The Girl They Won't Forget

The Search, Part 11

The forest glowed with a vibrant blue flash. The stench of smoke filled the air. I coughed, and Mika helped me to my feet. She pulled me away from the scene, though I fought to remain close enough to see the others. "Stay here," she told me.

I shook my head. "I have to stop Azula."

"No, you don't," she said, putting herself between me and them. "Katara and Zuko can handle her, just like they did before."

"Mika," I spat, "get out of my way."

"Please, Saki," she pleaded with me.

"Get out of my way!"

"Saki!" Mika yelled. She stomped her foot, sending a wall of earth up from the ground and barricading us. "Please - just this once, don't worry about Zuko. For goodness' sake, he's fine! Please just think about yourself and this baby of yours. I'm begging you!"

"Mika, I can't," I frowned.

"Why not?"

"I can't tell you."

"Tell me - why not, Saki?"

"Mika, just let me go!"

Her voice came out in a fed up, irritated shrill as she shouted at me. "Saki!"

Finally, I cracked. "Because I love him!" I wanted to stop there, but the words continued to spill out like a waterfall. "For years, I have only had Zuko by my side. He's protected me, he's taken care of me... He's been my best friend. I owe him more than I can give. I have to make sure he's alright, I have to know he's safe at all times. I have to know that he's safe because I love him, Mika."

"Of course you love him," she replied gently. "You're best friends, the closest friends I've ever seen in my life."

"More than that," I said. "I love him much much more than that." I shook my head vigorously. "But I know he won't love me back because I so stupidly told him that I didn't want to be with him before we faced Ozai and the Fire Nation for the last time. Why am I so stupid?!"

She froze. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish's as she searched for an appropriate response. "B-But... But Bao! And the baby?"

I looked down. Shame reddened my cheeks. It burned at my face and spread through my entire body. "I'm not sure I ever really loved Bao," I confessed. "Or, at least, I was never in love with him."

"I don't understand," she exhaled.

"To be honest," I said, looking up again, "neither do I." The commotion of the others had fallen to a quiet, then there was an unsettling silence. Seconds later, the sound of splashing caught our attention.

Mika looked at me and said, "This conversation isn't over, you know."

"Yes," I said while waddling past her, "it is."

As I drew closer to the others, I noticed Azula held to the ground by ice around her legs, binding her in place. More importantly, there was a large body looming over them. It towered about the trees and cast a shadow over the group. Faces - like masks - were floating around the body in circles. The body appeared to be comprised of seaweed and vines, forming arms, hands, a torso, and a head. This head held pale faces that reminded me of the porcelain faces of baby dolls.

This was the Spirit we had been waiting for.

I found my place next to Zuko, whose hand immediately found mine. He looked down at me without saying a word. He didn't speak for a long time, though it looked as if he had so much that he wanted to say but couldn't bring himself to. I gave a squeeze to Zuko's hand. I looked away, giving my attention to the Spirit before us. Her name was the Mother of Faces and, thanks to Aang being the bridge between two worlds, she was going to grant us one request.