Doodles by me! Sorry for the delay! I've been working on original content, a story I hope to be able to actually publish. It's been occupying more of my time than I thought it would, so thank you for being patient!

-Jenna

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When Ayaan re-entered the home, Hala wasn't crying anymore. No, she had lost all energy in her to continue crying. She just sat in her room, lifeless and still.

"Mrs. Hala?"

"Oh," She said, only then noticing him entering the room, "I'm sorry, Lord Ayaan. I didn't notice you came in. D-Did you find your sister?"

"Yes." The older woman flinches a bit at the tight tone in his voice. He noticed, "I'm sorry. I did not mean to scare you. I am just... a bit angry at the moment."

He was more than a 'bit' angry, even Hala could tell. But she didn't say anything about that thought.

Ayaan came towards her, gently taking her hand for her to walk with him. "Come with me. I would like to show you something."

"Huh?" The tall young man pulled her towards the barn, where an eager Appa was waiting. Upon seeing the watertribe warrior he growled happily, proceeding to lick him as he always did. The sight brought a small smile back to her face, growing a little wider when the boy seemed both disgusted and delighted as he waterbended the saliva off of him.

Momo wasn't one to be left out of the love. He flew down from Appa's head to his favorite spot, Ayaan's shoulders. Wrapping around his neck securely, he proceeded to nuzzle into Ayaan's cheek, purring as he did.

"They seem to love you quite a lot," Hala said, her eyes softening at the sight.

"Yes." He answered, giving them their deserved pats before remembering his reason for being here. "Come on. We have to fly to where I'm taking you."

Uncertainty returned as he led her to the bison's saddle. "I-I'm not too sure about this..."

"He will not harm you. I promise. Appa is a good boy." The bison roared at the praise. The lemur, feeling indignant, gave Ayaan licks on his face. The teen smiled a little wider, "And so are you, Momo."

Seeing such affection from the animals eased a bit of her heartache, and the small, but warm smile on his face told her he loved them just as much. He helped her into it with ease, making his way to the reigns once she was settled. Turning to face the front, he gives Appa his command and they take off, much to Hala's surprise.

Without looking back, he explained a little more, "I wish to show you that trusting in me... was not the wrong decision."

Her eyes widened. She knew that Ayaan was one of the most trustworthy people she would ever meet. She wanted to tell him that deep down, this incident was bound to happen one day. She didn't blame him or his family for it. She wanted to explain that her son and her people all trusted in him, that he'd proven himself too many times for them not to.

Training them, giving them hope, protecting them from the rogues that would bother them from time to time, helping their economy in secret (though they all knew that it was this honorable young lord)... there was no one more trustworthy than him.

Truly, he was a light that came into their lives.

But there was an emotion in his voice that she couldn't place. Whatever it was, it was heavy, too heavy for someone so young to bear. It left her unable to voice her thoughts, feeling that she needed to let him do this.

So she kept silent as the world below became a speck beneath them within moments. Cool breezes flitted through her hair as the mist of the floating clouds brushed past them. They were drifting on a sea of white, the blue sky the clearest she'd ever seen it.

"Flying with Appa always helps me when I'm stressed." He stated, turning his head slightly to look at her. "I thought it might help you feel just a bit better."

Such a sweet young man he was. Hala couldn't help the small smile that grew. "It's beautiful..." She understood how this could ease someone's mind. Never had she seen anything as wonderful as this view. Though her anguish was still present, it took a backseat to the wonder she felt.

Even if it would only be for a moment, she felt... free.

"It must be a dream to experience this every day." She said, touching the clouds they drifted through. Misty and cool, soft as it glided through her fingers. "My son would love it up here."

"When we get him back, I'll be sure to give him a ride before we set off again."

Hala's smile widened further. He was so sure of it, not a hint of doubt was in his voice. Since they'd started this plan, he had always been steadfast and sturdy in his belief that it was going to work. The more they trained, the more she and the others felt the same.

Suddenly, everything they were doing seemed to become more real than it already had been. Soon, they would be fighting for their home once again. This time, would it be different? Yes. Yes, she was sure of it.

Because this time, they had Lord Ayaan.

"My worries vanish when I'm up here," He said, "but this is not why we are flying. Look there."

He pointed down below, and it didn't take but a moment for Hala to gasp in horror, "Is that..."

"Yes." He said simply. The prison rig. He had taken her to the prison rig, or at least right above it. To a woman born in the earth kingdom, it was a place of dread. Even from this high above, she could see the glint of the steel walls and floors. Even if one was to jump to the waters below, no one had enough stamina to reach the shore before drowning.

