Stepping down the path, Zuko looked at the giant tree. Creepy noises echoed from the cave in the tree, making Zuko pause. He didn't want to go in there.
Glancing to his left, Zuko sighed, spotting the source of the sound. "You're just a curly-tailed blue nose." He smiled as the monkey turned its head, making Zuko jump back. That thing had no face. Stumbling back, Zuko was caught by Isu who pushed him back onto his feet.
"Yeah, good luck."
"You're not coming in with me?!"
"Have you met me? I can't keep a straight face at all. I ain't even straight!"
"I'm not straight either, does that mean I don't have to go in?!"
Isu paused snorting. "Nope. Good luck, and remember, no emotion! That includes anger!"
Zuko gulped, taking a deep breath and forcing his face calm. "Hello? I'm looking for the great spirit Koh."
Shifting, the root began to move. Zuko spun around, shivering as he failed to see what had moved. Forming behind Zuko, the white face appeared, grey patches around its eyes and deep blood-red lips.
Grinning, Koh drew closer to Zuko, the centipede-like body arcing around Zuko and stopping his face just in front of the poor avatar. "Welcome!"
Zuko continued to stare into the distance, his face straight. "Thank you." Zuko bowed, silently replaying what Isu had told him in his head.
"My old friend, the avatar. It's been a long time."
"You know me?"
"How could I forget you?" Koh's face changed, becoming a mad-looking, middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and a long moustache and beard. "One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! Nearly eight or nine hundred years ago."
"I didn't know that. Why did he or I try to kill you?"
Koh changed again, becoming the face of Ummi, scared and sad. "Oh, it was something about stealing the face of someone you loved." Koh's face changed, becoming a mad baboon, laughing loudly as Zuko continued to remain blank. "Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now. You've come to me with a new face."
Zuko closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, unknowing that in the physical world, Yue, Katara and Sokka were closing in on Hajime.
"It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection." Koh became an owl as he surrounded Zuko who fought back the urge to say he wasn't a child. "So, how may I help you?"
"I need to find the moon and the ocean."
"Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time."
"Please. Help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help."
"Oh, you think you need their help." Koh chuckled, backing up slightly. "Actually, it's quite the other way round." Koh charged at Zuko, stopping just short of the young avatar with an angry, ogre-like face. Zuko didn't even flinch. "Someone's going to kill them."
"What do you mean? How can I find them and protect them?"
"You've already met them, actually. Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other, push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang."
Zuko shifted his eyes for a second, a tiny flash of confusion on his face before he forced himself neutral again. "I better be going."
Turning into a bald, young man, Koh grinned. "We'll meet again." Koh recedes into the shadows as Zuko left the cave.
"Did you find out who they are?" Isu jumped down as Zuko shrugged.
"Kind of." He repeated back to Isu what Koh had told him, her eyes widening.
"The koi fish! Come on, I know where we have to go!" Whistling, Isu grinned as the giant pink lion appeared before them. "Let's go, Phephe!"
Zuko screamed as Phephe jumped up, running through the air.
~~~
"Well, that's not good." Isu looked around, dismounting from Phephe's side. "Where are our bodies?"
Zuko gulped looking around. "Look!" He forced Isu to look at the cave, seeing the animals.
"They must have been forced to leave on Pickle and Corno. If we can find the bison, we can find them. Can you help me, Phephe?"
Phephe shook their head sadly, stepping back.
"Okay. Time for you to go home. Thank you for all your help." Phephe faded as Isu looked up. "Guess we're doing this the hard way." Falling to the ground, Isu closed her eyes. Zuko tilted his head, about to ask when Isu jumped up. "I've found them."
"How?"
"I can sense Hachi. Well, I can sense anyone with enough practice but I used to do it with Hachi all the time so I knew when to sneak out." Isu paused, fidgeting.
"What's wrong? Is he okay?!"
"He's fine, as far as I can tell but... He's not alone. Hajime is there." Zuko gulped as Isu grabbed him. "Let's go before it's too late."
Flying over the cave, Isu led Zuko back, finding their bodies. Zuko gaped. "Impressive."
