Chapter 85

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[Aang POV]

I remembered that fight clearly on the earth kingdom tunnels very clear, even after I was knocked into the backseat where no sound reached me, I could still see what was going on, that man… the fire bender that stood in my way to save Katana, was no fire bender, for he had the power to control the elements like me, earth… water, fire… and possibly air.

There was another avatar, one that stood against the peace I was trying to achieve, one that followed Ozai and his reign of terror, one that was stronger, more experienced and had no qualms about killing.

"I can't do this," I muttered in tears, as Katara entered the tent with Toph and Sokka, "One thing was fighting Ozai… but another avatar?"

"I don't think he's that evil," Toph commented, and immediately Katara was glaring at her, "What? If the guy was evil as you say he is he would've killed you instead of letting you go… all I'm saying is that the guy sounds like someone looking for a challenge…"

"How dare you!" Katara hissed, "He beat Aang to a pulp, and then pushed him to fight Azula and Zuko, and subsequently lost because he had no strength to fight back… and not only that… he works for the fire nation…. He IS bad!"

"Katara… Toph has point," Sokka pointed out, "The guy is obviously stronger than Aang, and yet he didn't killed him,"

"He almost did…" Katara growled.

"But he didn't," Sokka sighed, "Look in times of war, mercy brings nothing but destruction, why let Aang… the one person that could eventually possibly match him live?"

"Maybe he wants a tougher challenge?" I offered, thinking perhaps Toph was right.

"Perhaps," Sokka nodded with a faint smile, "But, I think he simply didn't want to end you for personal reasons, the way I see it… the guy is not totally loyal to the fire nation, if he was… well, no offense Aang but you wouldn't be here right now…"

"None taken," Sokka was right, if the guy was as evil as I wanted him to be… I would have more than a few bruises around my body.

"That doesn't change the fact he nearly killed Aang," Katara said, clenching her fists.

"No, but… maybe we could gain a new ally," Sokka added, with an overly serious tone for him, "Look, the guy is not loyal to the fire nation, and if we play our cards right… we might have a secret weapon to end this war once and for all,"

"An ally?" Katara almost shouted, "After what he did… never!"

"Katara this is war… and you don't win wars with the power of the heart…" Sokka sighed, "Look I'm not saying we have to befriend the guy…. he obviously has no moral compass, but we also don't have to make an enemy out of him… we simply have to exchange something for something, his help for our help,"

"Sokka is right," Toph stated, "Sometimes political alliances are necessary to win wars… this is not the time to get sentimental…"

"And what can we offer him?" I asked, wondering what we could do to have him on our side.

"Are you considering this after what he did to you?" Katara asked, in shock.

"Katara… I wish I could win this war alone… but… you weren't there… the gap between us could take decades for me to reach, I can't fight him and Ozai," I was weaker than him, that much was clear, "Ozai, Zuko, Azula and him…all of this is too much for me,"

"Aang…" Katara sighed, "If… this is what you want… I will support you… but I won't like it,"

"Alright…" Sokka smiled, "Well, Aang to answer your question… we have something he hasn't… by the information you shared with us, he only showed three out of four elements,"

"You mean…"

"Yeah, you will teach him airbending… in exchange for his help against Ozai," Sokka nodded.

"Wouldn't that make him more dangerous?" Toph inquired, "I'm all for allying with the guy… I was the one to say he wasn't all bad… but, I'm not so sure about giving the guy that swept the floor with twinkle toes on his super twinkle state,"

"I'm with Toph on that one," Katara nodded.

"Me too," I nodded.

"Aang… everyone… you guys are not seeing the bigger picture," Sokka chuckled, "Aang, tell me… what did the monks teach you about air bending?"

"Well, the monks taught us it was one of the many ways to become one with the universe… that by letting go of our anger, and other earthly desires we would be enlightened… escaping what made other humans prone to the seductive ways of evil," I answered and then it clicked.

"I see that you get it now," Sokka smiled, "I want you to change him while you teach him… like the monks did for generations,"

"That's that sounds like a terrible idea," Toph sighed, "But oh well, don't come to crying if the guy becomes even more godlike,"

"I don't know…. but perhaps it is worth giving it a shot…" Katara said, somewhat uncertain.

"Maybe Sokka is right… maybe I'm not meant to defeat him… but to guide him into a better path," I said with resolution, "At least it's worth a shot…"

"If this backfires… I will kick your asses in the spirit realm," Toph smiled.

"So…. are we in?" Sokka asked us with a smile, and we all nodded, though some of us more eager than others.

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[Iroh POV]

I was so close… so close to reaching him… I saw it in his eyes, he wanted to help the girl… he wanted to fight for the good of others… but it wasn't enough, he was still blind to the truth path ahead of him.

"Iroh," That voice, Akira.

"What a pleasant surprise," I said, forcing a smile. How could I smile, my nephew… the one person besides my beautiful Lu Ten that I loved like a son, had failed to see the good inside of him, and was now in a path where only suffering awaited him, and to top that I didn't have any tea.

"Put that frown upside down… I brought tea and cookies," Akira chuckled, "And don't worry… I give your dear nephew a month at much before he goes out to help the Avatar… the other one,"

I blinked in mild shock, "You think?" I asked with hope.

"He is killing himself on the inside now… and by how he feels he's about to break at any point now… don't worry," Akira chuckled.

I smiled at him, tears flowing from my eyes like a river with a broken dam, "You made this old man, very happy… I was afraid he has lost his path… but, perhaps this is what he needed,"

"It is," Akira nodded, as he served me some delicious tea and cookies, while I wondered where were the guards, "and don't worry about the guards… I took care of them…"

Oh so he did, what an interesting young man.