The Lost Episode #1 - Part 1

Disclaimer/Author's Note: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor its characters. The Avatar series belongs to Nickelodeon, Michael Di Martino, and Bryan Konietzko.

Timeline Placement: The Lost Episode takes place after "The Desert" but before "The Serpent's Pass."

Recap (for those who have not watched Avatar: The Last Airbender): Team Avatar, consisting of Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Aang's pet lemur, Momo, and Aang's sky bison, Appa, are traveling through the Si Wong Desert. They're looking for information that will help them defeat the Fire Nation and end the Hundred Year War. They make it to Wan Shi Tong's library. When they find the information they need contained in scrolls, the library starts to collapse. Outside of the library, Toph is left to watch over Appa. However, she is caught off guard by sandbenders whom proceed to kidnap Appa. When the rest of Team Avatar make it out of the library, they find that Appa is gone. Later on, they find the sandbenders that kidnapped Appa. Aang entered the Avatar State in a fit of rage, but is calmed down by Katara. Now they have to focus on escaping the Si Wong Desert without Appa.

As Team Avatar continue their travels through the Si Wong Desert, Aang looks up in the sky and sees a black silhouette in the sky. "Appa?" Aang questions as he stares at the sky. He wipes his eyes and double checks, seeing nothing there but the hot sun. With a disappointed expression on his face, he follows behind the rest of his companions.

It's nighttime, and everyone is fast asleep. Aang is tossing and turning, mumbling "No... no." In Aang's dream, Aang is outside of the Wan Shi Tong library. As he turns around, he sees the sandbenders, muzzling Appa, keeping him held down. Aang runs to save Appa, but a hand is placed on his shoulder. He looks and finds out it's Toph, her head bowed down. As she raises her head, her face appears to be like the sandbenders'. Aang looks back to see the sandbenders, along with Appa, gone.

Aang looks back at Toph, who slashes sand at him. In that instant, Aang woke up from his slumber, with a frightened expression on his face. As slight tears fall from his eyes, he lies back down, attempting to go back to sleep.

The next day...

Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Momo are walking through the desert, under the hot sun. Katara looks behind her to see Aang, looking depressed and disappointed, walking slowly behind her.

Katara worriedly asks, "Aang, what's wrong?" "Just thinking about something," Aang says. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Katara asks with care and worry in her voice. Aang turns towards her and says, "I had a dream last night. The sandbenders captured Appa. I couldn't save him."

"I'm sure we'll find him eventually. Right now we should focus on getting out of this desert," Katara assures. "Fine..." says Aang dejectedly as they continue their path out of the desert.

Night after night, Aang has the same nightmare over and over again. Then, one night, he has another nightmare. He's outside of the library. Katara, Sokka, and Momo make it out of the library. "We have the scrolls!" Sokka shouts with excitement. In that moment, Sokka, Katara, and Momo sink into the sand. "No!" screamed Aang as he jumped to save them, but it was too late. He looked behind him to see the sandbenders, Appa, and Toph gone. Aang then sinks into the sand, and as he is completely trapped, he wakes up.

Aang starts to cry, tears dropping from his eyes. He curls up in a ball and silently sobs, his head sunken in between his arms. Suddenly, he raises his head for his eyes and tatoos to glow. Aang had entered the Avatar State. Within Aang's subconscious, he's in the desert. The sky is pitch black, and the sand is blowing through the wind. Aang turns around to see a tall man, hooded with a light brown cloak.

Aang asks, "Who are you?" The man takes his hood off and says, "Hello, Avatar Aang. I am Avatar Gun."

End of Part 1...