-Maya's Point of View-

"Maya!" I heard Aang shout. Huh? Aang? Why are you shouting my name?

"Maya!!" Sokka shouted as well. Sokka? You too? What is going on?

"MAYA!" The third time I heard someone shout my name, it was my mother's voice.

"AHH!!!" I shouted as I quickly sat up. What? Was it all just a dream? Did I fall asleep?

I had a look around and I saw that I was laying beside a tree— in fact, the whole place is filled with trees and mangroves. What is this place? Where am I?

"You're in the Spirit World." I suddenly heard someone say— or should I say, something. I turned around and saw a big glowing white kite-like spirit floating behind me.

Its voice— I recognize that voice! It's the same voice as the spirit that keeps on appearing in my dreams!

"You... You're that spirit—!" I shouted but the spirit cuts me off before I could finish what I was supposed to say.

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you again Sue." the spirit said. I looked at her with a confused face, "Sue?" I asked.

"So it is true? Time has made you forget about my existence." the Spirit continued. I kept looking at it with a confused face as I slowly stood up. "I think you got the wrong person. You see, my name is Maya— not Sue, and second of all, this is my first time meeting an actual spirit and being in the actual spirit world so it's impossible for me to forget about you when we haven't even met before." I told the spirit.

"I didn't make a mistake. You are definitely Sue." the Spirit insisted. I looked at it sternly as I sighed in defeat. I leaned against the tree's trunk and then I asked, "Who is this Sue anyway?"

"Your past life." the spirit answered.

My eyes grew wide at what the spirit said, and I smiled like a young child that has been given a piece of candy. "Really? I have a past life?!" I excitingly asked. "Yes, you do." the spirit answered.

"Isn't that thing only applicable to the Avatar or something?" I asked once more. The spirit turned its body to me and said, "Every human being has their own past lives, but not everyone is connected to them."

I looked at the spirit with amazement and awe as it kept on explaining. "Only those who are bonded with a spiritual entity can reconnect themselves with their past lives. That spiritual entity is what connects the past to the present." she continued.

"No future?" I asked. "Spirits are not fortunetellers. We can't predict who the future life would be." the spirit answered with an irritated tone.

"Relax! I didn't know, okay! That's why I asked. You have such a mood don't you?" I said as I slowly walked to the edge of the mangrove and looked at my reflection in the calm crystal clear water.

"So, what you mean is that the Avatar has a spirit within him that binds him with his past lives right?" I asked. "Yes, that is correct." the spirit answered.

"And just a while ago you told me that Sue is my past life. Does that mean I'm connected with my past lives as well?" I asked again.

"Yes. All of them, not only Sue." the spirit said as it went closer to me. I looked at it with a serious face and asked once more, "And you must be the spirit that connects me with them right?"

"Yes. I am the spirit that has been with you from the very beginning until now." the spirit answered. "But I don't understand, I've never met any of my past lives before, let alone have contacted them." I contradicted.

"That's because you don't know how— nobody taught you how. You never knew because nobody told you. Do you think the Avatar knows that he or she is the Avatar on his or her own? It doesn't work that way you know." the spirit explained. "Oh, you do have a point," I replied.

"So are you going to teach me how? Is that why you sent Hei Bai to come and get me?!" I asked. "Sent Hei Bai? No, I didn't. That was just pure coincidence. Thanks to you being an impatient fellow, you got sent here in the spirit world as a prisoner and then I got to talk with you. You saved me the hassle of bringing you here." the spirit answered.

"PRISONER?!" I shouted. "Don't worry you'll get out soon. The Avatar will figure a way out." the spirit replied. "Enough of this nonsense talk. It's time to get serious." the spirit continued.

"Maya—" the spirit said as it suddenly sounded firm. "The reason why I have been trying to contact you for the past few days is because someone from your past life wants to talk with you." the spirit continued.

"Someone from my past life?" I asked. "There is something that you need to know and it's best if it will come from her." the spirit answered.

