𝐀𝐆𝐍𝐈 𝐊𝐀𝐈 [𝟐] 𝐙𝐔𝐊𝐎

12

    UZUME WORKED SILENTLY as she helped Sokka place bags on Appa. Her shoulders were tense as she thought of their plans for today and the people she'd have to face. She stared down at her feet with her eyebrows furrowed as the other's talked amongst themselves.

  "If it means anything... I'm proud of you." Uzume looked back up with a sad smile on her face. Azula's head shot up to look at her, eyes wide, not used to the positive affirmations, eyes filling with tears.

     "I'm proud of you and I love you."

    Uzume was startled out of her thoughts when a pale hand softly touched her shoulder. She sharply turned and met Zuko's worried eyes.

     "Aang isn't in the house, we're going to check the beach right now."

    Uzume lowered her eyes from his and nodded softly. She took his hand gently and followed him down to the beach, joining the others.

      "Look! There's his footprints." Uzume pointed to the sand and followed them. She was stopped abruptly by the ocean, "The trail ends here."

     "So... He went for a midnight swim and never came back?" Suki suggested. Katara looked at the footprints, visibly worried, "Maybe he was captured." She held her hands to her chest as she pictured the horrible things that could have happened to Aang. Uzume winced at the slight chance that Aang was hurt, immediately regretting that their last words were them yelling at each other.

      Sokka shook his head, "I don't think so. There's no sign of a struggle." Toph bent down from beside him, "I bet he ran away again." Uzume slapped Toph's shoulder,

    "He wouldn't run away again, especially since he's already been gone 100 years," She paused and looked at the others with doubtful eyes, "Would he?"

    Sokka shook his head again, "No. He left behind his glider and Appa."

     "Then what do you think happened to him oh sleuthy one?" Toph asked Sokka sarcastically. Sokka shrugged nonchalantly, "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 spoke up, watching Sokka with doubtful eyes. Sokka visibly slumped his shoulders, "Oh yeah, forgot about that."

    Suki placed a hand on Uzume's shoulders, "Can't Uzume do something? Can you do some spiritual airbender stuff and find him?" Uzume looked at Suki unimpressed, "Spirit Bending? No. I can't even properly airbend without fans."

    Katara sighed and interrupted Suki's suggestion, "Then he's gotta be somewhere on Ember Island. Let's split up and look for him."

     Toph swiftly grabbed Zuko's arm and leaned into him, "I'm going with Zuko!" As if she could sense everyone looking at her curiously she defended herself, " What? Everyone else went on a life changing fieldtrip with Zuko. Now it's my turn. Plus I wanna ask him some things about Uzume." Uzume raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms.

    "Alright, Sokka and I will stay here in case he comes back." She and Sokka walked back to the house while the others went out to look for Aang. Sokka studied his friend's posture as she sat herself down on the steps of the courtyard.

    "You're scared." He suddenly said. Uzume groaned in frustration and tugged at her bangs. "It's all falling apart." She placed her face in her hands as she slouched into her knees.

    "Aang's missing and the last thing I did was yell at him. And on top of that, I was yelling at him to do something that I don't think I'd be able to do."