Connection||atla

71. All Is Lost

I DUSTED MYSELF OFF AND TURNED TO THE GROUP.

"Zora, you knew about the Sozin's comet plan?" Aang asked. I looked back through my memories before shaking my head. "I wasn't allowed in war chambers but I overheard some generals who were talking about the plan as they passed me by." I told him truthfully.

Soon enough Zuko came back to us, Aang started to panic all over again. "Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?" the airbender walked back and forth.

"I didn't think I had to. I assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one told me you decided to wait." Zuko said as he ruffled his hair awkwardly.

Aang held his head with both hands, "This is bad. This is really, really bad." he sinked down to his knees.

"Aang, you don't have to do this alone." I said as I pat his back comfortingly.

Toph, Zuko, Sokka, Suki and Katara stand next to me. "Yeah, if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down." Toph cheered.

"All right! Team Avatar is back!"

"Air!!"

"Water."

"Earth."

"Fire."

"Spirit."

Sokka gave Suki a clump of leaves and held up a large leaf for himself.

"Fan and sword!"

Aang turned dead serious, "Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn't want to do it any other way."

Everybody except Zuko laughed and walked over to Aang for a group hug.

"Yeah." Toph cheered along with the others who joined the hug.

"All right." Sokka chuckled.

"Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs." Katara said as we all looked back at him. With a resigned look on his face, Zuko joined the hug. Appa flew in, knocking the entire group over and Ookami joining not soon after.

timeskip~

"There's one technique you need to know before facing my father - how to redirect lightning." Zuko told us.

Aang, Zuko and I were at the fountain, in our training clothes which were literally just pants for the boys and a top with some pair of pants for me.

"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it." Zuko used his fingers to show how the energy should flow through the body. "You turn your opponents' energy against them." he explained carefully.    

"That's like waterbending." I said as I join Zuko in practicing the lightning redirection form.

"Hey, you're right!" Aang said cheerfully as he practiced the form with us.

"Exactly. My uncle invented this technique himself by studying waterbenders." Zuko said proudly.

"Wow, Iroh sure is amazing." I smiled.

"So, have you ever redirected lightning before?" Aang asked curiously.

"Once, against my father."

"What did it feel like?" I asked.

Suddenly Zuko stopped practicing the lightning redirection form as he sighed, "Exhilarating ... but terrifying. You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over." he said a little frustrated.