(1) Augmentum | Zuko

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Rana leaves Bato, Sokka, and Katara to catch up, along with Aang for some reason. She'd tried to persuade him to stay with her but he was more interested in going inside. Rana lets out a breath and scratches at Ninetails' head absent-mindedly. The two of them watching the monastery women go about their tasks. An older woman with a kind face approaches Rana, sat on the ground.

"Rana?" She asks, Rana looks at her confused. "Do you remember me?" The woman asks. Rana searches her face for some kind of memory but she's got nothing but feelings about this place.

"No" Rana shakes her head. "I'm sorry" She then stands. "But you know me?"

"Yes, your parents brought you here when you were little..." She answers softly. "Only a few days before the attack...." She whispers. "I was tasked with watching over you whilst you were here.....You were loud" She teases slightly. "Bold....spirited...I was so sorry to hear about what happened...." Rana nods and looks out at the gate. A few days before the attack. She then seems to realise something. Rana stands and then moves towards the gate. She was here as a child. But she was here again later too. She passed over this place. She grabs her necklace, pulling the ball from it before holding it out. Spectrier appears from the ball and Rana pulls herself up onto its back before nudging it into a gallop, taking her away from the monastery.

......

Rana pulls Spectrier to a stop at the edge of the trees, from here she can see a village just down the hill. Familiar. Arkala. She stares at it. Of course. When she'd fled it had been by air, she'd flown over the monastery on Noivern's back. This village is her home. The place she was born. The place she was stolen from. The place that freed her of the Fire Nation. She pulls on Spectrier's reins. She doesn't want to be back here. She swallows and turns her head, pulling Spectrier around with her.

.......

Sokka raises an eyebrow at Rana when she returns, asking if she's okay. She nods and touches Spectrier's face before it turns and walks away, disappearing into the trees again. Rana crosses to join Sokka, Katara, Aang, and Bato waiting at the edge of the beach close by.

"You look like you've seen a spirit" Sokka points out. "Wait. Have you?"

"No" She argues and shakes her head. "No, just.." She motions behind her, implying Spectrier. "You know we don't really get along" She shrugs a little. "What are we doing here?" She then asks. Sokka smirks and wraps his arm around her shoulder to pull her closer. His eyes landing on the water tribe boat across the beach.

"Is this the boat he took you ice-dodging in?"

"Yeah" Bato agrees. "It's got the scar to prove it. Huh. How about you, Sokka? You must have some good stories from your first time ice-dodging?"

"He never got to go" Katara answers. "Dad left before he was old enough"

"Oh, I forgot, you were too young"

"What's ice-dodging?" Rana asks.

"It's a rite of passage for young water tribe members. When you turn sixteen your Dad takes you... you know what" Bato puts a hand on Sokka's shoulder, who looks downcast. "You're about to find out" Sokka smiles, touched.

...........

The mighty lava flows, hardened to stone by Aang's air-bending, surround Aunt Wu's village, they are ominous, but harmless. Zuko looks over the boundary and raises an eyebrow as his rhino follows after Houndour who follows June's scent.

.........

In the centre of the village, Houndour has stopped, is sniffing around, nose to the ground, going around in a circle. Zuko's rhino comes to a stop behind him, Eevee shifting behind him to get a good look.

"Why are we stopping?" Zuko asks the hound who growls and then barks at him. Zuko lets out a breath and climbs down from his rhino and looks around. The villagers look scared. "They're scared, whatever that beast is...it definitely came through here" Iroh climbs from his own rhino and moves to Zuko's side.

"Which means Rana herself was here" Iroh adds. Zuko nods.

"Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" Aunt Wu asks Iroh who turns to face her as she moves towards them.

"At my age, there is really only one big surprise left, and I'd just as soon leave it a mystery" Iroh answers and then moves back towards the rhino. "Zuko, we have to move if we want to catch up" Zuko nods in agreement and turns to leave, Aunt Wu grabs Zuko's wrist to stop him.

"You...spirit-bound" Zuko looks at her and frowns.

"What did you call me?" Zuko asks her.

"There is no time" Aunt Wu warns and steps closer. She hums a little, studying him. "Your destiny is so tightly wrapped up with hers..." She offers and then softens. "Good," She tells him. "She needs you..." Zuko stares at her. "And I see you've made your choice" She realises, staring at him. Zuko pulls his hand away and looks down before he turns and moves to climb back onto his rhino. Aunt Wu watches them leave, looking conflicted.

..........

Bato's boat is cutting through the waves near the shore, Rana, Katara, Sokka, and Aang are all gathered on the deck. Sokka leans on the edge, smiling as he watches the waves pass them by.

"Ice-dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, observation, bravery and trust" Bato explains. "In our village, it was done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs"

"How are we supposed to ice-dodge without ice?" Sokka complains.

"You will be dodging...those" Bato points ahead to a veritable thicket of stalagmite like rocks. Rana raises an eyebrow. "Sokka, you steer and call the shots. Lead wisely. Katara, you secure the mainsail. The winds can be brutal, so be brave. Aang, you control the jib, without your steady hand, we all go down. Your position is about trust" Aang suddenly looks nervous and guilty.
"I know that! Why wouldn't I know that? I'm the Avatar! I know about trust" Aang pouts and folds his hands across his chest. Rana gives Aang a weird look. Bato then turns to Rana.

"Rana" She turns to him. "Upfront, eyes on the rocks and the water, shorter but sharper ones can be missed and can lead to the doom of the ship and its crew" She nods and Bato walks over to the bow and sits down. "For this to be done right I cannot help. You pass or fail on your own"