Chapter9: Life.

[unedited]

"Good catch!" Shang called to his son as he caught the little ball he'd thrown. Ty-Lee sat and watched them play together. Father and son. She'd given birth to their first child almost exactly nine years ago. Yet it felt like just yesterday she'd been pregnant. Pregnant, wasn't there something that happened while she was pregnant? Something bad? "Hey sweetie, you wanna play catch with us?" Shang asked as he ran over. "I don't think so, I'll go inside and start dinner," She said as she stood. "Ok," Shang leaned over giving her a quick kiss on the lips. Something about it though seemed odd. Something wasn't quite right with all this. "Mommy! Mommy! Look at me!" Zender called. Ty-Lee turned to look. He was sitting on his fathers shoulders as Shang ran around like a horse. She laughed. Shang was such a good dad. "If he is a dad. "A voice whispered. What? That didn't make sense, of course he was a dad."Is he?" Ty-Lee's head began to hurt like crazy. She felt dizzy and faint and, something else-blood? Yes, blood was running down her face. "Ty-Lee!" She heard a muffled, far off voice calling to her. It sounded like they were on the other side of a glass wall yelling her name. "Wake-" She couldn't comprehend their words. It was weird. Now she was in a place full of darkness, Shang and her son had disappeared. She was scared. And suddenly, she was pregnant again. Aang's face came slowly into focus. "We haven't beat him yet!" He panted heavily. Then she remembered everything that was going on. She looked around. Aang was carrying her through a thickly wooded area. Mitsuki was no where in sight, and behind them Ty-Lee could hear something tearing through the forest. "Don't worry! I'll get you out of here safe!" She heard Aang yell. Suddenly, from out of no where, Mitsuki jumped out from the trees, right above their heads. She pulled a sword out, it seemed like she pulled it from her sleeve, and landed directly in front of the Great Terror. She swung at him with the sword, gashing it into his side. He growled at her and tried to bite her with his sharp teeth. Pretty soon the spirit was left behind to fight Great Terror as Aang ran away from them. "But what about Mits-" Ty-Lee began weakly. "She'll be fine!" Aang said quickly. "I've got to get you to safety." He said as he was still running. Ty-Lee wiped the sweat from her forehead. But it wasn't sweat. It was blood. Then she remembered, Great Terror had lashed out at her and bit her forehead. That's when she blacked out and had that strange realistic dream of the future. Or was it a dream? She instinctively put a hand to her abdomen to see if she was still pregnant. She was. So it was a dream, she told herself. Finally, they emerged from the thick forest. Aang pulled out from around his neck a bison whistle. He gave it a hard blow and a few minutes later Appa flew over. Aang helped Ty-Lee aboard the saddle and they flew off. "Here, use this to wrap around your head to stop the bleeding," Aang tossed a white piece of cloth back to her. She took it and tied it around her head. She had no idea how big, or deep the wound was, but it gave off a lot of blood and hurt badly. She pressed her eyes closed wishing the pain would leave. "Hmm, probably something pretty to match your pretty face," She remembered the first time Shang told her she was beautiful, all those years ago in that tiny hotel room, with an eleven year old Rayseal. Now Rayseal was eighteen years old and married to Alveras. Time had really flown by. Rayseal giggled. "Yep, isn't she pretty?" Ty-Lee's mind went astray, she remembered when Shang first introduced himself. How Rayseal had taken her to the hotel to see her shell collection. "Why yes, she is very pretty," Shang was so sweet. She missed him terribly. "Excuse me, sorry to bother you miss, but I'm new here and I can't seem to find the hotel, I wonder if you'd know where it is?" She remembered perfectly the day she first saw Shang. He had been looking for the hotel, she had been sulking alone at the restaurant because Haru ran away from her. She chuckled at how stupid she'd been. "You've met? This is my big brother," Ty-Lee ached inside, she missed Shang so much, that's when she realized that by now he'd be home, and probably worried sick, she didn't get the chance to leave him any kind of note or anything, she was kidnapped how could she have?

