grab all of them and pull them down behind the statues, staff in hand.

  "Firebender. Nobody make a sound," he whispered loudly, completely defeating the purpose of whispering.

  "You're making a sound!" Katara pointed out, and was swiftly shushed by the boys. Avi narrowly avoided chuckling.

  "That firebender won't know what hit him," Sokka said determinedly, holding his staff in a ready position.

  Then, he stood up, still covered by the statue, and popped out. Avi watched as he froze, and upon seeing the confused look on his face, came to the conclusion that there was definitely not a firebender behind them. Avina, Katara, and Aang quickly followed suite, eyes blowing wide at the sight that graced them.

Standing at the door was a tiny, white, green-eyed monkey-looking creature. Never in her life had she ever heard of anything looking like the animal before them, but for some reason, she found no reason to be cautious. After all, it was just so cute!

Apparently, everyone else accept Sokka shared the same sentiment.

"Lemur!" Aang shouted giddily.

"Dinner.." Sokka said hungrily at exactly the same time as Aang.

Aang shot Sokka a glare, before turning back to the lemur. "Don't listen to him. You're gonna be my new pet."

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka challenged, nearly drooling all over the place with the look of pure desperate hunger on his face.

Both boys shot out from the cover of the statues, rushing at the poor little thing and scaring him so badly that he squeaked and ran off. Avi and Katara looked on, giggling, as the boys pushed and pulled each other to try and get ahead. Sighing after recovering from her seemingly endless laughter, she turned to Katara with a grin. Her cousin beamed back—with the kind of smile she only ever reserved for Avina. It made Avi's heart warm intensely to see it again.

"You know, this is the first time I've seen you truly smile since—well—you know," Katara said, out of the blue. It startled Avina. She'd just assumed her little cousin was just too focused on Aang to notice her dilemmas. Maybe she needed to learn not to assume anything anymore.

"Well—uh—yeah, you're right. Things have just been stressful lately." She kept her answer short. Katara did not need any more burdens right now. Really, none of them did, but if Avi could protect Katara from something—even from herself—she always would.

"I get it. It's all been a lot for me, too. But I think it's bringing us all closer together, don't you?" she said so optimistically Avina could have almost agreed with her.

"Yeah, it has." No. She thought. Maybe for you, but I feel more distant and divided than I ever have.

Katara grinned. "Even though I loved home, it's nice to get to see the world. I've already learned so much—and we've only just begun!" She spun towards Avi and took her warm hands into her icy ones. "I think I'm finally feeling somewhat joyful. I don't think I've felt this way since before my mother died."

At the mention of Aunt Kya's murder, Avina nearly broke down right there. Everything she'd been thinking and seeing and feeling just barely managed to stay within. She bit down hard into the side of her mouth, mustering her best smile for Katara. This was no moment—no place—for her tell her. Her little cousin was feeling joyful. Never in Avi's burning soul could she ever ruin something so rare. Especially not for her own stupid, selfish reasons.

  So Avina grinned and bared the guilt and the pain and the shame alone. She let it all weigh down on her. However unbearable it may be. As she always had. Because if given the chance she would always choose to shield her loved ones from whatever possible pain she could. Even if it meant sacrificing her own state.

  Avi squeezed Katara's hand, not missing the quick glance downwards her cousin gave to their hands. As if she was scared Avina couldn't control her fire. She's right to think that. Avi thought. My bending is just as stable as my mind.

  "I'm happy for you, Tara. You deserve all the happiness in the world and more," Avina replied with a soft smile, the best she could offer at the moment.

Katara beamed so brightly, Avi thought she might blind her.

"But let's not get too sappy, Tara. I think we better go check and see if the boys are okay," Avina suggested, itching to end their conversation. Although she enjoyed speaking with Katara, her conscience simply couldn't bear it anymore.

Her younger cousin nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Can't leave them unsupervised for too long."

"Definitely not."

As Avi was about to start making way for the exit, a harsh blue light suddenly overtook the dim room, filling the lightless eyes of each of the past Avatars. Mind racing, the dots connected quickly as she realized the light matched that of Aang's when he was in the Avatar State. Then, the panic sank in.

"Aang!"

It seemed Katara had the same fear.

Both immediately took off into a rushed sprint, with Avina just barely tailing Katara. As she ran, her head nearly throbbed with worry. Surely he'd seen something horrid, so absolutely gruesome, that it had sent him into such a spiral he'd gone into the Avatar State. This was the storm that Katara had been deathly afraid of—that she's tried so terribly to shield him from. However, heinous things like what happened to the airbenders, are something that can never be hidden. Especially not from the Avatar.

Still far away enough that the sudden explosion of stone and rock that just engulfed the building that Aang and Sokka resided did not affect them, the two cousins rushed in near where Sokka had been thrown, coming to stand by his side. In front of the three of them, was Aang's raging form, a tornado of air encasing him from the rest of the world.

"What happened?" Katara asked Sokka in worry, blue eyes wide.

Sokka huffed in a large sigh of air. "He found out firebenders killed Gyatso."

  "Oh, no! It's his Avatar spirit!" Katara huffed out, struggling against the roaring winds. "He must have triggered it! I'm gonna try and calm him down."

