I'm still thinking about last chapter.

Also, a huge happy birthday to @ScribbleBee ! 

~Slain Insanity~

-XoXo-

Asha sat, back straight, eyes forward, knees tucked to her chest and silent. Silent in shock, silent in thought, just overly silent. Her lips were set in a thin line, bags under her eyes. Her dull, dull eyes. The ones that didn't even register what was in front of her; the ones that were simply decoration as of right now.  

They were awoken from any chance of sleep as a man with an eye on his forehead started to attack. Whatever he attacked them with was powerful, even Aang couldn't block it. It was like lethal dodge ball.  And it was scary. Scary knowing that something out there was stronger than the Avatar.

The cool night wind was amplified by ten as Gumi flew through the air, the cold slapping her in the face but she was desensitized. It was all still...She couldn't quite find the word for it. But she did not like it. Not at all.

Of course it worried not only her boyfriend, but the entire gang. The normally bright smile they were used too seemed to disappear in the straight line currently painting her face. Every time Aang tried talking with her, it was just worries and fears bubbling her conscious. That was never good, especially when it was mixed with his own.

"So, where are we going?" Raiko's blonde hair flows in front of his green eyes as he speaks. His head is currently hung over the saddle, his back laying on the cold leather.

"Heart of the Fire Nation." Asha breaks stature, rubbing her eyes; her tired voice bringing a smile to the others' faces.  Raiko hums in satisfaction; closing his eyes as the sun gleams and refracts against his green orbs.

"There it is. That's Roku's home." Aang looks over Appa, a crescent island coming into view.  

___

Aang hated the spirit world sometimes. He hated it now, watching Tanna's dragon soar away with his Onsra on it.

"Aren't Onsra Tanna and Ash coming with us?"  Aang looks up to Avatar Roku, both boys sitting on top of Roku's dragon as the two fly further and further away. He could tell Asha was just as nervous about leaving him as he was about her leaving, and desperately wanted to be by her side. He had a promise to keep after all. 

"Not quite, Aang. Asha will be flying with Tanna to see what the aftermath of Sozin's and I's relationship." 

"It'll be okay. I'll take good care of her." Onsra Tanna winks at the boys before disappearing out of sight for good.

"So much for not following traditions, huh?" Tanna twirls back, looking to Asha, the brunette flushing bright red.  "Uhh-"

"We're the same person, love. I know what'll happen before you do." The Onsra smirks, placing two fingers on Asha's face before shaking it slightly. Turning back around, their faced with a volcano- the sight nearly scaring Asha to the point of falling off.

"Now, Roku and Sozin weren't always enemies, in fact- you know the story, the sisters told you everything, didn't they? They made sure you were well educated." Tanna pauses, looking to the agape girl, who merely nods. "Figured as much. Never truly got along with the sisters at the Northern temple, they never believed in Onsra's and when one was inevitable thrown in their faces, they took to over teaching and long hours of useless information." 

"I know. Once Monk Gyatso told them I had potential, it went from two hours to eight. On the bright side, I know three different languages and have incredible knowledge of all four elements and their nations."  Asha continues to watch as the volcano fades out of view. She had incredible knowledge but, to be fair, her social skills sucked some donkey butt. 

She supposed Aang was the more common sense to her academic ways. 

With a blink, Asha misses the transition into the fire lord's throne room. Onsra Tanna stands tall and proud, Sozin in front of her, both looking angry and powerful. The vision of Tanna is currently in exquisite, extravagant fire nation robes; Sozin in fire lord clothing. Although, now there is another girl beside Tanna. She has blonde hair that reminds Asha of Raiko, as she looks closer Asha can see the same piercing green eyes.

"That's Raiko's grandmother. Her and I were best friends. In fact, she convinced me to get with Roku, and although tough at first, we made it work." Tanna elbows Asha lightly. 

"Love or friendship?"

"Love."

Asha grunts at the response, folding her arms as she stares ahead- a staring contest in commence. "Oh, I know."

"It gets better. Roku and I were made for each other, like you and Aang."  Tanna wraps an arm around Asha, the two girls before them falling into bending stances. 

"You left him to die, Sozin! He trusted you!" Tanna calls out, holding  two orbs of fire in her hands, tears pearling in her eyes.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. Face the music Tanna." Sozin stands facing the girls. In the blink of an eye, Tanna launches an orb of fire as the blonde beside her throws her own orb of water (Where she got it, Asha will never know). 

"Lilian was always there, especially after Roku's death. They say some friendships are so strong, they can even transcend lifetimes."  Asha's mind flashes to Raiko at Tanna's words. She and him got along suspiciously well.

"Sozin and Roku didn't see nor speak to each other for 25 years after their battle. Roku and I settled in the time, had a family. All of our kids were long moved on when they collided again, by the time I got news of Raiko's passing, I was not only a fully fledged Onsra, but a seasoned one at that."  Tanna closes her eyes as Asha stands in awe, watching the battle play before her.

"New's of Sozin's betrayal was not only heartbreaking, but rage educing as well. I did many things that I'm not proud of Asha. One of those was fighting Sozin. We injured him badly, and in that time, I lost control; nearly turned on Lilian. That's why your feeling the way you are." 

Asha looks up into the blue eyes of Onsra Tanna, realization dawning on her face as she remembers the signs. 

"The pain your feeling? It's Onsras passed. Their trying to let their energy flow, but since you Chakra was locked, it's not able to. Unlike the Avatar, the energy doesn't remain dormant. Oh no. It becomes a battering ram, fighting against the wall of the Chakra, until you break." Tanna sounds grim, eyes set and narrowed as she looks forward. 