As she opened her eyes she saw that it was already morning. She crawled over to Appa's head where Aang sat flying the giant bison. "Aang," She said pondering. "Yes?" He replied. "What did you tell Katara you were doing when you left?" She asked. "I just told her I had to leave for awhile to help you and another friend and that I'd be back in a couple days." He told her. "Why? What'd you tell Shang?" He asked unexpectedly. "Uh-I didn't get to tell him anything, he wasn't back from his trip yet an I kinda got kidnapped so I couldn't leave a note," She said a bit shyly. Aang got a graven look on his face. "He'll probably freakout when he gets home and you're not there," He said with the slightest bit of worry. "Yea," Ty-Lee said with a sigh. "I was just thinking about that," She gazed off into the sunrise. What was Shang doing right now? She wondered....

She can't be just-gone? Shang searched the entire temple grounds as he arrived home late at night. But his wife was no where to be found. Maybe she spent the night at Katara's, he made every excuse he could think of but none of them had a good reason. He worried all night long, at the break of day he decided to go to Republic City and ask Katara if she knew anything about where Ty-Lee was.

"Aang left yesterday saying he had to help Ty-Lee and another friend with something," Katara told Shang as he stood in her doorway with a pleading look on his desperate face. "But he didn't say where he was going or what he'd be doing, just that he'd be back in a couple days," She continued. Shang's shoulders drooped. He wished he knew what was going on. "But that doesn't make sense," He said confused. "Ty-Lee wouldn't leave home without at least leaving a note on the counter or someplace else," He said still worried for his wife's safety. "I'm sure it just slipped her mind, maybe she thought she'd be back before you would be," Katara assured him. "We'll know soon enough, they'll be back safe and sound," She said as he was not reassured. Shang sighed heavily. He'd have to be patient and wait for Aang and Ty-Lee to return. This, would be a long wait.

Ty-Lee woke up later that day to hear people murmuring about. They were whispering about her. She opened her eyes. She was in the middle of a town, people all around were staring at her in bewilderment. She had fallen asleep in the middle of the road. It was the oddest thing ever. She didn't remember coming into a town. She tried to stand but the world seemed to twist around and she couldn't keep her balance. She soon became frustrated because every time she stood she'd lose her balance and topple over onto rocks that would cut her face. She moaned in pain. She saw Aang walking around a little ways but when she tried to call to him for help she couldn't talk. It came out as moaning and groaning that no one wanted to hear. When people saw she couldn't stand up or speak they laughed at her. Haru came over and laughed. Aang came over and laughed. Mitsuki came over and laughed. Then, the most devastating thing happened. Shang, her own husband, the love of her life, came over and laughed at her. 'You stupid clumsy woman!' He called. After being consumed in laughter again he said, 'I can't believe I married you! Of all people! I married the girl who can't stand on her own two feet, or even speak with her own voice! How stupid was I?' Ty-Lee began to cry. How could he do this to her? 'You're just a stupid happy girl!' His voice rang out and the crowd silenced. You could her a pen drop, it was deadly silent. Ty-Lee's cries echoed across the desert. Everyone seemed frozen in time. All of them clutching their stomachs as they laughed too hard. She couldn't handle this. She had to get away. She stood, this time not losing her balance, and ran away. Away from it all. But as she ran the ground began to fall behind her. A deep, black pit consumed everything in its path as it chased after her. She screamed for help but her voice came out as a crackled, dry whisper. No! She fell down into the pit of darkness. It seemed to go on forever. She smacked the ground with a crack in her neck. She was paralyzed. She couldn't move a single muscle. So she lie there. Unable to go on, physically or emotionally. She was done. She'd had enough. The world couldn't possibly bring her lower. A shriek echoed through the dark abyss. She sat up. Her heart pounded in her ear as it was eerily quiet. Some animal sneezed. Dust began to rise and it clouded the pit. A pair of red eyes stared directly into her soul. They saw strait through everything in her mind. "You're afraid, aren't you sweetheart?" A snake-like voice whispered into the stillness of the air. Ty-Lee was frozen. The red eyes in the distance came a little bit closer. "It's alright," The voice said with an eerie lisp. "You can talk to me sweetheart, I won't kill you," He looked away a moment sharpening his claws. "Yet," He added and looked to her for a reaction. She stood perfectly still. He laughed heartily. "Ah, so you want to see my old spirit form, when I went by the name of 'Toshio'" He said sneakily. "Stupid name, and I hate it," He said. Although his voice was steady and smooth, anyone could tell he was angry. "Alright then princess," He said and the eyes began to rise. "Here you are, take a look," He slithered into the light that surrounded her revealing his true form. He was a giant black dragon with red eyes that pierced you like a knife. "Aye, it's not a pretty sight, but you get used to it, after all, I will be your son quite soon dearie," He grinned broadly. "No you are not!" She shrieked.