  "Tara, are you sure—"

  "Well, do it!" Sokka interrupted Avina, cutting off her protective ramblings. "Before he blows us off the mountain!"

  Avi watched in pure terror as Katara stumbled her way across the decimated clearing, narrowly avoiding rocks and debris that were hazardously scattered about. She clung to the rock she and Sokka were huddled behind, eyes straining from the harsh rush of air whirling around them. Although it was a terrifying sight seeing Aang in that horrid state of pain and suffering, Avina could not deny how powerful he looked. It was just another reminder of how important their mission truly was. And how much the world really needed someone like him—someone who has the power and heart to put an end to the Fire Nation's oppression.

  This is only the beginning. Avina found herself thinking. He'll only grow stronger from here. A feeling, oddly of pride, surged through her at the thought. This was not the moment at all for it, but Avi would not let it go unnoticed nonetheless.

  "Aang, I know you're upset, and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love," Katara began, attempting to coax Aang out the Avatar State. "I went through the same thing when I lost my mom." Avi felt that same sick guilt once again, haunting her like a ghost. It truly would never leave her. "Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family. Me, Avi, and Sokka, we're your family now," Katara finished, and Avina found her eyes watering from the pure beauty of her words.

  We're your family now. Her words hung in the air with a force of its own. One that somehow managed to overcome the power of the Avatar State, as Aang began to slowly descend from the air and his angry winds calmed. The cousins watched on in awe as he gracefully landed on his feet, his glowing eyes and arrow tattoos standing out against the backdrop of star and night.

  They all rushed over to him as soon as it seemed safe enough to get close to him, with Avi frantically looking over him to see if the boy had amassed any injuries during his outburst. Katara and Sokka silently laughed to themselves as they overlooked this. She didn't miss their poorly hidden smiles. Though, she took no offense to it. This was her way of showing her care. Her way of welcoming Aang into their family.

  "We aren't gonna let anything happen to you," Sokka suddenly spoke up, voice filled with a rare tone of sincerity and seriousness. "Promise."

  Avina sent Sokka a proud smile. He returned it with one even wider than his own. It showed her just how much he valued her approval. Even if he'd never admit it aloud.

  In the corner of her drying eyes, she caught Katara lacing her hand in Aang's. That seemed to fully bring him back into his own consciousness. The blindly bright blue faded away into the normal hue of his eyes and tattoos as the boy sighed and fell into Katara's embrace.

  "I'm sorry," Aang whispered. The disappointment with himself was clear in his voice.

  "It's okay," she assured him. "It wasn't your fault."

  He was slow to believe her. "But you were right. And if firebenders found this temple, that means they found the other ones, too." Aang's face was so sullen at his words Avina had to turn away from them. She just couldn't take the guilt that came with watching the poor boy suffer like that. All because the firebenders. All because of people like her. "I really am the last airbender."

  While Katara and Sokka comforted him, Avi kept her distance. No one said anything to acknowledge it. She guessed it was not only her who thought it best the firebender stayed silent.

  After all, what else could she offer but the warmth of her flame-stained hands and the searing burn of her Fire Nation eyes? These were nothing he and his people had not suffered from before. Avi could not bring herself to be another reminder of why the airbenders were dead.

  So as her palms heated in anxiety and her eyes stung from fresh tears, Avi let herself be overtaken by the cold of the mountains. This, at least, could quell the fire. But in the coming days, as their travels would bring them to warmer weather, this save and grace would soon cease.

  And then nothing would be able to stop it from engulfing everything.

▬▬ ☀︎︎ ▬▬

How it feels to be updating this fic 😭

Anyways I've returned with an A Sun's Song update in the year of our lord 2025?? Who would have thought?? No seriously the amount of procrastination it takes to not update for an entire year is insane, so I'm genuinely so sorry I put you guys through this 😭. But don't worry, I got y'all ✊🏽. Hopefully I'll be able to focus on the important fics this year and actually make some decent progress with this one and a few others. But anyways, onto what actually went down this chapter.

Although this chapter may feel like pure filler, it was still important in my mind to write. My favorite crash out Avi is going THROUGH IT lol!! She's really trying to deal with all the complicated feelings and emotions that comes with finding out you are half Fire Nation when you've grown up hating them for all your life. It's a difficult situation, especially given that the Water Tribe has very reasonable reasons to dislike the Fire Nation, that just causes so much guilt and self-hatred to fester; especially for someone like Avi who's so sympathetic and compassionate. My girl just really feels a lot and tries her best to be strong and not show it (oldest sibling/cousin syndrome I fear), which leads to everything just building and building in till she will eventually just snap (coming soon btw). The recurring theme of guilt will be haunting her the rest of the fic I fear. Of course, this guilt only doubles by seeing Katara and Aang in pain over the losses of their family, which can all lead back to the firebenders and Fire Nation. Basically, my fiery girl (not by choice 😔) is going to be struggling with her own identity for a hot minute, so buckle up everyone it's gonna be a wild ride lol!! (Especially when Zuko starts to get more involved; it gets INTERESTING let me tell you!!)

Alright well that's enough yap for now. Have a great day/night/afternoon everyone!! And thank you for reading (if anyone actually still is 😭)!!