Balance | Old Version

Chapter 101 (The Western Air Temple)

Elua's POV.

We all had been walking for hours, everyone was tired, hot, and just wanted to rest. But, we had yet to get to the Western Air Temple.
"This is humiliating," Katara sighs.
"Do you mean getting thoroughly spanked by the Fire Nation, or having to walk all the way to the Western Air Temple?" Sokka asks.
"Both," Katara states.
"Sorry guys, but Appa gets tired carrying all these people," Aang says as he walks next to Appa.
"I wonder how the rest of the troops are," Teo says, worrying about his father.
"They're probably on their way to prison," Haru tells him. Seems like my dad just got out, now he's going back in," He says sadly.

"I miss Pipsqueak," The Duke says sadly.
"I miss not having blisters on my feet," Sokka groans.
"Hey, we're here. I can feel it," Toph says as we stop at a cliffside.
"Uh, I think your feet need their eyes checked," Katara says as she looks out at the huge ravine in front of us.
"No, she's right. We are here," I tell them, making them all turn to me in confusion.
"Wow, it's amazing," Toph says smiling.
"Come on," I say as we all climb on Appa and fly down under the mountain, where beautiful upside-down buildings hang from.

"It's so different from the Northern Air Temple," Teo says as he looks around at all the statues, fountains, and trees. "I wonder if there are any secret rooms," He says.
"Let's go check it out," Haru says with a smile as they begin to go explore. Aang goes to follow, but I stop him before he does.
"You guys go...I think we need to talk about some things," I tell the boys with a kind smile.
"I'll race you, Duke," Haru tells him as he starts to runoff.
"I told you, it's 'The Duke.'," The Duke shouts as he follows after him.
"Why can't I go?" Aang asks.

"We need to decide what we're gonna do now. And since you're the Avatar, maybe you should be a part of this," Katara tells him with a smile.
"Fair enough," Aang says as he sits down. "So, what's the new plan?" He asks.
"Well, if you ask me, the new plan is the old plan," Sokka states. "You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes," He tells Aang.
"Oh, yeah, that's great. No problem, I'll just do that," Aang says sarcastically.
"Aang, no one said it's gonna be easy," I tell him.
"Well, it's not even gonna be possible. Where am I supposed to get a firebending teacher?" He asks, to which none of us has an answer too.

"We could look for Jeong Jeong," Katara suggests.
"Yeah right, like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again," Aang says as lays down on the rock he's on.
"Who's- Oh, never mind. If it's important, I'll find out," Toph mumbles.
"How about you just, conjure a fire spirit?" Sokka asks me. I look over to him with a raised brow, I can't tell if he's joking or not.
"That is not how this works...at all," I tell him.
"Oh well, guess we can't come up with anybody," Aang shrugs as he stands up. "Why don't we just take a nice tour around the temple?" He asks as he opens his glider and quickly flies away.

"What's up with him?"

Later.

Appa flies behind Aang as he glides in front of us, he wasn't taking firebending seriously and he needed to if we wanted to win this war.
"Aang, can we talk about you learning firebending now?" I ask from behind him.
"What? The wind is too loud in my ears," Aang yells over his shoulder, I give him a look but he ignores it. "Check out this loop," He says as he flies in a loop and Momo mimics his actions.
"Aang, I think we should be making some plans about our future," Sokka tells him seriously.
"Ok, we can do that while I show you the giant Pai Sho table," Aang tells us as we all land back on the temple. "Oh, you're gonna love the all-day echo chamber," He says smiling.
"I think that'll have to wait," Toph says, we all look over to her and she points behind us. We all turn around as Appa moves out of the way, reveling Zuko.

"Hello, Zuko here," Zuko says with an awkward wave. We stare at him shocked, but we all come to our senses and quickly take battle stances, ready for a fight. "Hey, I heard you guys flying around down there, so I just thought I'd wait for you here," Zuko says as Appa walks over to him and licks his face. "I know you must be surprised to see me here," He says.
"Not really, since you've followed us all over the world," Sokka reminds him.
"Right..." Zuko says awkwardly. "Well, uh...anyway, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I uh, I'm good now. And, well, I think I should join your group. Oh, and I can teach firebending...to you guys. See, I uh..." Zuko trails off, we stare at him perplexed.
"You want to what now?!" Toph shouts to him.

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" Katara asks him with a glare of hatred. "I mean, how stupid do you think we are?" She asks angrily.
"Yeah, all you've ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang and Elua," Sokka says glaring at Zuko.
"I've done some good things. I mean, I could've stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something," Zuko says pointing to Appa.
"Appa does seem to like him," I say as Appa licks him again.
"He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it," Sokka says crossing his arms.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past," Zuko says in shame.
"Like when you attacked our village? Or when you took Elua prisoner?" Sokka asks, listing a few things he had done to us.
"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" Katara asks angrily.
"Look, I admit I've done some awful things. I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should've sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. I'm gonna try to stop him-" Zuko is cut off as we all look at him shocked.

"Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka asks as he holds his boomerang threateningly.
"Well, that's not his name, but-" Zuko starts to say but is cut off again.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to insult your friend," Sokka says sarcastically.
"He's not my friend!" Zuko exclaims.
"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph shouts.
"Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends," Zuko reminds Aang, who turns his head away. "You know I have good in me," He says. Aang looks over to us, I shrug while Sokka shakes his head.
"There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us," Aang tells him almost unwillingly.

"You need to get out of here, now," Katara tells Zuko as she glares.
"I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore," Zuko says as he takes a step forward.
"Either you leave, or we attack," Sokka tells him.
"If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner," Zuko says as he gets on his knees and holds up his wrists.
"No, we won't!" Katara shouts angrily as she draws water from her waterskin and bends it at Zuko, knocking him down. "Get out of here and don't come back," She tells him. "And if we ever see you again...Well, we'd better not see you again!" She shouts at him. Zuko looks shocked, but he stands back up and walks away in defeat.