The Legend of Arin

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR: RUNAWAY AVATAR

BOOK THREE: FIRE

IT WAS ABOUT TWO WEEKS after what happened in Ba Sing Se. The Fire Nation officially won the war after conquering all of the four Nations. Aang was in and out of consciousness the entire time. the Gang, now including Arin once more, watching over him.

They had taken over a Fire Navy ship with the help of Hakoda and the rest of the Southern Water Tribe warriors that they regrouped with after leaving Ba Sing Se.

Katara, Toph, and Arin had been lined up on the edge of the ship, talking about what they were going to do from this point further until a crash was heard behind them. They turned around, smiles on their faces.

"Twinkle toes, that's got to be you," Toph said enthusiastically.

"Aang, you're awake!" Arin smiled as the three girls ran over to stand in front of him.

"Are you sure?" He mumbled weakly. "I feel like I'm dreaming." He rubbed his eyes.

"You're not dreaming." Katara rushed to hug Aang. "You're finally awake." Arin made her way over to hug Aang tightly as Sokka, clad in Fire Nation armor waltzed over.

"Aang, good to see you back with the living, buddy." He hugged him.

"Sokka?" Aang said in confusion, squinting his eyes. Aang moaned in fatigue, beginning to wobble.

"Uh-oh, somebody catch him. He's gonna..." Arin rushed behind her brother to stop him from falling as he passed out.

"Guess we overwhelmed him too early," Arin said as she laid Aang down on the ground, her lap used as a makeshift pillow. Katara rubbed a comforting hand on his arm.

ZUKO

STARING OFF THE edge of the ship, his mind riddled with thought. He stared at the passing sea with a blank face before a voice broke him out of his trance.

"Aren't you cold?" Mai. His girlfriend from before he was banished. Zuko glanced at her before looking back at the sea.

"I've got a lot on my mind." He replied honestly. There were many things running through his mind. His actions in the past weeks and what the future would hold for him once he returned to the Fire Nation. "It's been so long. Over three years since I was home. I wonder what's changed. I wonder how I've changed." He looks off to the side, his mind still racing.

Mai yawned.

"I just asked if you were cold. I didn't ask for your whole life story." Zuko furrowed his eyebrows, annoyance, and embarrassment rising within him as he turned away once more. Mai smiled and threw an arm around him, the other rising to his cheek. "Stop worrying." She closed her eyes and pulled Zuko's face to hers, their lips meeting in a kiss.

It was true that Zuko felt something for Mai, but what he felt wasn't love and he knew that. Mai was part of his life back home, the life he had longed to regain for the years he had been gone. But the life he had lived outside the Fire Nation while he was banished, he missed it. He missed her. 

As Mai and Zuko pulled back, Zuko opened his eyes to see a flash of Arin. His throat tightened and he turned away as Mai walked off. He had seen her every day and grew used to it.