The Glitch

This will always feel more like home to me

Aang and I were all packed up and ready to go to the fire nation, a place that has always felt more like home to me then the air temple ever did, but now this time when I go back there are so many people I need to stay clear of.

We had to talk to avatar Roku and get to the fire nation today before the solstice hits. And it's gonna happen today and we didn't want our friends coming with us, actually I didn't even want Aang coming with me.

I can fly without an animal and I know the ins and outs of the fire nation. My body wouldn't had even need to leave I could've made myself go into that glitch avatar state like I had been when I'd been there the last time.

But that was one argument I didn't want to have because I knew I couldn't win against him. We tried to get Appa to move but he didn't want to go anywhere. We tried to get him to fly but he didn't move. He even made Aang fly off and onto the ground.

He tried to make me fall too, but I just floated on the air. Sokka and Katara came over to us begging us not to go, but this was something we just had to do. And it was something we had to do today.

But she told us that she couldn't afford to lose us to the fire nation, or the world. But if we let them come we'd never forgive ourselves if something bad happened to them.

But once we got Appa to stand up they followed us and got in the way. We're not letting you to the fire nation without your friends. Sokka told us. As Momo flew into the air and sat on my shoulder as I stroked his head with a sad smile on my face.

Appa licked Sokka as if he were a big dog. One of the villagers came out and told us if he had any chance of making it there before sundown we'd have to go now that it would be a long ride there and we had to fly fast.

We have everyone onto Appa and head off just as the sun is beginning to come up. And we take to the skies. Unfortunately Zuko and Iroh knew we were there and ask the villager about us.

Sailing through the fire nation waters is the most foolish thing you've ever done in your 16 years prince Zuko this is most foolish! Iroh reminds him. But through the telescope Zuko is watching us.

I have no choice uncle, I'm chasing the avatars my father will understand why I am returning home. ZT: I'm really just chasing her at least in my heart, I could care less about him, but still my father wants the avatar and I will bring him to him.

But I won't let him lay a hand on Farrah. In the air he sees us, he sees me flying in the clouds next to Appa and the gang. A small smile crosses his face. He gets a confused look when I stop and pull my hand to my ear and rub it.

What's the matter Farrah? Katara asks me. My ears are burning. So, someone is either talking about or thinking about you. Katara shrugs. But we didn't call you. Aang shakes his head. I know.

But come down here Cloud Child sit with us. If we do run into Zuko or any of the other fire nation people you'll want to save your energy for fighting. Sokka reminds me. But this is so relaxing as it is. I tell them.

Cloud Child? He questions. What? Iroh asks him. N-nothing uncle. The telescope is close enough in angle that he is able to read our lips. Besides if she is out of energy or weak, and in the fire nation, there is one person that would come looking for her.

Katara states with a smile on her face. If I was going to the fire nation for fun I'd just go to the house, but I'd need a disguise now, now that the royal family is after my blood. Zuko frowns. Something the matter prince Zuko?

I'd probably find my way there anyways, pick up a few things that were left for me there. And in my spirit form I could go undetected go in an go out just like that. Too bad Zuko and Azula and their parents and Iroh won't be there to greet me this time.

Oh we shouldn't be too sure about that Sokka says cutting me off. They could be there but your welcome won't be like when you were a little kid. It might be warm but for the wrong reason they want to capture you this time.

Not that a part of you hasn't been captured already. Katara smirks. Your little boyfriend has captured your heart. She and the others coo at me. He's not my boyfriend, he's not even really my friend anymore. I frown looking into the distance.

ZT: If only that wasn't true. What are you doing still looking in that thing? Iroh asks. If I have it zoomed in enough I can read their lips. A skill I had to learn quickly when my sister and Farrah would gossip all the time. Or her and my mother.

Are you getting sick prince Zuko? Your ear tips are red and your cheeks are flushed? I'm just fine uncle. He turns away from the telescope. Just homesick. He leans on the railing looking out at the ocean. Home is where the heart is.

Iroh places a hand on his shoulder, and your heart isn't to the fire nation its to the girl, to a girl all of us once fell in love with only to grow skeptical of her later on. Except for myself, I'm no longer in love with her, those feelings are yours now, but I'm not skeptical of her and I don't hate her.

I never said I hated her, just want to capture them and make my father proud of me, but on the other hand I never want my father to lay a hand on her he can do whatever he wants with the other one.

And besides if she wants to go there, there's no longer anything there for her, I have everything with me. Is that so? The crown and the doll from when we were kids, the bracelet that came off her wrist. The one that matches yours.

Iroh nods. That's not all I picked up. I also have the waterbender's necklace. You changed the subject, every time we discuss Farrah more than just the glitch you shut down, and then change the subject.

