Azara sighed as she placed her chin on her arm, starting to drift off as Aang paced in front of her. The lack of sleep was starting to catch up with her. Since their run in with Zhao during the Winter Solstice, her nightmares had returned with a vengeance. "Would you sit down? If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off. What's bugging you anyway?" Sokka asked Aang as the airbender continued to pace.

"It's what Avatar Roku said. I'm supposed to master all four elements before that comet arrives," Aang explained looking more anxious by the minute.

"Well, let's see. You pretty much mastered airbending and that only took you a hundred and twelve years. I'm sure you can master three more elements by next summer," Sokka joked sarcastically as Aang continued to pace around the saddle.

"I haven't even started waterbending and we're still weeks away from the North Pole. What am I going to do?" Aang cried as Katara pulled him down.

"Calm down, it's going to be okay. If you want, I can try to teach you some of the stuff I know," Katara offered, causing Aang to perk up.

"You'd do that?"

"We'll need a good source of water first," Katara nodded, looking over Appa's side.

"There must be a clearing down there somewhere," Azara yawned, starting to nod off silently, before shaking herself away.

"Maybe we can find a puddle for you to splash in," Sokka commented sarcastically, turning around from his position on Appa's head. After flying for a few more minutes, Aang pointed out a waterfall and stream with a clearing surrounding it. "Nice puddle," Sokka huffed as Azara grabbed her sleeping bag from their supplies, sliding down next to them.

Appa took the opportunity to jump into the river, knocking Momo into the water. "Yeah! Don't start without me, boy!" Aang called, moving to join Appa when Katara intervened.

"Remember the reason we're here," Katara stated, causing Aang to sheepishly pull his clothes back on.

"You guys have fun with that, I think I'm going to try and catch up on some sleep," Azara spoke, walking over to some trees for shade. Setting up her mat, Azara laid down and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep only a few moments later, the toll of the last few days finally catching up with her.

After Aang accidentally waterbended their supplies off Appa's back and down the river, Sokka, Katara, and Aang gathered on the shore to discuss their next plan of action. "There must be a market somewhere around here," Katara suggested, pulling out the coins that they saved.

"Should we wake Azara?" Aang asked, looking over at Azara sleeping in the shade.

"No, let her be. She hasn't been sleeping well lately," Sokka replied as Aang and Katara nodded in agreement. Azara was typically a quiet sleeper, but there was more than one time recently when she had accidently woken up someone with a scream or whimper in the middle of the night. Every time she apologized profusely but refused to talk about the nightmares.

"Is it safe to leave her all by herself when she's sleeping?" Katara questioned as Appa crawled up onto the shore, shaking out his wet fur.

"Appa will watch her. Won't you boy?" Aang smiled, turning to the flying bison. Appa grunted in affirmation, laying down on the ground to show he wouldn't leave this spot.

"I'll leave a note, just in case," Katara stated, scribbling a quick note on a piece of paper, and sticking it to Appa's horn. The three walked off down the river in search of a town as Azara started to fidget in her sleep.

Azara sat in her old room in the Fire Nation palace. Standing up and looking around her childhood home, Azara jumped in surprise as the doors behind her burst open, revealing a servant. "Princess, you're needed urgently. The ceremony is about to begin," the servant explained as Azara grew more confused.

"Ceremony? What ceremony?" she asked as she was suddenly transported in front of a large crowd. Azara looked around the stage for any indication of what was going on when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping, Azara whirled around to find her father standing behind her. Stumbling back, Azara stared with fear in her eyes up at her father. "What's going on?" she demanded.

"Your coronation of course," her father explained, causing Azara to step back once more.

"What?" she gasped out, turning around to see the crowd bowing at her presence. "You're mistaken, Father," she shot back as Ozai shook his head.

"No, my daughter. It is your destiny. Your reign will mark the rise of the Fire Nation to new heights! We will finally gain control of the world and no single village will be free from our grasp!" Ozai announced, causing cheers to echo from the crowd.

"No, I am nothing like you," Azara shook her head, turning to run, but she found she could not move from her spot.

"For your coronation to be complete, all you have to do is silence the traitors," Ozai continued, waving his hand, and signaling to the guards. Azara gasped in shock as Iroh and Zuko were led out in chains, dropping to their knees in front of Azara. "Do it, Azara," Ozai stated, moving to stand next to her. "Prove you are one of us."

"I am not one of you," Azara snapped as her sister appeared behind her father.

"Do it, Azara," Azula ordered, her grin twisted in a sadistic fashion.

"Do it, Azara," Zhao added, appearing on her left. Azara stumbled back as the voices of her Fire Nation past began to nearly chant the same phrase over and over again.

"No! Stop!" Azara yelled, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. "I am not a monster!"

