Later the gang stopped at a waterfall to decide the smartest route to take. While Sokka stared intensely at the map, Aang and Katara decided to go for a swim while Toph sat with her feet in the water. Rei sighed and threw down her backpack on a rock. She removed the brown cloak she wore and placed it inside. The cloak was long and was used to protect her from against the sand. Removing it revealed her attire. Knee length plain black pants with a purple sash tied around her waist, the sash's ribbons hanging down. Her top was black and it connected over only the left shoulder, and at the rims were orange lining. Her hands were covered with black gloves that only tied by the middle finger, leaving the other four exposed. The gloves had a purple gem on the back of each. She wore dark brown sandals that tied around her ankle. She shook her chocolate brown hair out of her eyes as she searched through her backpack.

"Hey, Rei?" She looked up to Sokka who was examining her attire.

"What nation are you from?" Rei smiled at the question.

"I'm from the caverns." Sokka frowned before realizing his sister had just done a waterbending bomb, soaking all of them.

"Sure. Five thousand year old maps from the spirit library, just splashed some water on them." Sokka said, holding them up.

"Sorry." Katara apologized before bending out of the maps.

"So did you figure out what route we're ganna take?" Aang questioned as everybody huddled around the map. Sokka explained that the only way through to Ba Sing Se was a passage called 'The Serpent's Pass.'

"Hello, fellow refugees!" They all turned to see three Earth Kingdom refugees. One of them was pregnant. They explained how they were heading to Ba Sing Se before the woman went into labour and how they were using the ferry to cross the river.

"Peaceful ferry ride or deadly pass?" Katara said sarcastically, making Rei snicker at Sokka.

Once they reached the bay and they realized they needed passports, Toph went to try and somehow manage passports for them. Rei followed them but stopped as she saw something familiar out of the corner of her eye. She turned and recognized the scar. Prince Zuko... He was on a ferry taking off with his uncle Iroh next to him. Iroh looked up and caught her eye. He gasped, making Zuko look in the same direction. He held her gaze for a split second before the ferry disappeared out of the bay. He's going to Ba Sing Se... as a refugee?

"Something wrong?" She turned around to see Toph, holding out a ticket. She accepted it.

"No, just thought I saw someone familiar..."

"Guys, guys! Look who I found!" Sokka yelled, presenting a girl wearing a guard outfit. "It's Suki!" he yelled excitedly. They all went up to a tower to talk privately.

"You look so different without your make-up, and the new outfit?" Katara complemented.

"That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them. And look at you sleeveless guy, been working out?" she asked, almost flirtatious.

"Aah I grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then. Nothing mayor." Sokka answered, trying to show his non-existent muscles off. Rei scoffed at the attempt.

"Are the other Kiyoshi warriors around?" Aang questioned.

"Yeah. After you left Kiyoshi we wanted to find a way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugees and have been here ever since." she answered before Momo jumped up to her. "Hey Momo, good to see you to. So why would you need tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?" she questioned.

"Appa is missing. We hoped to find him in Ba Sing se." Katara explained.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you doing okay?" Talking about Appa's abduction made Rei feel down again. Airon... I swear I'll save you... She balled her hands in fists as she thought about what Airon must be doing right now. Was he being held down by chains? Was he being starved? He must be feeling so uncertain and scared. It hasn't been long since he joined the mortal world, and this isn't exactly making a good impression. Rei heard someone yelling up to them and soon everyone around her left. She stayed and brought her knees up to her face, wrapping her arms around them. At least I know the King isn't ruthless. If what the others say is true then the king doesn't even know about the war. It's the Dai Li I'm worried about...

"You've been down since you joined us." Toph said when she later went up to her again.

"I'm worried about Airon." Toph hesitated before talking again.

"Come on. Those refugees we were with earlier, their belongings got stolen. We're going through the Serpent's Pass." she informed. Rei nodded and jumped up, following Toph down to join the rest. They found them waiting at the exit, Suki now in her full Kiyoshi outfit. They then started their journey towards the passage.

"So you two are travelling with Aang now huh?" Suki asked, looking towards Toph and Rei.

"Yeah. I'm teaching Twinkletoes earthbending. The name's Toph." She introduced herself.

"I'm Rei and I'm just travelling with them to Ba Sing Se. My companion got stolen along with Appa." Rei said; staring at the forest they were passing through.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that..."

"It's fine." They exited the forest moments later to find themselves at the entrance to the pass.

"This is the Serpent's Pass? I thought it would be a little more wind-y, you know, like a serpent. Huh, I guess they misnamed it." Sokka said, examining the rock path across the lake with a sort of mountain in the middle.

"Look at this writing! How awful." Ying, the pregnant woman, exclaimed, staring at a wooden warning at the entrance.

"What does it say?" Toph asked, since she was blind, Rei had learned.

"It said 'abandon hope'." Rei muttered.

"How can we abandon hope? It's all we have!" Ying exclaimed.

"I don't know. The monks used to say that hope was just a distraction, so maybe we do need to abandon it." Aang said, staring out at the pass. Rei stared at him curiously.

"What are you talking about?" Katara questioned.

"Hope is not going to get us into Ba Sing Se and it's not going to help find Appa. We need to focus on what we're doing right now and that's getting across this path." Aang exclaimed. A small smiled tugged at Rei's mouth. That's certainly an interesting way to think about it...

"The Fire Nation controls the western lake. Rumour has it they're working on something big on the other side of it and don't want anyone to find out what it is." Suki explained later on, once they were already a while in the pass in. Coincidentally enough, at that moment a Fire Nation ship sailed by. Distracted by it, a refugee fell off the cliff and Toph had to catch him.