My father will be proud of me you'll see. You give my brother too much credit, he is not the understanding type. We're getting closer. Men full speed ahead. I knew my ears were burning.

That's no the only thing, we will be if that thing hits us. Look! They have started firing things at us as we make Appa go faster, but then we see the blockade of fire navy ships and its too late to turn back around.

We say we could fly north around but there was no time for that. This is why I didn't want anyone coming with me, its too dangerous, I wanted to go alone! Without my body, get in talk to Roku and replay the message for you Aang.

That's exactly why we ARE here Katara and Sokka tell us as we start forward at full speed ahead towards the blockade. You're still in Earth Kingdom waters turn back now prince Zuko and they can't arrest you.

They're not turning around. This is your last chance, if you get arrested then that's it there's nothing I can do. Iroh tells him. I'm sorry uncle Zuko says sorrowfully. Full speed ahead go toward the blockade. He tells his men.

Zhao on the other hand also has his eye on Appa and down bellow at Zuko and his ship. The avatar, glitch and all, and what's this the banished prince?! Well, well, well looks like today's my lucky day.

The orders are then to shoot at us with fireballs from Zhao's ship, as we try to fly safely through them. The soldiers on the ship are worried that if they shoot at us they might hit the fire navy ship as well but Zhao says its ok because it belongs to a traitor.

They also try to avoid the firing of their ship only for the engines to stop working and his soldiers want to stop and make repairs he's not thinking clearly and doesn't want to stop the ship at any costs, as ocean water also is flung onto the ship and his men run around screaming.

On Appa we pat his fur when an ember strikes him. All of the ones from Zuko's ship missed us, but the other ship is close. And one hit us.

But look its also hitting the their ship too. They don't seem to care who they hit, as long we go down. When we all start screaming trying to avoid the fireballs.... ZT: Those screams, they frighten me.

It was a dark and stormy night, one of the nights I'd came to visit. I screamed. What's that sound mom? A young Zuko asked her. You mean the storm? No the screaming.

Listen. I screamed again. Why that sounds like Farrah's scream. Grab an umbrella and lets go out and find her. They came out to find me. Easy girl easy. I called over the wind.

I landed on the ground near their house near the market. A shot of lightning had hit my arm. Knocking me over. I lost control of the wind and crashed down.

There, there she is. Iroh! His mother called for him. She's all banged up, this is quite the storm. She'll be fine, we'll get her back to the house, she'll take a nice warm bath, and I'll make her some tea, but we have to wait till she's awake first.

Where should we bring her? She can rest in my room. It must be hard being basically a ghost and not being able to defend yourself. His mother shook her head. And I can help you fix her clothes again to help you sew them just like the last time this happened.

Can she even catch a cold? Iroh asked her. I don't want to take any chances, if Azula is asleep wake her, Farrah will switch into one of her outfits again. We don't need to wake her for that. Zuko tells his mother.

I saw her leave an outfit out for her in the hallway for when she comes to visit. And when she needs to look like one of us when we go out with her.

I was wondering why those clothes were sitting there. His mother giggled. Since she'll be resting in my room, I can go to the hallway and grab the outfit and bring it in. Do we have stuff to make soup?

If there are any ingredients we need we have them in the garden. His mother smiles nodding her head. In the bed I toss and turn Zuko sits on the floor in front of me watching over me. While his mother and Iroh prepare a warm bath, tea and soup for me.

Inside my dream I whimper and cry, I can see the storm that Aang and I and Appa were in as we begin to form the ice berg we were caught in a storm a lot like this one when nearly 100 years ago by that time and 100 years ago now that we're free.

Tears cloud my vision. I scream and sit up in the bed. I look around at where I am. I calm down feeling safe again. You're ok Farrah you're safe, I won't let anyone or anything hurt you as long as I'm with you.

He hugs me from the side calming me down. Are you alright dear? His mother asks me. How did I get here? You were knocked out from the storm. She tells me. We found you in the market place.

I don't like storms. I shake my head. I know dear I know. I grab the sheets of the bed and hold them up to me. Did I wake anyone up from my screaming? No she shakes her head, once my daughter is asleep she stays asleep.

We were all up waiting for you to wake up. Azula has an outfit for you out in the hallway for you to change into. You look like you might need to be patched up again.

I look down and see the blood on my arm. How in the world is that possible?! I scoot over. Don't move, we've got stuff to patch that up with, you'll heal just fine.

We can call in a Dr. and have him sew you right up. Will he even want to help me? I'm not a fire bender. She's a neutral Dr. she doesn't care what we are or who you are or about the war she just wants to help people. Like me and my brother.

Exactly. Avatars are kind of like Drs. they help people no matter what kind of bender they are even if they're just human or rather "normal" without powers.