"Ty-Lee! You have to wake up!" The eyes vanished taking with them the devilish grin and creepy darkness, leaving behind a single, white rose. What it meant Ty-Lee didn't know. She sat up strait. "Aang?" She said her lip quivering in fear. Tears streaked her face and she clutched the rose. The rose! It was here! How? Wasn't that all a dream? Ty-Lee was freaking out. It had to of all been a dream! Shang wouldn't have laughed at her and said those things! The ground wouldn't open up like that and swallow her in! "Aang!" She said reaching for some reassurance. "Yes! I'm here!" He replied hastily. "It had to be a dream! The white rose! It's here! How? I don't know what to think! I was dreaming!" She led off histarically. Her breathing increased rapidly. Aang was afraid she would hyperventilate and pass out. "Ty-Lee! Ty-Lee!" He yelled at her above the noise. "It's ok!" He put a hand to her shoulder comfortingly. "It's ok," He said in a quieter tone. "It's Him, He's doing this to you, He was a spirit He can mess with your dreams, that's why the rose is here," Ty-Lee calmed down a bit. Her breathing finally steadied. "This is dangerous Ty-Lee," Aang said worriedly. "You need to relax, you've got too much stress right now it could-" He couldn't finish. It was a terrible thought, if Ty-Lee lost her first child, the thought made him ache, maybe she'd already lost it. He hoped not, for her sake. She was too kind to have this awful thing happen to her. "You could lose your baby," He whispered. She needed to hear it. Maybe it would make her force herself to relax a little and take it easy. Her lip quivered as she looked strait into his eyes. She couldn't bare the thought of losing her child to an angry spirit or lose her child because she couldn't handle a little stress. She took a deep breath wiping away her tears. "Ok, I will relax, and I will be ok," She said strongly. Aang couldn't help but smile. "Alright, now get some sleep, tonight we'll try again," He said brushing the hair out if her eyes. "But I don't wanna dream again!" She protested worriedly. "It's ok, I'm sure you won't dream something like that again," Aang assured her hopefully. "Ok," She said at last relaxing and settling back against Appa's leg. Aang smiled and went back to the fire pit stoking it occasionally. There was a rustling in the bushes. Aang was on his feet instantly in a fighting stance ready to take on The Great Terror. Mitsuki stumbled out, blood dripping from her lower lip and out of her mouth. Her hair had blood stains in it as well and her arms were drenched in it. Some poured down her leg as she looked up to meet Aang's gaze. "I beat him," She said heavily. "But he'll be back," She limped into the campsite and dropped down to sit by the fire. She was panting heavily as she clutched her sword that was also covered in blood. Aang grabbed a medical pack and went to tend to his friend. "Are you alright?" He asked. She smiled at him fondly. "Yea, I'm a spirit remember? I'll heal quickly," She said still panting. When he tried to put a bandage on her arm she pushed it away. "I don't need that," She said and stood. "I'll be back, and when I get back I'll be all healed." She walked away toward the river bank.