"I'm okay!" the man exclaimed as Toph bended him up, a few rocks falling on the way. One fell into the water and the Fire Nation noticed it. They immediately fired.

"They've spotted us! Let's go, let's go!" Sokka exclaimed. They all ran away from the fire ball except for Aang who deflected it. Another fireball hits the mountain, causing several pieces of rock to fall over Suki. Sokka pushed her out of the way and had to Toph bend out a part of the mountain to keep the rocks from falling on him.

"Suki, are you okay? You have to be more careful! Come on!" Sokka urged, walking onwards.

""Thanks for saving my life, Toph." Hey, no problem, Sokka." Toph spoke, pretending to be Sokka. Rei snickered at him and a smile tugged at Toph's lips. Hours later they set up camp for the night.

"Is he always like that?" Rei whispered to Toph as she saw Sokka and Suki exit form their view.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"That he thinks girls are helpless like that?" Toph scoffed.

"Believe me, he knows we aren't. It's just something about that girl." Toph explained.

"You know her?" Rei questioned and she shook her head.

"I haven't met her before today, but I'm assuming they're going out." Rei scoffed at the statement.

"In that case I can't believe she hasn't left him yet." Rei said and Toph agreed.

The next day they continued on their journey and later on noticed that a section of the pass went below the sea.

"Everyone single file!" Katara yelled out and everyone huddled together. She used her bending to divide the water, allowing everyone to go down the drowned path. "Aang, I need help!" He responded by creating an air bubble around everyone. They started on their journey through. Momo seemed curious by the fish and dived into the water surrounding them, only to turn back when a large shadow passed around him.

"What is that thing?" Katara questioned. Rei narrowed her eyes. The shadow broke through the water, breaking the divide. Toph quickly uses her earthbending to raise the ground where they were standing on above the water.

"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass! Suki, you know about giant sea monsters, make it go away!" Sokka yelled, seeing the large serpent surrounding their little island.

"Just because I live near the unagi doesn't mean I'm an expert!" Suki yelled. Rei tilted her head at the serpent, curious.

"Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering. Thank you." Sokka spoke, holding out Momo. Rei snickered.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled. The serpent went to strike but Aang blasted it away with his airbending.

"I'll distract it. Katara, get everyone across!" he yelled, taking off on his glider. Katara froze the water to make a path towards the land. Everyone crossed and Rei stopped when she realized Toph was still on the island. She can't see on the ice, Rei realized. She ran back and lifted onto her back. She ran across the ice, Toph screeching the entire time. Sokka's eyes went wide with how easy Rei could carry her. Suddenly the serpent was thrown against the mountain and it retreated back into the water. Aang and Katara returned and after a brief rest, they continued on their way. Not long after, Ba Sing Se's wall entered their sight.

"There's the wall! Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se." Sokka said, happily.

"Oh no!" Rei heard and turned at the pained groan.

"What's wrong?" Sokka asked, distressed.

"The baby's coming!" Ying yelled out. Rei's eyes widened. Oh don't put me I this situation!

"What? Now? Can't you hold it in or something?" Sokka asked, panicky.

"Sokka, calm down. I helped Gran-Gran deliver lots of babies back home." Katara said reassuringly.

"This isn't the same as delivering an arctic seal! This is a real... human... thing!" Rei wanted to laugh at him but decided it was not the best time to do so.

"It's called a baby and I helped her deliver plenty of those, too. Aang, get some rags. Sokka, water. Toph, I need you to make an earth tent, a big one," Toph did so. "Suki, Rei, come with me." Her eyes went wide at that statement.

"Uhm, uhm, I don't think that's a good idea!" she quickly said. Katara giggled slightly at her.

"Then at least calm Tahn down." She looked towards the panicked father.

"Uh, I can do that," Rei said as she walked over to him. She nervously patted his head. "There, there." Not long after, he managed to summon up the courage and entered the tent. Rei smiled as she joined Aang and Toph outside, Sokka entering to take the water. He passed out, however. He regained consciousness and sat outside with them. Suddenly, a baby cried.

"It's a girl!" They heard Katara yell.

"So, you want to go see the baby, or are you going to faint like an old lady again?" Toph asked Sokka.

"No, no, I'm good this time." Rei entered along with them. She smiled as she saw the beautiful scene. The baby was being cradled by Ying.

"Aang, you have to come see this." Katara said. He entered.

"She sounds healthy." Toph commented.

"She's beautiful." Katara spoke.

"It's so ... squishy looking." Sokka said and Rei giggled a little.

"What should we name her?" Than asked.

"I want our daughter's name to be unique. I want it to mean something." Ying said.

"I've been going through a really hard time lately. But you've made me ... hopeful again." Aang spoke, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I know what I want to name our baby now. Hope." Ying said with a smile.

"That's a perfect name. Hope." Tahn smiled. They exited the tent to allow them some privacy. Katara and Aang had already left before.

"I promise, I'll find Appa as fast as I can. I just really need to do this." Aang said to them as they approached.

"See you in the big city." Sokka commented.

"Say hi to that big fuzzball for me." Toph said, punching Aang in the arm.

"You'll find him, Aang." Katara said.

"I know. Thank you, Katara," He looked towards Rei. She merely nodded. He nodded back. "You ready, Momo?" They flew off.

"So what's our game plan?" Rei questioned.

"We finish up here and then we'll meet him here." Katara answered, to which Rei agreed. Airon...almost there...