Will it hurt? No, nothing and no one is gonna hurt you anymore. Zuko says wrapping his arms around me. It will hurt more if we don't fix it. His mother frowns. IDK how this happened but we're gonna get her back to being as good as new.

Thank you. I nod my head. It's our pleasure. She nods at me. Once the Dr. comes she ties a bandage around my arm and ties it into a bow. There, I see you have arrows on you.... She starts. Are you an airbender?

I nod my head. How old are you? 116. I see, you're the avatar. I thought all the airbenders were extinct? Me and my brother are both airbenders and both avatars. We're trapped in an iceberg we protected ourselves from a storm like this one.

About 100 years ago when the last one disappeared. She nods along to everything I say. In the meantime Zuko has stayed with me while the Dr. cleans my arm up, his mother and Iroh have left to go get me some tea and some soup.

She'll be ok now right? She will. The Dr. nods. I'll be on my way now. Goodnight everyone. Thank you. They wave her off. We go down to the kitchen so that I can drink my tea and soup but when the thunder roars again I scream.

Ah! I scream. Zuko! I cling to him. I'm scared. I tremble. I feel like a little kid, in human years I'm 16 which would make Zuko 12 I've got you. He hugs me. I'm just glad my sister isn't awake to see this. He mumbles.

When we go to bed for the night, I go to his room and he returns to Iroh's. Don't go! I plead with him pulling his arm. I'm right next door Farrah I'll leave the door slightly open if you want to come in.

Goodnight. Goodnight. I whisper. The next time I scream I rush to Iroh's room and tiptoe over to where Zuko is laying, and crawl over to him. Not wanting to wake him up I crawl away and over to a window and lay down closing my eyes.

Zuko wakes up somehow noticing there's been a new presence. He tiptoes over to where I'm laying then lays down next to me, pushing the made doll into my hands. Sometime during the night we both are now under the bedding sheets that he'd used to lay on the floor in Iroh's room and we wake up to find it has been draped over us.

We're on a collision course Iroh calls over to Zuko. As he snaps back to reality. We have made it safe and sound ish into fire nation as Appa takes us down to beside a stone bridge we've made it to the island where we need to speak with Roku.

We'll make it! Zuko tells his uncle confidently. Zhao now stops his attack to let them pass easily with no more harm done to the ship, which is very suspicious. But he believes Zuko will lead them right to us.

We walk along the stone bridge up to the temple and we are suspicious when there are no guards until we are inside. 5 fire sages that are the protector the temple say they know Aang is the avatar.

And you, Farrah old friend of the king and the other once before, the king has sent people out to search far and wide for you. His friend turned enemy. No, you've got it all wrong, if I were his enemy he should've captured me when he had the chance.

Either way, we will not let you or your friends get away, let alone alive, you are hereby under arrest by the king and we must take you both to him, and he can decide what he wishes to do with you then.

We make our friends run off and Aang and I stay and use our air bending powers to slow them down as we flee with our friends. This way. Aang calls. No this way, I stop him. When we come to a dead end this sage coming for us.

We run away coming to another dead end. Wait. Princess Farrah, avatar wait! I halt skidded to a stop. Please I come in piece I'm a friend. I can show you how to get to Roku. I know where he is I knew you were coming.

You know this guy? His name is Shyu. He's loyal to the avatar. He just called you princess. Sokka lifts an eyebrow. Zuko's mother gave me that title when we would walk around in the market while I wore one of Azula's outfits.

He will not betray me. I trust him. I nod smiling. I barely recognize you. He had full bowed at us when he caught up to us. This way quickly.

The other fire sages didn't want us to go find Roku because they knew one avatar would be too powerful to take down from contacting avatar Roku but two was unthinkable. He said he knew we were coming because avatar Roku's eyes lit up a couple weeks ago that was when we were in the air temple.

We knew once his eyes lit up you had entered the world. But two of you this time. That was a surprise. Out on his ship Zuko wonders why they weren't arrested, why they stopped firing. But Iroh tells him that Zhao is following the ships smoke because he knows Zuko will lead him to both their target, and that's us.

And there was no way Zuko was gonna let them find us. If Zhao wants to follow smoke let him, that's what we'll give him. At the temple.... If this the temple for the avatar why did the other sages try to kill us? Aang asks.

Things have changed they were once only loyal to the avatar alone but when avatar Roku died.... They looked and waited for another one. I *sigh* sadly with guilt. That's right. They were waiting for us. Aang says mimicking my expression.

We're too late. I frown. I never wanted to work for the king my grandfather and my family were forced into helping him, but when the queen brought you to the market with her children I knew you would be back. I knew I'd have to betray the other fire sages.

Once we get to where we're going there is another door he can't open because its not like the other door he tells us when we get to the statue we had to wait for the light to fall on him and only then we'd be able to speak with him.