It was now nightfall. Aang and Mitsuki prepared to send Ty-Lee to her secret hiding place. They sat in a circle around the fire. Mitsuki took a deep breath. "Alright," She said indicating that they would begin. "Without any interruption this should go smoothly, but if we are interrupted, Aang I want you to go into the Avatar State, that will bring her out got it?" Aang nodded. "Ty-Lee, I just want you to relax, close your eyes and picture the perfect paradise," Mitsuki instructed. Ty-Lee nodded and obeyed. She closed her eyes and relaxed. "Begin," Aang closed his eyes as did Mitsuki. "To breath the fire of The Thousand Vows, to feel the earth of The Secret City, to swim in the waters of The Lily Tide, to glide on the air of The Swift Léfay," She chanted. As she did so the fire in the pit began to slowly rise up and down, up an down. "Come, Méranda, come," The flames shot up strait into the air. First they flared strait like a blade of grass, then they swirled creating a pillar of fire. Aang and Mitsuki opened their eyes, in the fire shown the reflection of a woman. Her eyes were red and her hair, flames. Her voice echoed through the night. "Why have you summoned me?" She questioned. Without a word Mitsuki pointed to Ty-Lee. The pillar was still blazing as she stood in it. "Ah, I see, and she is the one Merrokka spoke of?" Again Mitsuki didn't speak, she just nodded. "I understand. And I shall return with what you need," The reflection was gone and the fire disappeared. "How come you didn't speak when she asked questions?" Aang asked curiously. "Because, if you speak a word she will steal your voice, it's just part of a curse Shèninji put on her, she's really a nice spirit! Honest!" Mitsuki explained. Aang nodded understandingly. The spirit world certainly was a strange place. The fire flared up again only this time it shot strait up going till you couldn't see the top anymore. Then all the fire left the pit going up into the sky till there was nothing left but a puff of smoke that slowly disappeared. In the pit stood the reflection spirit, Méranda, but she looked to be flesh and blood like Mitsuki was now. "I have brought what you need for this process," Her voice was soft and almost timid. Like she was afraid you'd hate her if she said something wrong, and she'd be alone forever. Mitsuki took a stick and sketched her thanks in the ground in front of her. "You are welcome Beautiful Moon," Mitsuki telepathically told Aang that this spirit didn't use your name, just it's meaning. He smiled. "Great Terror will be coming soon so I suggest you get going on your scheme," Méranda gave them a bag and went back to the fire pit where she turned to flames and disappeared. Ty-Lee hadn't uttered a single sound during the whole process. Aang looked over. She still had her eyes closed and sat cross legged on the ground, her hands on her knees. "Aang we have to hurry," Mitsuki said as she sat on the ground opening the bag Méranda had left. Aang sat beside her peering into the green satchel. Mitsuki pulled out what looked to be a map. But it was of a world he'd never seen before. Then she took out a lantern and some oil. She pulled out several packages of wild purple-berries and then looked to the very bottom of the bag. "What?" Aang heard her mumble. "This can't be," She took the bag and shook it upside down. Nothing fell out. "No!" She yelled. Aang was just about to ask what was the matter when Mitsuki got that mischievous smile of hers. She put her hand in the bag feeling around. She suddenly lit up and yanked her hand out. "Aha!" She said triumphantly. She pulled out what looked to be a small vile of blue liquid. "Aang I need a fishing net, do you have one?" Mitsuki asked. "Um, I don't think so- wait, there might be one on Appa's saddle," Aang jumped up and ran to his bison to check the saddle. He hurried back with a net. "Here you go," He handed it to Mitsuki who took it gratefully. She set it down and picked up two large, pole-like sticks. She spread the net out and lay the poles on either side. She pulled out a knife. Aang wasn't quite sure what she was doing, she took a piece of hair from the back and cut it off. She separated it in two and used the hair as string to tie the net to the poles. Strange. She took the net and vile over to where Ty-Lee sat. She gently touched Ty-Lee's head, her eyes glowing for a split second, and Ty-Lee opened her eyes. "Now Ty-Lee," Mitsuki began. "In this bag there is a map and supplies you'll need," She said handing her the bag. "When I send you to this world you have to follow the map, at the cottage you will tell the woman at the well that you were sent by the Mèrridian Princess to escape Black Torture, got it?" Ty-Lee nodded repeating the words in her mind so as not to forget them. "She'll know what is going on, and she'll protect you until Great Terror is defeated," Mitsuki promised. She pressed three fingers to her lips and then touched them to Ty-Lees forehead. "Be safe," She said with a confident look in her eye. Ty-Lee slowly nodded. "Close your eyes," Mitsuki whispered. As she closed them, Mitsuki placed the two poles in the ground with the fishing net hanging above Ty-Lee's head. The net tied to those two poles resembled a spiders web. Mitsuki closed her eyes momentarily before proceeding. "Azura, ventailia, Merella," She said then opened the vile and sprinkled the blue powder onto Ty-Lee. She also threw some to the net, they stuck to it and began to glow. She lowered the net till it covered Ty-Lee. Then it sank even lower. Ty-Lee vanished. Mitsuki looked to the moon. "Be with her Yue, be with her," She murmured.