The Lost Waterbender (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction)

Hope Is Lost

I didn't go back to the hideout. Hikura had forgiven me, and said I was welcome to come back. I was thrilled to have gotten rid of that horrible image of myself and proved I was really a good person, but I was happy at Piandao's. I went to visit the hideout often, but if anyone asked me where I lived, I said at the home of Piandao.

After the battle in Moon Jade Valley, the White Lotus said they would monitor it and make sure no other soldiers came back. If they did, we'd be ready to help. However, after a couple months, it was decided the city was safe. The other groups across the nation were successful in fighting off the militia as well.

Piandao and I got back into our original schedule. It was peaceful and we were happy. Then, about six months after the job with the White Lotus, things started getting weird.

News got around that apparently, the Avatar was alive. The Avatar was the only person in the world who could control all four of the elements; water, earth, fire, and air. According to legend, the Avatar spirit is passed down to different people, always reincarnating in the cycle. However, a the beginning of the war, the Avatar vanished, and the Fire Nation took over. Most people, including me, assumed the cycle was broken and the Avatar was gone for good. But then I started hearing news in the town.

"The Avatar has returned! This is bad news for the Fire Lord."

"Perhaps the Banished Prince will be allowed to retrench home after all-if he can capture him, that is."

"I heard he captured two companions with him."

Whenever I reported these things to Piandao, he would smile and say, "There is still hope yet."

Then things got even weirder. Prince Zuko was declared an enemy of the nation, and rumor had it his sister, Princess Azula was chasing him around the world, trying to bring him back to arrest.

I discussed this with Raiko when I was visiting. "I feel bad for him now," he said.

Several months went by with hardly any news. But I'll never forget the day when the news went from none to awful.

I was sitting in the villa, practicing calligraphy patterns Piandao had shown me. He himself had been out doing some business in town.

I glanced up as the front gate swung open. Piandao came in, looking grim. He walked into the villa without even saying hello and walked right by me. "Ryu, have I gotten any important messages?"

Ryu called from the kitchen. "No, Master Piandao. None."

He turns to me, a trouble showing in his face. A send of dread came over me. "What happened?"

Piandao sighed. "The Fire Nation has conquered the city of Ba Sing Se, the last Earth Kingdom stronghold."

I gasped. "No...does that mean?"

Piandao nodded. I jumped to my feet. "No, that can't be true."

"It is," he said grimly. "And it gets worse."

"How much worse can that be?" I asked.

"Prince Zuko did as he was told in order to be welcomed back into the nation. He killed the Avatar."

My mouth dropped. "Surely that's just a rumor..."

Piandao shook his head, his expression hardening. "Princess Azula found him in Ba Sing Se. I guess she and him infiltrated it and eventually killed the Avatar. They took over after he was gone."

I leaned against one of the pillars and clutched my stomach. After everything...the missions with the hideout, the heist that had left me crippled, the battle in Moon Jade Valley...all of it was for nothing. The Fire Lord had taken over, and the war was lost.

"Is there anything the White Lotus can do about it?"

"I don't know," he answered. "Fire Lord Ozai will have the concentration of his forces in Ba Sing Se, and those are mass numbers. I don't know if the Lotus even has that many people to help re-conquer it."

I sat down an looked down at my work. "So it's hopeless. We lost."

Piandao looked out over the mountains. "Nothing is ever hopeless. Yes, on this day, we have lost. But there will be other days to fight. Don't give up."

I sighed and pulled my right leg up to my chest. "I hope you're right, Master."

{}

Around the Fire Nation, celebratory feelings were high. Whenever I went into town, people were laughing and singing and telling the tales of soldiers. Eventually, I stopped going to town. I didn't want to think about why they were celebrating.

I heard later from Piandao that General Iroh was in jail. Hearing that the sweet old man was a prisoner of his own nation made me extremely downcast. I opted to bust him out, but Piandao told me it wasn't the right time.

"Well when is it the right time?" I snapped.

He was quiet, then said, "when the time comes, you'll know."

I groaned and plopped down on the ground. I began massaging my bad leg aggressively. "This stinks. I hate not doing anything."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, the he spoke up. "How about we go make a sword?"

"Sounds good to me," I said.

We made a lot of swords. It was the best distraction from what was happening. I also did a lot of mind exercises such as calligraphy, painting, and weaving. Not only that, but I sparred with Piandao or Burly for hours at a time. I was constantly moving, refusing to give myself any time to sit still and think. This went on for a long time.

Then one day, a several weeks after the news of the Avatar's demise, I met him.