"I know." Isu closed her eyes, fading from the spirit world and returning to her body. Zuko paused before doing the same.
"Welcome back." Hajime glared at Isu as she opened her eyes.
Hachi shot up, staring at Isu before looking at Zuko. "Zuko?"
Zuko blinked, smiling sheepishly. "I'm back." Zuko sighed, shuffling and leaning against Hachi's shoulder. "Though I'm never doing that again."
Isu snorted, leaning back against the wall. "Come on, it wasn't so bad."
"You didn't have to face, Koh the face stealer. You just got to spend time outside having fun." Zuko gave Isu a half-hearted glare, receiving a mischievous smile back.
"Well, I couldn't risk losing this pretty face, now could we?"
Zuko rolled his eyes fondly as Hachi looked between them. "You left Zuko alone?" Isu opened her mouth as Hachi glared at her, cutting her off. "I can't believe you. I thought you were meant to be protecting him and you left him! What if something had happened?!"
Isu lowered her head, turning away. "You should have more faith in Zuko. He can handle himself and he knew what he was doing."
"I can't deal with you right now." Hachi turned away, glaring at the wall as Zuko sighed. He gently leaned forward, lying his head on Hachi's shoulder.
Fidgeting, Hajime glanced between the two groups, gently shuffling towards Isu. "I don't think you're a bad spiritual leader."
Isu raised her eyebrow, rolling her eyes. "Right. That means so much coming from you."
"I'm serious. Do you remember that spirit that used to hang around you? The little dragon bird?"
"Tori? Yeah, I remember her. I didn't know you could see spirits."
Hajime jolted, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, only a few. I have this one that follows me around sometimes."
"Huh. Who would have guessed? I would love to meet them. Are they how you beat Hachi and Katara?"
Hajime shook his head. "No. When I've been down here, I've realised I'm a terrible Airbender so I've been practising more. Spot's been training me."
"Your bison?"
"He's a good trainer!"
Laughing, Isu tried to hide her face in her shoulder.
"Don't laugh at me."
"Sorry, sorry, I'm not laughing." Isu was laughing. "You know, for someone chasing us and working for the fire nation, you're not that bad."
Hajime's shoulders fell as he sighed. "I'm not giving you over to the fire nation."
"You're not?"
"No. I'm taking you home. Your father awaits your return."
Isu's eyes widened as she gaped. "Dad sent you after us?" Isu grew uncomfortable, pushing herself forward. "You can't take us to him! We have so much we need to do! You've seen what it's like down here!"
"I don't care. I have a mission, I have to finish." Hajime lowered his voice as Isu bit her lip.
"I don't think you're a bad person. I don't think you want people to suffer. I don't think you want the spirits to suffer."
"What?"
"The spirits are in danger. Please Haji, just let us go. We can help you and them."
Hajime didn't answer.
"Give up, Isu." Hachi glared from his place across the cave. "He's not going to listen to you."
Isu shook her head, giving Hajime a begging expression as he hesitantly reached out. His fingers twitched as they grazed over the knot, about to free her when he was blasted from Isu's side.
Isu spun around in shock, staring at Katara. "Katara!"Katara grinned, sliding off Corno's back and tackling Isu into a hug, untying her as Yue and Sokka did the same for the boys. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine but I had the situation handled. He was about to let me go."
"You're delusional," Hachi spat, still glaring at Isu.
"It doesn't matter," Zuko interrupted, "we need to get to the oasis; the spirits are in trouble!" Sharing a look, the others rushed onto Corno and Pickle's backs as Isu hesitated.
"We can't just leave him here!" Without waiting for a response, Isu grabbed Hajime, throwing him onto Corno's back.
"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us." Sokka gave Hajime a sour look as Isu rolled her eyes, throwing the rope at him.
"Then tie him up. He's coming. He's our cousin and we are not leaving him to die. This is not negotiable." Isu sat on Corno's head, pulling her into the sky. "Besides, we don't have time to wait."
Hachi sighed before following Isu, taking off into the sky in search of the spirits.