But without 5 fire sages willing to help us there wasn't another way in. But Sokka thought of a plan that was just crazy enough it just might work.

Meanwhile to throw Zhao of their trail they make more smoke on the ship giving Zuko his own vessel to keep going the way he needed to be going while his uncle and the others keep going north. Iroh was worried this was a bad idea.

At the temple Sokka puts his plan in motion, but when the dragon statue part roars with fire the sages will know we have entered and we'll have to be quick. On our count we were ready to go in, we'd have to wait till sunset to talk to him. But we were ready.

After we do it, the doors are still not unlocked and we don't know how we're gonna get inside now. But even though the plan didn't work it still did, the sages heard the explosion and now Katara has her own plan.

Shyu goes to the other sages telling them we found our way into the sanctuary. Because of the soot we cover Momo in the soot and he gets to the other side of the room as we hide. With all 5 sages now they get tricked into opening the doors for us.

But even when everything looks like its going to work.... Aang now is your chance! I call to him trying to fight off the other sages making Shyu leave us and hide.

I hear someone coming. Get in Aang. Now! Not without you! You're the real avatar Aang I probably can't contact him even if I wanted I have to stay out here and help them fight them off.

I thought it would work but then Aang and I were both grabbed, and I *sighed* T: You win this round Zuko I grunt. You're not going anywhere. I hear him whisper into my ear. The avatars are coming with me! Close the doors quickly!

But with two of us, and I'm sure his grip on me isn't tight enough, Aang is able to break free as he sees our friends being chained to the columns. Aang makes an airbending move that manages to make Zuko let go of us as I squirm free.

Should've held me tighter. I smirk at him before following Aang. Another thunder noise is heard. I jump scared. I cling to Zuko. It's ok I've got you. Hold me close. I whimper. I will. I grip to him tighter when another thunder sound strikes.

Hold me tighter. My eyes glisten with tears. I will.... He wraps me in his arms. HT: You're safe here in my arms, I won't let anyone or anything hurt you. Not while I'm around. I could've sworn I heard him mumble to himself right before Aang and I slide into the next room.

Once inside we speak to avatar Roku. Aang Farrah what took you so long? We bow respectively to Roku, he tells us he has something important to tell us. He talks about Sozin's comet that it will come back at the end of the summer.

That when it comes back the fire lord will use it to end the war forever and no one will have enough power to defeat him not even the avatar. But, how can we do that? We haven't even started waterbending, and we need to learn fire and earth still too.

Learning the elements and perfecting them needs discipline and practice and takes years to master but if the world is to survive you must defeat fire lord Ozai by the end of the summer.

That doesn't give us a lot of time to master the elements. But he knows we can do it. Farrah the G-Ds weren't wrong, there was no mistake. Yes there has never been two of you but you are not a mistake.

Those that wish to help you and who have journeyed with you since the beginning know that is the truth, that you are more than just an avatar. Glitch doesn't always mean mistake. Our time is almost up and I can help you through the danger.

If you are ready. Zhao has seen through the smokescreen and has come after Zuko he knows we are inside and they know we have to come outside eventually. We are ready we tell avatar Roku.

Avatar Roku takes a bodily form and uses his powers to melt the chains connected to Katara and Sokka, melting the ground into lava making a safe path for both our friends and for Zuko to escape. Shyu is nowhere to be seen.

He had warned brother and sister alike that they had to leave before the whole temple melts down that if we had to talk to him again we'd find away that he was apart of us.

Once it is all over Katara and Sokka run to our side, the big white flash of light disappears. We ask about Shyu but they don't know where he has gone.

We see Appa and Momo coming and have made it out of the temple and onto his back. We fly off, the fire sages get arrested and brought with Zhao to his prison hold. Zuko goes back to his ship keeping an eye on us.

He watches us fly off. While the others comfort Aang. I turn behind us. I wave at nothing behind us. The telescope zooms in close enough for him to read my lips and without me saying anything, I mouth words to him.

Hi, I smile and wave, then blow a kiss. Making a cloud in the shape of a heart. Check your pocket. He looks out as us confused. He feels his pocket for a note.

Note: I'll always leave little notes behind. Somehow I knew you were watching us, my ears were burning so you were at least thinking about me. I never said he had to be enemy's just that we would be. I know there's still good inside of you. I know deep down you're still my friend. I know when you had me you didn't want to grab onto me too hard not to hurt me, but next time hold me tighter. Just like when we were kids and you protected me from the big bad storm. I also know you're trying to keep your promise you fired at us and missed on purpose. Didn't you? Don't deny it, I know you did. XOXO the avatar Glitch.

You're not a glitch that would imply there was something wrong with you, and there never was. To me you will always be just Farrah, my friend, and.... T: The girl I love. See you soon.