Façades [A Zuko x OC Story]

37 - The Avatar is Lost

Sokka throws the last of our stuff into Appa's saddle, "Okay, that's everything."

"No, it's not. Where's Aang?" Toph points out. Now that she mentions it, I haven't seen him since he stormed off last night.

I run back to the beach house, "Aang!" I call out. The team and I run out onto the balcony, "He left his staff." Sokka walks over and picks up the wooden glider, "That's so strange."

"Aang's not in the house. Let's check the beach." Zuko suggests and we make our way down to the beach.

"Look, there's his footprints." Sokka points to a trail of footprints in the sand, "The trail ends here." The footprints lead out into the water and never return.

"So, he went for a midnight swim and never came back?" Suki asks, confused.

"Maybe he was captured." Katara thinks aloud. Sokka crouches down to get a better look at the footprints, "I don't think so. There's no sign of a struggle."

"I bet he ran away again," Toph says.

"Uh-uh. He left behind his glider and Appa." Sokka retorts.

"So, what do you think happened?" I ask.

"It's pretty obvious. Aang mysteriously disappears before an important battle? He's definitely on a Spirit World journey."

"But if he was, wouldn't his body still be here?" Zuko corrects.

"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that."

"Technically he could be on a spirit world journey and his body just got swept away by the sea and we'll never see him again," I say, tapping my chin. The group stares at me with wide eyes, "But that's just the worst-case scenario and I'm sure he's fine." I smile awkwardly.

"Then he's got to be somewhere on Ember Island. Let's split up and look for him." Katara orders. Toph rushes to Zuko's side and grips his arm, "I'm going with Zuko!" My boyfriend's face flushes at the sudden contact.

"What?! Everyone else went on a life-changing field trip with Zuko. Now it's my turn." Toph states.

"Li Mei," Zuko pleads. I smile and wave, "You two have fun with that." I say, walking off with Katara and Suki.

The three of us head into the city, "Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang!" Chanting comes from a large group of people in the city centre.

We push our way into the circle but once we reach the centre my shoulders slump. Actor Toph holds Actress Aang in the air, "Avatar State! Yip-yip!" The crowd cheers.

"Ugh!" I groan and exit the crowd of people.

-

I sit down on the front steps of the beach house as Sokka lands Appa in front of us, "Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing you guys didn't find Aang, either." He jumps down.

"No. It's like he just ... disappeared." Zuko says.

"Hey, wait a minute. Has anyone noticed that Momo is missing, too?" Toph asks.

"Oh no! I knew it was only a matter of time!" Sokka runs back over to Appa, "Appa ate Momo!" He opens the sky bison's mouth and starts to crawl in, "Momo, I'm coming for you, buddy."

"Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo. He's probably with Aang." Katara retorts. Sokka climbs fully into Appa's mouth, "That's just what Appa wants you to think."

"Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka. We have a real problem here. Aang is nowhere to be found and the comet is only two days away." Zuko restates the issue at hand.