Reborn In Water || ATLA

Cross Our Bones

The Storm - Fin

"Are we tangled in the static? Are we echo's of ourselves? Are we standing in the shadows waiting for angels?" - Crown The Empire

🌊 ⛰ 🔥 🌪

"I was afraid and confused," Aang admitted, remembering a time that seemed so much more recent than it was. "I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to be sent away, I wanted to make my own choices..." He trailed off.

"So you took off on your own, didn't you?" Aelita asked, knowing that's exactly what she would've done had she been him at the time

"And then the Fire Nation attacked our temple. My people needed me and I wasn't there to help."

"You don't know what would've..."

"The world needed me and I wasn't there to help!" Aang interrupted, growing angry again, this time at himself. "The fisherman was right, I did turn my back on the world."

"You're being too hard on yourself."

"But you jumped right into this!" Aang shot back. He had been comparing himself to her a lot lately. "You even didn't fight it at all, you just accepted your fate. How? How are you just magically okay with having your entire life change and have half the weight of the world riding on your back?"

"Don't think I'm doing this because I'm so mighty and noble."

"Huh?" Aang asked, now even more confused. "What do you mean?"

"My mind went through every option and every possible outcome from the time I was pulled into the Spirit World and the time I met with you at the temple," Aelita explained. "I would have to walk away from everything I knew and everyone I loved if I was going to accept my fate. I knew how damn bad it was going to hurt. I'd be lying if I didn't say half the reason I want to bring Ozai down is that I'm selfish. I want revenge for my Dad and Zuko."

Aelita had spent her entire time as the Akira so far trying to convince herself she just wanted the good of the world but deep down she knew that it wasn't entirely the case. She wasn't so caring and innocent anymore, she had been shaped by the harsh realities of the life she had been forced to live a long time ago.

"But if Zuko's the Prince that means the Fire Lord is his father, right?" Aang clarified, Aelita nodding yes to confirm. "I understand your dad, but why could you possibly want revenge for Zuko against his father?"

"You know the scar that covers his entire eye?" The eyes she still found hauntingly beautiful.

"It's kinda hard to miss."

"It came from his father."

"What?" Aang was appalled. He knew the Fire Lord was evil but he didn't want to believe her. Aang of course knew what happened to her father but Aelita told him about some of the things he didn't know; Zuko's Agni Kai. Spirits that day would haunt her forever. Her sweet Prince, he had been so young and naïve then. All he wanted to do was keep their men from slaughter and he nearly paid for it with his life. Ozai was a monster.

"Of course, I'm tired of knowing people are dying and hurting at the hands of my nation, I am, I want the world at peace but dammit I want to be the one to end Ozai's reign of terror because of my vendetta. That's half the reason I jumped into this but I promise you it's been anything but easy."

"I'm sorry." Aang sighed, closing his eyes because he was simply too guilty to look at Aelita. "I haven't even considered how hard this is for you."

"It's okay, we've lived in two different worlds. I'm not sure how I would've reacted had we been born at the same time but I do know it might not have been so bad that you left. Who knows what would've happened had you stayed. You easily could've been killed along with all the rest of the airbenders." Aang flinched at her words.