(1) Augmentum | Zuko

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Katara is looking downcast as she stares into the trees. Not one. Not two. But all three of her companions have now disappeared. She lets out a sad breath and looks to Noivern who nudges her shoulder with his head. She doesn't know what to say to them. Suddenly, Aang comes into view riding his glider, weaving down from the sky and lands near her. She rushes to hug him and Momo flies to perch on his master's shoulder.

"You're back! Where's Sokka?" Katara asks him.

"I'm not sure" Aang whispers and then looks around. "Where's Rah?"

"I don't know, she left with Hei-Bai" Katara admits, the two of them sharing a look. Aang looks up at the sky and then into the forest.

"I know where they went" Aang adds and then hurries to Appa who makes an excited and welcoming noise. Katara looks Noivern who makes a noise and lowers himself for Rana's pokemon to climb on, Katara smiles and hurries to join them, climbing up into his saddle.

...........

Katara and Aang walk away from their mounts as they head to the newly refreshed forest where they can see Rana stood with the spirit panda who bounces around playing with a butterfly that has flown through.

"Wow" Katara whispers seeing a different side to the spirit. Aang touches Rana's arm, moving his fingers to cling to her sleeve when they join her. "He wanted the forest back" Katara realises. Hei-Bai turns to them, his eyes settling on Rana, they turn sad, knowing that he has to leave now. But he nods in acceptance of the revival of the forest. He lowers his head in a bow before he turns and walks away. Rana looks at Aang who smiles up at her. As the panda disappears through the trees, a thicket of bamboo grows to man height in seconds. A moment later, Sokka and a few villagers exit the thicket looking confused. "Sokka!" Katara shouts and runs to him, wrapping her arms around him. The other villagers are confused but Aang moves to them to explain what happened. Rana looks down at the grass before she kneels and runs her fingers through it with a soft smile.

"What happened?" Sokka asks his sister.

"You were trapped in the Spirit world for 24 hours. How are you feeling?"

"Like I seriously need to use the bathroom!" Sokka answers and Katara smiles, relieved that he's back, and still Sokka. Aang moves back to Rana as she lets out a deep breath.

"Thank you, Rana" Aang tell her, she hums and nods before she looks at him.

"I did my job," She tells Aang. "To pick up the slack whilst you learn, you don't have to thank me for doing that"

"Of course I do" Aang defends. "If you hadn't stepped in..." He shakes his head and kneels at her side. "I wonder if it was like this for the others" He whispers touching the grass. "If it was this hard"

"I am pretty sure that even Kyoshi struggled," She tells him. "Everyone struggles. Life's a struggle...."

"Maybe" He whispers.

"Please" She teases. "I know Roku made mistakes. I bet he accidentally set fire to the curtains at some point, I know I did...." She nudges him and he chuckles, looking up at her. The two of them sharing a look. She nods softly and pulls him into a hug, Aang hugs her back. He gets it now. Why the True Elementals are so important to the Avatars. To make sure everyone around them is safe if they can't do something. If they can't help, then at least their companions can. What he doesn't understand is why they never seemed to get any credit. The Avatar is the hero. But the Elementals must have had to work so hard too. Done just as much to help. They deserve just as much of the credit.

.........

Rana presses her forehead to Noivern's head as he coos. Pleased that she's back in one piece. That she is okay. This whole destiny thing is proving to be rather hazardous and given that they had it rather quiet up until Arkala. They spent their days together, bonding. Now they are running around. Fighting. Bonding still but with a bit more danger. It's not exactly fun.

"Yeah, I know" Rana voices and looks down at Vulpix looking at her rather sternly. "I won't do it again"

"Vulpix" Vulpix comments, disbelieving of her. Behind her, Aang stans with Katara and Sokka talking with the Chief.

"Thank you, Avatar. If there only were a way to repay you for what you've done" The chief offers, and yet again the Avatar is getting all the credit, when he did nothing, not really. Rana is the one that saved them. That led the bear away from the village. That gave it back what it wanted. She pretty much did everything.

"You could give us some supplies and some money" Sokka offers earning an angry elbow from Katara at his side.

"Sokka!"

"What? We need stuff."

"It would be an honour to help you prepare for your journey" The chief offers and then walks away. Aang moves to Rana as she checks Noivern's saddle. The two of them sharing a look, she gives a small smile before he turns to Sokka and Katara.

"There's something else" Aang admits quietly.

"What is it?" Sokka asks.

"I need to talk to Roku and I think I've found a way to contact his spirit" Aang admits as he crouches to scratch at Wartortle's head.

"That's great!" Katara offers warmly.

"Yeah" Rana agrees.

"Creepy, but great" Sokka adds.

"There's a temple on a crescent-shaped island, and if I go there on the solstice I'll be able to speak with him" Aang continues and stands again. He doesn't exactly look as excited as he should, considering the news.

"But, the solstice is tomorrow" Rana points out with a look.

"Yeah, and there's one more problem. The island is in the Fire Nation" He tells them. Sokka and Katara look terrified whilst Rana looks disinterested in returning home.

............

Zuko sits on his bed with Rana's tome open in front of him, he thought to find a weakness, something to exploit against the Avatar, and yet he can't bring himself to look for that information. So instead, he reads about the powers. The gifts. The true nature of these True Elementals. He's reminded a lot of the girl he was friends with. That showed him kindness and compassion. That showed him adventure and fun. Showed him how to be brave, even if he got hurt for it. He touches the back of his hand where he had once been burnt. The same bravery that marked him later. Who knows who he would have become without her in his life when she was. He sighs and closes the book. Everything inside of him is telling him to leave her be. But that desire for his honour to be returned pushes him forward. To get the Avatar. To get the True Elemental. To bring them in. To capture them and take them to his father.

.........

Rana lays on the back of Noivern, watching the stars above her as they fly onward towards the Fire Nation. She lets out a breath and draws her fingers over the button on her dress. She doesn't like not having her pin. She keeps worrying her dress is going to fall open and that's so stupid. The button is firmly in place and works perfectly. She can't believe she forgot where it came from. That she just pushed that memory away. That she'd forgotten just how Zuko had smiled at her when he gifted it to her. With a little box with a ribbon around it, his mother stood behind him with a soft smile. Rana had loved the pin the second her eyes had landed on it. Not just because it was beautiful, but because he had given it to her. Because he had gone out of his way to find something he thought she'd like. She smiles to herself and then shakes her head. Her relationship with Zuko when they were children was uncomplicated. They ran around and played and had fun. She'd talk him into doing things he knew he would get into trouble for, but he did them anyway, because those things made him happy. Her eyes sadden as she thinks about who he is now. That dark, angry, hateful person that took her. That mask he wears. She knows her friend is in there somewhere. The boy she called her best friend. The boy that made her laugh and smile. He's in there. She has to believe that. Otherwise, she knows she will lose hope in everything else. That there is no light left in the world if it can kill that boy.