To an earthbender, the place was the equivalent of hell. Fresh tears cascaded down her face as she realized her husband had been in a place like this for so long. And now, her son was joining him there.

Having shown her what he wanted, he lifts the reigns attached to Appa's horns. Following the command, Appa once again rises above the clouds once again. The mood was somber, as one would expect it to be, as he guided Appa back towards Hala's home.

"Mrs. Hala." She lifted her head at the call. Ayaan's expression was steady and calm, but Hala could see that there was something hidden behind his gaze, "You can allow yourself to cry, feel anguished, and sad, but only for a little while. You can not let it become despair. To despair means you've lost hope, but that is only lost if you let it go yourself."

Cool breezes gently blow past them as the sun begins to set. "I ask that you not let go of your hope."

Ayaan faces forward again, "This loss... I will not let it be forever." Like it was with my mother, He said mentally.

'I will never let it happen again.'

He continued to guide the large bison gently, allowing her to have a bit more time before they landed again.

Hala's gaze lingered on him as thoughts came and went. He could comfort her in this way, ease her worries as if he had years on her. He could lead and train a whole village while taking care of three younger kids. Fear? Doubt? It didn't seem as if he had these thoughts, though she knew that wasn't true. It was this maturity that made it easy to forget that this young man wasn't much older than her own son.

"You train my people, plan all of this, take care of your family, and even now, can comfort me in my time of need." How was he able to do all of this so well, even though he was so young? "How can you bear such weight, Lord Ayaan?" She managed to ask.

"I am the eldest son of the chief. I was left in charge. My siblings needed someone to be strong. They needed someone to protect them. They needed someone who could listen to their worries. I promised to be that person for them."

For some reason, the strong back of the youth at the reigns seemed lonelier as he answered, "So I must do it, no matter how heavy that weight may be."

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It didn't take long for them to make their way back to her home. Ayaan helped her from the saddle, which she was grateful for. Appa was indeed a gentle beast, but he was an enormous one all the same. Instead of resting in her home, she gathers the villagers together once again.

Ayaan doesn't know what she said to them, but when they met again to train during the night, their demeanor had hardened even further. Now, he could truly say that their wills were as solid as the ground they tread upon. Their bonds were stronger, and they gave their all to improve as much as they could.

By now, everyone understood their roles in this ploy. They'd worked hard to learn, and now, they were ready to face their demons. All that was left... was the rig.

'Three days.'

The Phantom Unit told him that everything would be ready to go in three days' time. Wǔ, during their meeting, had shown him his firenation disguise in detail. From a distance, it seemed the same as all of the others, but there were certain scratches on it that told those of his clan that he was one of them. He took the time to teach Ayaan these tells, which he was surprised the warrior understood so quickly.

'Three days have passed.'

Today was the day their plan would truly begin to move. "Is everyone prepared?" Ayaan asked. Right now, the villagers he'd been training were gathered before him. He'd told them what he was going to do today, and for the last three days, they'd been mentally preparing themselves for what they might see.

"Everything is as ready as it could get," Hala answered, "now all that's left is..."

"Yes. That." His eyes had that dangerous glint that sent shivers down their spines. For the past three whole days, there's been an... edge to their young lord. It didn't take a genius to notice that Ayaan had been holding back his anger for a while now. They had a feeling it had something to do with his sister's impromptu capturing and Haru's arrest.

They were lucky he didn't take this rising anger out on them during training. Ayaan knew amazing restraint and control.

"I will be going now. Mrs. Hala, you know what to do."

"Yes." She answered, and everyone around her surged with determination, "Good luck, Lord Ayaan."

The boy simply nodded, turning to head into town. It wasn't long before his brother and Aang joined him at his side.

"Are you sure about this plan?" Sokka said, a bit nervous. "I mean, Katara is already there. We've been checking in on her every day." He explained, "So how come you have to be there, too?"

"I do not want Katara to be alone there," He said, "You told me she was too stubborn to just leave." He had some choice words he needed to say to her about her decision-making, but there was also another reason, "There is someone on the rig I wish to meet as well."

"Is it the 'Yon' person the Phantom guys were talking about?"

"Yes. I was already planning to get into the rig." He answered, "This is just simpler."

They arrived at Hala's shop, waiting there for their moment to act. "Hold on to my spear. I will not allow them to take it from me upon my arrest."

"Are you sure? Won't you need it to, you know, attack them?"

"No, I will not. They aren't worth it." His expression hardened, "I will apologize to you for the sight you are about to see."

"Huh?" They didn't understand why he would say that. He was just going to attack one of the patrollers, right? They'd seen him fight firenation before, so why...

Why did this feel a little different?

