Chapter 34: Last Day

XXX

The morning on Ember Island was a quiet one, noone suspecting that one of their own had gone missing during the night. However, for now it was just an almost regular morning.

With the first rays of the sun hitting Azula' eyes, she awoke from her deep sleep - as per usual of any firebender.

"Morning," said Azula, as she felt a familiar someone lying next to her - somebody she could recognize just by his nearness.

"Morning yourself," replied Zhan. "Slept well? No nightmares or bad spirits?"

"None so far," she replied, rising to sitting position in the bed.

"That's good news then," he added.

"Yeah," she replied, although that cheery feeling was a bit short. "One day, until everything goes ablaze."

"Oh don't be so gloomy!" he said, pulling her into a hug and onto his lap.

"We will win! Trust me," he said, adding a kiss for encouragement.

"Okay. Maybe," she said, feeling a bit better. Then getting up from her bed, a smile on her face. "You know...we got enough time, to do something, stupid one more time.."

"Like what?" he asked.

"We could try one last dance," said Azula.

"Really?" he asked suprised. "Last time - which happened in the Palace - you said my dancing was worse than a stomping rhino."

"Oh come now, it wasn't that bad," she replied. "Okay, maybe a little. But now I know how you dance - you suck at slow dances."

"So how are we going to do it now?" he asked.

"Let's try something, loosening - try to keep in a rhythm, forget punctuality - let's just be free and enjoying ourselves," spoke Azula, offering her hand.

"Oh fine - but don't say I didn't warn you," he replied, accepting her hand.

"You didn't warn me," said Azula teasingly.

"Oh never mind," replied Zhan, as they started their fun.

XXX

The first thing that Zuko did, when he woke up was to check that nothing was missing or cut on him. Luckily there wasn't, although Mai wasn't next to him either.

'Uh oh,' thought Zuko, looking around the room for her.

"Hi there," said Mai, entering the room and her arms crossed. "Looking for someone?"

"Oh...uh..." mumbled Zuko, a bit akwarded at the moment. "...you..."

"Oh really?" asked Mai, in her usual tone. "I suppose the leaving us in Ba Sing Se was your idea.."

"...well..." mumbled Zuko, before he heard Mai chuckle. "Did you just?!"

"Oh relax...just messing with you," said Mai, sitting down. "Although it was a suprise, to find you next to me."

"It was?" asked Zuko.

"Mhmm..." nodded Mai. "Oh ease up, I'm not so high-strunk...mostly."

"Seriously?"

Mai replied by kissing Zuko on the lips, a smile on her lips after.

"Satisfied? You're not the only one, who has been hanging around in an interesting group," said Mai, heading for the door. "Say nothing of this, outside this room, I mean it!"

"Okay..." replied Zuko, as Mai left and left him half-dazed on what had just happened.

"Oh and one more thing!" said Mai, returning to the doorway. "Stay away from Azula's room or you'll seriously want to wash your eyes with soap."

XXX

Back in the couple's room, things were getting more interesting - as Azula and Zhan were trying out new dances; a few they had seen and a few they were making up on the go.

"One, two - step, step - three, spin.." said Azula, as she was having a fun-time of teaching and learning to dance. Currently getting spun around and drawn back into his hold.

"You know - this is actually easy - although breaching a lot of formalities, when it comes to formal dances," explained Zhan, as he lifted Azula up.

"Let them formalities burn for all I care. Dancing is about expression and as far as I'm concered, I express myself how I want," replied Azula, as she was let down and they continued their dancing/goofing.

"A new cultural thing - discovered by Princess Azula. If you don't like politics, you can always teach," said Zhan, as went faster - their bodies moving quickly, randomly and freely.

"Keep up the flattering, I might even take you up on that offer," replied Azula, her face inches away - until they were interupted by Katara at their door.

"Uhh, what are you two doing?" asked Katara, as the two were in a weird and akward position.

"Nothing!" replied Azula, returning up and not bothering with an explanation. "Something wrong?"

"Aang is missing!" replied Katara, shocking both of them.

"What do you mean missing?!" asked Zhan.

"Missing! He's just vanished: nothing, not a note or message," explained Katara.

"Get the others! We need to find him fast!" said Zhan.

XXX

Word travelled fast, as everybody was soon searching for Aang. Mai and Zuko through the house, Katara and Suki in the town, Toph and Ty Lee from up high, Zhan, Sokka and Azula at the beach.

"What do you think happened?" asked Azula, as she eyed the ocean.

"I don't know. I had spoken to Zuko earlier that night and Aang had been still there when we bumped into eachother," replied Zhan.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why would Aang leave, before an important battle?" asked Sokka.

"Guys..." said Azula, as she found an old sand-trail leading from the house into the sea.

"Strange. There doesn't seem to be any signs of struggle or of being dragged," replied Sokka, examining the path. "Maybe spirits captured him?"

"Yeah...no," said Azula. "He's the Avatar, spirits just don't jump him and why weren't we affected by it?"

"Hey, I'm just passing ideas," replied Sokka, as the others arrived at their location.

"A foot-trail?" asked Zuko. "But why to the sea?"

"Spirit-journey?" proposed Ty Lee.

"Possibly..." replied Zhan, as he eyed the path. "Ty Lee, come here and walk in a similar path as Aang."

"Umm...okay," replied Ty Lee, as she walked the same way as Aang.

"He walked calmly and easily, not worried or concerned about anything," said Zhan, thinking out-loud. "Are there any other disturbances on the sand Toph?"

"Not that I can feel much, but Aang' trail seem's to be the freshest and straight," replied Tiph.

"But why did he go?" asked Katara.

"Spirit journey, likely," said Zhan. "He was having a crisis, regarding on how to deal with the Fire Lord? Right?"

"Yeah.." said Katara.

"So it's likely, he went on a spirit-quest to find some answers," replied Zhan. "Although I don't know why the lemur is gone as well."

"Spirit guide? Anyway, we got a bigger problem - what about the Comet?" asked Azula.

"We can go stop it or wait for Aang?" said Toph. "I don't know."

"If Aang went on this trip, he must've known how to get back in time to stop the Fire Lord," replied Zuko.

"Yeah, but how can we stop the Fire Nation army from annihilating the world? With or without Aang?" asked Katara.

"I don't know," replied Zuko. "Azula?"

"I don't know the location or the path of the army," said Azula. "Zhan?"

"Sorry, I don't know either," replied Zhan.

"Maybe I can help," said Mai. "When I freed your uncle, he said that if we ever needed aid later to come find him at - the location of my son."

"Location of his son...that's Ba Sing Se!" realized Azula.

"Should we go? I mean, it's still under Fire Nation control," said Sokka.

"We got no choice - we can sit around here and wait for Aang or start doing something ourselves and be ready to help Aang, when he returns," said Zhan.

"Agreed," replied Zuko.

"Righto," added Toph.

"Understood."

"Okay...to Ba Sing Se then," said Katara. "I hope your uncle is there and this isn't a wild-chase."

"He will be there," said Zuko.

"I hope too," added Azula, as they went to pack for their trip.

XXX