Falling, Fallen

Chapter 14: Missing

Later, back at the beach house, Toph, Zuko, Suki, and Katara sit on the beach house stairs. Sokka lands Appa below the stairs. "Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing you guys didn't find Aang, either." He jumps off Appa. "No. It's like he just ... disappeared." Zuko says. "Hey, wait a minute. Has anyone noticed that Momo is missing, too?" "Oh no! I knew it was only a matter of time! Appa ate Momo!" He lifts up Appa's mouth. "Momo, I'm coming for you, buddy." "Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo. He's probably with Aang." His sister said rolling her eyes. "That's just what Appa wants you to think." He says as he slides into Appa's mouth. "Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka. We have a real problem here. Aang is nowhere to be found and the comet is only two days away." "What should we do Zuko?" The water bender asks.
Katara, Suki, and Toph turn to stare at Zuko. In the background, Sokka slips out of Appa's mouth, covered in bison saliva. Zuko stands up. "I don't know." They keep staring. "Why are you all looking at me?" "Well, you are kind of the expert on tracking Aang." Katara shrugs. "Yeah, if anyone's got experience hunting the Avatar ... it's you." Toph agrees.
Sokka tries standing up, but falls back down. Zuko nods.
They fly on Appa Zuko leading. "Zuko, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job, but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom There's no way Aang's there." Suki asks. "Just trust me." And that's all he says.
Inside a tavern, lively music plays. Zuko enters, followed by Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph.
"And the reason you've brought us to a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern is what now?" Katara asks taking in the place. "June." He answers pointing To a woman, who holds a drink. A thug tries to attack her, but she makes him fall down and uses him as a foot rest. Another thug tries to punch her, but she dodges every punch, still holding her drink. "Oh yeah, that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole." Sokka remembers. "Mole? Her skin is flawless." "No, she has this giant mole creature she rides around on." He reply's. "The shirshu. It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world. It's the one shot we have of finding him." Zuko answers.
The second thug continues punching June. She throws her drink into the air, throws the thug at a table, catches her drink and takes a sip. Toph grins. "I don't know who this June lady is, but I like her." June kicks a chair and sits down and begins drinking her tea they all walk up to June.
"Oh great. It's Prince Pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa?" June asks. "He's my uncle. And he's not here." She looks at him and Katara who stands next to him. "Isee you worked things out with your girlfriend."
Zuko and Katara who become flustered and embarrassed, looking at each other as they speak, before looking to June. "I'm not his girlfriend!" "She's not my girlfriend!" They say in unison. Toph smirks a knowing smile. "Okay, okay. Sheesh. I was only teasing. So what do you want?" "I need your help finding the Avatar." Zuko yells her. She takes a sip of her tea. "Hm. Doesn't sound too fun." Zuko angrily leans closer, while clenching his fists. "Does the end of the world sound like more fun?"
Outside Appa and Nyla growling at each other. After watching each other Appa licks Nyla, and they lay down. Once the gang comes out they stand back up, June walking toward them holding up a piece of meat.
"Nyla." She throws the meat to Nyla who catches it in his mouth and starts chewing it before swallowing it; June walks up to him and starts petting him. "Who's my little, hmm, Snuffly-Wuffly?" Nyla sticks his toxins-coated tongue out and she dodges it and forces his mouth closed. "Whoa! Careful there." She looks to team Avatar. "Okay. So who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?" Katara stands on Appa's back and pulls out Aang's glider from the saddle. "I have Aang's staff." June takes it and holds the staff out in front of Nyla. He sniffs it then begins to walk around in circles, trying to sniff the scent out somewhere else. Nyla returns to June and continues sniffing before he lies back down and covers his nose. "Well, what does that mean?" June petting Nyla. "Means your friend's gone." "We know he's gone. That's why we're trying to find him." Toph says. "No, I mean he's gone gone." June turns to face everyone else. "He doesn't exist." "What do you mean Aang doesn't exist? Do you mean he's ... you know, dead?" Sokka asks. June pets Nyla. "Nope. We could find him if he were dead. Wow, it's a real head-scratcher. See ya." She starts climbing on top of Nyla. "Helpful. Real helpful." Toph rolls her eyes. Zuko stops June. "Wait. I have another idea. There's only one other person in this world who can help us face the Fire Lord. I'll be right back with a smell sample."
Zuko holds up a sandal. The members of Team Avatar are holding their noses in disgust, except for Zuko and Toph. Zuko looks embarrassed. "You saved your uncle's sweaty sandal? Ugh!" Sokka groans as he pinches his nose even tighter. Toph smiles. "I think it's kind of sweet."
Nyla jumps forward as the he sniffs the sandal.
"Let's do this." June as she and Nyla run off. "Hey! Wait up!" Zuko yells as he and the rest of the team climb on Appa.