"I have an idea," Aang said as we sat in a circle on the floor, criss-cross, Katara cooking something for everyone to eat. "Mei wanted to know where she got her dual bending from, right?"
"Right," I nodded, mouth watering from the delicious scent wafting from Katara's cooking. "Look how that turned out."
"No, but I have an idea," Aang said as Momo perched on his head.
"And what is your idea, Oh tattooed one?" I said with a smile as Katara handed me a bowl. I could still feel the awkward tension between us after the fact that we were siblings had come out.
"I always wanted a tattoo." Sokka sighed, shoulders slumping. "Aang's so lucky."
"Let's get back to the topic." I frowned. "If you want a permanent mark on your body, I know how to firebend." Heads turned towards Zuko, and I suddenly wished I could swallow my words. "I meant it as a joke," I quickly said, but he waved the statement away as if it were just a pesky mosquito.
"What of you were to take a trip to the spirit world?" After the words left his lips, four mouths spit out mushroom soup all at the same time.
"Eek!" I squealed, raising my hands to freeze the showers midair. The droplets hung above our heads. "Spirit world?" I tossed my hand to the right, and the droplets of soup drained away from us into a grassy patch of land.
"Yeah. I could help you. Maybe you could get some answers there."
"Uh, I don't think so," I laughed nervously. "I'm not good with the whole 'out of body ' experience."
"Trust me, it's not that scary," Aang said, grinning.
"Don't believe him. There's a face-stealer there somewhere that takes your face if you show the slightest hint of emotion," Katara put in, much to my surprise.
Damn. "Yeah." I shook my head, freaking out inside. "Not happening."
"I could go with you," Aang said. "I've been there before. But you can't bend inside."
"Then how am I supposed to protect myself?" I sputtered. "What is this?"
"It's called a spirit world."
"No, what's this?" I pointed at something floating in my soup. Katara peeked over.
"Well one things for sure. I didn't put that in there," she said, shuddering. I set the bowl aside, trying to contain the horror I was feeling.
"Maybe Aang's right," Zuko's raspy voice cut through the tightness I was feeling in my chest. "You should try it."
"Can't the Avatar only do that mumbo jumbo?" I put in. "Who says I can even get there if I tried?"
"Ayame," Aang said, "don't worry. You're capable of bending two elements. You taught yourself two elements, when you grew up only watching one. Who says you can't go to the spirit world?"
I took a deep breath in, and held it for as long as I could. "Okay," I exhaled. "Okay."
♋♋♋
Zuko watched Ayame as she sat in a patch of grass with Aang, breathing slowly. The rest of the Gaang had gathered around to see Mei training.
"Breathe in," Aang instructed, hands clasped in his lap, "and out. In, and out."
Zuko smiled as Ayame fidgeted, her eyes closed. She wasn't concentrating. How could anyone expect her to sit still?
"Do it again," Aang said. She breathed. "You sound like you ran a marathon. Calm your nerves. Focus."
