Lotus Flower: Book One|ZukoxOC(Avatar the Last Airbender Fanfic)

Winter Solstice: Part 2

After what seemed like hours, I speak up again. This time about something more serious.

"Guys, I need to talk to you about something really important." The three look at me expectantly.

"Oh no, did you drop the map again Li? How many times do we have to tell you, you don't have to hold onto it like some feather. Just squeeze it! It can take it," Sokka pinched his nose.

"That's not it. And hey! It's only happened one time," I groan.

"I'm pretty sure it's happened twice." Katara cuts in and I hold up my hand to count.

"Oh wait, actually three times.. sorry about that," I say sheepishly.

"You probably shouldn't hold the map anymore." Aang says, patting my back and I nod.

"That's fair."

"Now, what was it you had to talk about?" Katara asks, always the one to get us back on track.

"When we were at the last town and I had run off on my own to try to find Sokka.. something weird happened to me," I pause to make sure I had their attention, and it seemed I did. "I was brought into the Spirit World." I reveal and everyone gasps in surprise.

"Why you?" Sokka asks in suspicion, to which Kat elbows him in the side for.

"Continue," she encourages and I nod in gratitude.

"Well, ya see... Avatar Yangchen and some other guy needed to speak with me. They showed me a memory from a few years back." I take a deep breath for the next part, "They showed me Prince Zuko," I say, uncomfortable.

"Why would they do that? This doesn't make any sense." Aang states what I've been thinking all along.

"I'm not really sure.. for some reason they want me to join his ship. They think I have what it takes to make him a good person."

"That's crazy! That guy's a lunatic. There's not an ounce of good in him." Sokka throws up his hands.

"Yeah, he is Fire Natuon." Katara agreed. 

I look to Aang to see what he thought. "I mean, he has been chasing us.. how could he turn out to be a good guy?" He asks, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I can't be sure either. But how could I go against what the Spirits want.. one of the previous Avatar's wishes, for that matter! I can't simply ignore this." I look down into my lap, feeling incredibly confused.

"Sure you can!" Sokka says and his sister immediately jumps in—"You can't be serious! This is the Fire Nation Prince, we're talking about. He can't be good!" Katara rattles off and the boys nod.

"Nice to see how understanding you are.." I laugh nervously. "Guys, I don't want to leave-" Sokka cuts me off, "then don't! Stay here. Aang, say something."

"Li, we need you. I need you. You're the only other airbender left.. we can't just let you go. You're our family. You're like me." His eyes started to tear up, and mine quickly followed suit.

"Aang..I—ugh! I'm so lost. The spirits.. they're finally speaking to me, how can I," I cut myself off and throw my arm over my eyes, falling onto my back.

Momo jumped onto my chest and licked my nose, I think in a way to comfort me.

"How about this? If you can change his mind in two weeks, then we'll allow you to stay on his boat. If not, you're coming right back to us." Katara negotiates.

"Whenever things get bad, we'll have your back." She promised.

"That might work.." I say.

"No way! That's way too dangerous." Sokka's disbelief causes his voice to raise an octave.