"Onsra Asha, you must learn to control you Avatar state, as of now; your on a time limit. It will continue pounding on your sanity and soul until you find a way to allow the energy to not only flow, but enlighten you as well."  Tanna and Asha are now faced with a forest, the small coo of a child heard along with pants and soft chuckles. 

There they are met up with Roku and Aang, the air bender quickly running up to his counterpart. He drags her into a hug, which she returns, before turning his attention the the forest, a nearby cave in sight. 

"Wait. If we just saw me, does this mean this is Asha?" Aang looks up to Roku, currently ignoring his Onsra's confused face. Roku only offers a smile as he gestured to a cave, the full moon bright in the sky as it shines down. 

Allowing the two air benders to walk forward, Roku and Tanna stay behind, watching as awe and amusement creep onto the teens' faces. Asha more amused by Aang, who currently gapes at the smaller version of Asha. 

In the dimly lit cave was a brunette, her brown locks in a messy bun as sweat drips down her chin and cheeks. Beside her sits a bald man, in air nomad clothing, rubbing his hand softly along the bundle in the girls arms. Barely visible from the blankets and folds, a pale baby laid, quiet and eyes wide open, scanning the world around her. She had small tufts of matching brown hair as her bright blue eyes looked up to her mother. With a small giggle, the child raises a hand to the mothers cheek, swiping it quickly; almost as if wiping away the mothers tears.

This causes laughs to erupt from the parents, the dad connecting the child's and his foreheads. 

"My precious baby girl. How we've waited for you." His voice is deep, Asha can feel Aang shiver as he talks.  "My precious Asha." 

"Senge, I- I want her to grow up a nomad. Like you." The woman looks up to the man who looks down in shock. 

Aang now looks to Asha, obviously not connecting the dots. "I thought both of your biological parents were air benders?" 

"Guess again, Aang." Asha almost smirks, turning back to the heartwarming scene unfolding in front of them.

"You- you mean it? Lin, I just-"

"Senge, it's fine. She'll be happy at the temples. Happier then she could ever be in the Fire nation. And if she turns out a fire bender, who cares?!" The woman looks near tears again, most likely beyond scared of loosing her baby. The man reluctantly nods as the two air benders turn. 

Aang almost immediately looks to Asha. "So, all this time, your dad was an air nomad..." He pauses, waiting until Asha nods.

"And Lin, you mother, she was-" 

"A fire bender." 

"Meaning Asha has a natural talent for fire bending." Tanna pipes in, Aang looking blankly ahead at the thought of his fire bending girlfriend.  

'Hot.'

'Aang!'

 /I meant fire bending wise!/

He chuckles at Asha's bright red face, the two adults looking rather confused at the two. He doesn't bother hiding his new thoughts of what their future children could possibly look like, even as Asha's cheeks burn a soft pink.

"Wait, so if you have a natural talent, why not use it?"  Aang looks back to Asha, momentarily ignoring the thoughts of blue-eyed, raven haired children. 

"I thought it would be better to master the others first, I guess."  She shrugs, giving him a small smile.

"But-" 

"Enough questions, we have one more stop!" Tanna grabs Asha's arm once more. Aang willingly walking over to Roku, now that he knew they were going to the same place; the two dragons taking off quickly. 

Now, their face to face with a vision of Aang and Appa, surrounded by the sweet serenity that is a shield of ice. It brings a grimace to his face, but it's quickly diminished as they arrive at the flashback of Asha's freezing. This strikes the girl with horror as she can only watch a younger version of herself be flung into the icy depths below her. Aang is beyond mortified as he watches, constantly needing to remind himself it's just a vision. It already happened. 

And he couldn't save his Onsra. Yet again. 

___

"You mean, after all Roku and Sozin went through together...even after Roku showed him mercy, Sozin betrayed him like that?" Katara looks to Aang in disbelief, the boy only nodding. 

"It's like these people are born bad." Toph snorts, her arms folded. 

"No, that's wrong. I don't think that was the point of what Roku showed me at all, much less what him and Tanna showed me." Aang flashes back to the vision of Asha, just after her birth. If Lin was a fire bender, and raised such a beautiful, kind young lady, there's no way they were all bad. Right?

"Then what was the point?" Sokka tilts his head, confused and looking like a lost puppy. 

"Roku was just as much Fire Nation as Sozin was, right? If anything, their story proves anyone's capable of great good and great evil. Everyone, even the Fire Lord and the Fire nation have to be treated like they're worth giving a chance. I mean, look at Ash. She's half fire nation and she's one of the best people I've had the honor of meeting." Aang looks back to his Onsra who smiles as she walks closer to the group. 

"Or, as cheesy as it sounds, friendship?"  She smirks, raising a brow in Raiko's direction. 

"Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?" It's Toph who speaks, looking to Aang's direction. 

"I don't see why not." Aang grabs Toph's hand, then goes for Asha's, but is ultimately stopped as Raiko tackles her, rubbing his knuckles against her head. 

"You ain't ever getting rid of me!" He laughs, tightening his nelson hold on the poor girl. She lets out a series of squawks and squeals at the action, trying to wiggle out of Raiko's iron grip. "Our past selves were friends, we're friends, our children will be friends, oh, you are stuck with me for eternity!"

"Well, scientifically speaking, there's no way to prove that-" Sokka strokes his face as he eyeballs the group.

"Oh, Sokka, just hold hands."

"Raiko, let go!"

Anyway, hoped you guys enjoyed. I wanna wish a super happy birthday to  I wish you all the best!

 ~Slain insanity~

-XoXo-