"Of course, you are, Azara," a familiar voice called out from behind her. Turning around, Azara's eyes fell on her mother, who was kneeling where Zuko and Iroh had been moments before.

"Mom?" Azara whimpered, Ursa staring up at her daughter with cold piercing eyes. A chill moved down Azara's spine at the glare her mother was sending her.

"You can run away all you want, Azara, but we know the truth," her mother spat out.

Azara shot up, breathing heavily as Momo and Appa stared at her with concern. Shaking her head, Azara sighed and tried to calm her breathing. Momo trotted over, holding out a nut he had likely found in the forest moments before. "Thanks, Momo," Azara smiled, rubbing his head. Looking around the clearing for any sign of Sokka, Katara, or Aang, Azara was concerned to see none of her friends.

"Where did they go?" Azara asked, standing up and walking out from below her tree cover. Appa grunted and Azara noticed the piece of paper hanging from his horn. Reaching up, Azara pulled off the scroll and read the note.

We went to the market to get supplies, should be back soon. – Katara

Crumpling the scroll in her hand, Azara moved to roll up her sleeping bag and return it to Appa's saddle. Appa, however, nudged her with concern as she walked by. "It's alright, bud. Just a dream," Azara smiled, rubbing his large head. "It was just a dream," she repeated, mostly to herself. Wiping more sweat from her brow, Azara decided to use the opportunity to freshen up.

Disappearing around the bend, Azara returned a half an hour later, hair wet and down when she spotted Aang, Katara, and Sokka standing by the shore. "Hey! How was the market?" Azara questioned, walking over as she braided her hair.

"Katara got us chased by pirates for stealing a stupid waterbending scroll," Sokka huffed as Azara glanced over at Katara with an eyebrow raised. Katara was usually reminding Aang and Sokka to not do stupid stuff, not doing the stupid stuff herself.

"They stole it from a waterbender," Katara retorted, her arms crossed over her chest.

"It doesn't matter. You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes," Sokka huffed, glaring at his sister.

"These are real waterbending forms. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn waterbending!" Katara snapped back.

"Whatever."

"Well, what's done is done. We have it, we might as well learn from it," Aang shrugged, causing Katara to smile and nod. "How was your sleep? We didn't want to disturb you," Aang asked, turning to Azara as Katara walked away, his usual wide smile present.

"Fine," Azara answered quickly, perhaps too quickly. Sokka and Aang shared a look as Azara glanced at the woods. "I'm going to collect some wood for a fire, I'll be right back." Azara stood up, walking off into the woods, her braided hair swinging behind her.

Sokka watched her leave, concern on his face. "You think she was actually telling the truth?" Sokka questioned, turning to Aang, who shrugged.

"She seems better than when we left. Maybe the sleep was useful," Aang replied, but Sokka did not look convinced. Meanwhile Azara walked calmly through the woods, picking up smaller twigs and branches in her arms. Turning back towards camp, Azara started to walk when she heard arguing. Picking up her pace, Azara silently returned to camp as Katara rounded on Aang.

"Will you please shut your air hole? Believe it or not your infinite wisdom gets a little old sometimes! Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you're so naturally gifted!?" Katara snapped at Aang as Azara dropped the wood to the ground.

"Katara!" Azara scolded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What?" Katara scoffed, glancing over at Azara before turning back to Aang. The airbender back up, tears in his eyes at Katara's harsh words. "Oh my gosh, Aang. I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me. But you know what, it won't happen again." Katara rolled up the scroll, handing it to Aang. "Here, this is yours. I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore."

"It's okay, Katara," Aang replied, nodding at her.

"What about Azara? You snapped at her," Sokka pointed out, gesturing to Azara as she set up the campfire for the night.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Azara. I was just frustrated, and I took it out on you."

"No worries," Azara smiled, lighting a twig.

"And what about me? There was the time you—"

"—No more apologies!" Katara yelled, startling Momo. Azara hid a chuckle as she tended to the fire. Sokka and Aang walked away, completing their camp chores as Katara walked over, settling next to Azara by the fire.

"Copper piece for your thoughts?" Azara asked, adding another pile of sticks. Katara sighed, pulling her knees to her chest.

"I want to learn waterbending, that's why I stole the scroll. I was the only waterbender in the whole South Pole and all the stuff I knew Aang mastered in five minutes. I guess I was just jealous," Katara sighed, looking guilty. "I didn't mean to lash out at him."

"Aang is the Avatar and therefore more powerful than any other bender could ever hope to be," Azara gently reminded Katara, sitting back as well. "Don't let it get to you. With everything that we've been through together, I don't have a doubt that you'll become a master waterbender in your own right one day," Azara stated, resting a comforting hand on Katara's shoulder.

"Thanks, Azara," Katara smiled as Aang and Sokka returned. After a quick meal, the group moved to set up their sleeping bags and turn in for the night.