Why did they feel scared?

Before they could ask him, they were forced to hide. People were coming. Quickly, they hid in the alley, only Ayaan being out in the open. As the Phantom Unit had impeccable information skills, it didn't take long for things to begin, just as they'd said it would.

"Hmph, I guess that sorry woman ain't here." They heard. "It's too bad, I was hoping to get some extra pocket change today!" He began laughing, a hideous, irritating sound. The others laughed along with him, all but one.

"Sir, you arrested her son a few days ago." One of his men informed. Unlike the coarse, rugged voices of his other men, this one sounded young. He spoke softly, though it was rare for him to speak at all. No one except Ayaan knew that this was Wǔ. His voice was melodic, like bells. "Remember?"

"Oh? Oh yeah, I did, didn't I?" There was a wicked smile on his face. He continued walking, not noticing someone coming toward him. "That old man told me everything for a few copper coins! I wonder if she'll be sobbing on her knees if I tell her what I paid him came from her pockets! I'm sure it'll be pricele—"

Pain. A sudden and intense pain flooded his mind as his jaw cracked violently to the left. It didn't stop as his body followed, crashing into a nearby stall. Stars came out in the daytime before he regained his senses.

"W-who the hell ar-AAHHHHHH!" Pain once again exploded within him, this time from his chest. Cracks resounded in the air as his ribs caved beneath the boot of his assailant. His subordinates, shaken out of their shock by his cries of agony, all rushed at him.

"H-how dare you attack an officer!" They furiously ganged up on him. They tried to cover up their rising fear with anger, ignoring their trembling bodies that screamed at them to run.

They didn't realize that they were prey before a predator.

Ayaan didn't seem fazed as they surrounded him. His glare spoke nothing but rage and contempt as if they were nothing but scum on his boots.

With a swift, powerful kick, the one behind him was sent into another building, knocked out instantly. He grabbed the one in front of him by his throat, lifting him up like a weightless doll to slam him into his incoming comrade. When they collided with the ground, one would hear something snap. Their anguished cries were quickly silenced by a quick blow to their heads.

And then, all that was left were the whimpers of the tax collector, staring in horror as Ayaan slowly strode toward him again. He tried to scoot back, but it felt agonizingly slow with the fear that coursed through him.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

Until Ayaan was standing over him once again.

Desperate to escape, the tax collector tried to use his fire bending. He didn't care that his subordinates had tried and failed to do the same. He just needed to leave. He needed to escape!

Ayaan's frown became almost murderous at the flicker of light. He remembered the feel of flames very well. The potent, unyielding torture as the scars slowly healed, he remembered it all vividly.

CRACK—

"AHHHHHHHHH!" The tax collector's arms bent where they shouldn't be able to bend, the assailant's hands suspended in the air. It was so fast he didn't even see him move, and the man didn't even have to look away to do so. Now there was nothing he could defend himself with.

Blood gushed as bones broke and teeth flew, nothing but the sound of his pained screams echoed in the breeze. He could barely see due to his wretched tears, but when he did look at the face of his attacker, everything in his body seized.

A young man stood over him. Silverish white hair glistened in the light, but even the beaming sun beating down on him couldn't stop him from shivering beneath that icy glare. His eyes were merciless, so blue they were almost glowing. But what made him stand out the most was his scar. Maroon and vicious across his face and down his neck, the rest hidden beneath his clothes.

"Puleas..." His voice was feeble and distorted because of his dislodged jaw and missing teeth. "Puleas sp-sp-are meh...!

Ayaan picked him up from the rubble by his throat as if he were disgusting trash. With that expression, the tax collector was sure that was exactly what the young man thought of him. His helmet had been discarded, a dented mess upon the ground, so one could see his face turning blue from the lack of air.

No, this was not a young man...

It was a monster. A complete monster.

"Puleas...!"

Sokka and Aang watched in undisguised horror as Ayaan one-sidedly beat him down, undeterred by his cries for mercy. His knuckles aimed for his throat, making his voice go silent. One last blow to his head was all it took for him to finally faint.

Of course, they all wanted to at least hit him for the things he said and did. That man had been tormenting more than just Mrs. Hala. But this...? This was...

The disguised Wǔ had stood aside, never engaging in combat. His job was to simply take him in after he beat up a guard. He thought that Ayaan was going to give the man a single, well-placed punch. A few of them. And that, he did, but... He never expected to witness something so brutal from someone who'd seemed so kind. He was glad that they were allies, and that this powerful warrior was on their side.

But knowing that did not stop him from trembling as Ayaan got closer.

"You can arrest me now."

Because the quiet ones are always the most dangerous.