Coco (ATLA) (Book 1)- Major Editing Coming SOON

Book 2: Earth

word count: 3,756

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16.

I've been alive for 16 years. I've been living in a world riddled with war for 16 years, I was born in the Fire Nation 16 years ago. My life changed 16 days ago...

Today is my 16th birthday. I can't say I'm having the worst time, because I'm not. My energy is good, surprisingly. And look at this place, it's beautiful. We're surrounded by these cherry blossom trees. Their leaves flow around us as a soft breeze flows through our hair. I'm so glad that it's not cold anymore. The North Pole was beautiful, but so is the Earth Kingdom, and the weather is a lot warmer, thank the spirits.

Uncle and I are getting massages while Zuko is perched against a wall with his head low, pouting as usual. He has on a bamboo hat that covers his scar pretty well. As for me, I went to the clinic earlier where the women there gave me medicine and dressed my injury in these new bandages. I should be able to take them off in a few days depending on how I feel. Still applying medicine of course, I need to remove the bandages so my skin can breath. I also cut my hair, the parts that were damaged by Patyn. My curly shoulder length hair now goes to my ears. I look like a totally different person.

...I look like a different person...

My mom loved my hair, and Patyn took that away from me. My mom only knows me to have one hair style, one look, and look what he did. My hair is gone and my face is scarred! Look what Patyn did. How will my mom ever find me now? She won't even recognize me!

I'm nervous, nervous to see my face. I know there's a scar. I just can't believe Patyn would do this to me. His words still nagging at me, "I liked you, Kimi.. but I love my nation.." It was like he didn't even think twice about hurting me, and that was scary. Did he really have a dark side that I was to blind to see? There were little things of course, like his comments about working with Zhao, but I didn't think to much of them. The moment he struck my face, the feelings I had for him were gone. I wanted to work everything out, I know, stupid.

I'm ashamed of myself, that I dated a person who supported the Fire Nation trying to take over the world. Something I've been trying to end, something I've been so outspoken about. I was so busy trying to save Zuko, and judging him, I didn't see the real issue, which was Patyn himself. I feel like such a hypocrite. Zuko has his struggles, but he has more good in him than Patyn has ever had in his life.

And Wang, my friend, my brother. Is he ok? Did he lose his life trying to save the lives of others? I'm desperate to see him again, to hug him, to have him here with me. It's not fair. First I lost Li, now I've lost Wang. It's like my my life is repeating itself. What am I doing so wrong to deserve this?

I think Zhao is dead... and I can't say that I'm sad about it.

Based on what uncle said, it definitely sounds like it. It's not like Zhao is roaming the spirit world right now, right? He was taken into the ocean by the moon spirit itself though... Zuko tried to save him, but Zhao's demise was the result of his stubborness. I can't say I feel bad, but what Zuko did.. Well, I guess there is good in him, but there is still the part where he captured Aang.

I told uncle and Zuko only part of the story of how I was burned, I left out one very crucial detail. I never told them about Patyn fiding out I'm an airbender. I can tell uncle found it strange that I was able to take out a dozen fire nation soldiers without having any bending ability or any kind of combat training, but he didn't say anything, thank goodness. I kinda just made something up. I know, I wouldn't believe me either.

"Ahh, this is what I've been missing," uncle says in complete relaxation.

Yeah, this massage is exactly what we needed. Zuko is missing out, but he hasn't said a lot since the North Pole. I think he's sad because he had the Avatar but lost him. Can't say I'm sad about that. Not only that, but I heard Katara whooped his butt... twice.