"I will now pass on my spiritual energy to her and once I do that, you won't be able to talk with me anymore." the spirit explained. "What!? Wait. Why?" I asked.

"Don't worry. I am a part of you and I am within you. You may not be able to talk with me anymore, but you will always be able to talk about your past lives." the spirit assured. "But—!" I was about to argue more but then the spirit continued talking. "I will see you again in your next life. Be well Sue." the Spirit said and it vanished into thin air.

"Wait!! You didn't even tell me who you are! Spirit! Come out!" I frantically shouted as I turned around searching for the spirit.

"SPIRIT! WHERE ARE YOU?!" I shouted but then I noticed the fog over my feet are crawling behind me. I turned around and I saw the fog clumping into one form. Slowly the fog vanished, revealing a woman, who was about in her retirement age.

"It's nice to meet you Maya." the woman said. I looked at her with a shocked face and then I asked, "Uh- hi. Uhm... You must be one of my past lives." I asked.

"My name is Ta Min." she calmly introduced herself. "Nice to meet you too uhm... Lady Ta Min." I awkwardly replied. I studied her and I saw that she was wearing fire nation clothes. She even looks like she belongs to a royal family or a wealthy one. Huh, even in my past life I was from the fire nation. Well, what do you know?

"Uh, the spirit said that you have something to tell me. What is it about?" I continuously asked. She looked at me with a very worried face. "I have been desperately trying to communicate with you for the past few days," she said.

"Now that the Avatar has returned, it is about time you return as well." she continued. "Me? Return? Return to where?" I asked. "To the Fire Nation." she sternly replied.

My eyes grew wide at what she said. What did she mean by returning to the fire nation?! There's no way I'm going there! I don't live there! I never had and I never will!

"I know you don't want to go, and I understand." she suddenly said. "I'm sorry Ta Min, but I can't go back to the fire nation even if I am one of them. I also can't break my promise to Aang. I need to help the Avatar save the world, and I wouldn't be able to help him if I'm not by his side— by their side!" I argued.

"But you are helping the Avatar by going back to the fire nation," she argued back. "How? How is going to that evil place a big help to give this world peace?" I angrily asked. "Because you are going to change the enemy from the inside." she quickly answered.

"What do you mean?" I asked her. She was about to answer me when suddenly, a portal opened from behind me, and in it, I saw Katara and Aang. "Guys!" I shouted.

"It seems like the Avatar had found a way to get you and your friend out." Ta Min suddenly said. Well, that was fast, I've only been here for a few minutes but Aang had things figured out. What a talent.

"I need to go back," I said and I was about to walk towards the portal but Ta Min stopped me. "Maya, think about what I said. If you really want to help the Avatar, even if it requires you to be away from him, you'll have to do it. Believe me, I know how it feels." Ta Min continued.

"I will think about it," I replied without looking back at her. I don't know what to think! I don't know if it is the right thing to leave Aang and the others! How can I even tell them that I have to go back to the fire nation? They can't just escort me there, or else I'd be sending the Avatar to its death.

"If you went back to the fire nation, not only will you be able to help the Avatar save the lives of many, but you'll also be able to save your father." Ta Min continued. I quickly turned back to face her and then I asked, "My father?"

"Tomorrow, on the day of the Winter Solstice, I'll call out to you again. I know there's a lot of things you don't understand and are quite confusing, but I will try my best to make things clear," she said; not answering my question.

I crossed my eyebrows and then I gave her a nod. "I will see you at the solstice," I replied. "Make sure to have someone guard your body when you come to talk to me. Take care, Maya, I'll see you again." Ta Min said and then she vanished in mid-air.

I looked back at the portal and stared at Aang and Katara who were waiting.

Am I going to tell them all this? I don't know... I did promise never to keep a secret but, you can't just blurt things out randomly you know? I think I'll just wait for the right moment. I won't keep it a secret but I'll wait for the right moment to tell it.

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-Aang's Point of View-

With the help of Avatar Roku's dragon, I was able to find a way to not only speak with Roku, but also, how to calm down Hei Bai and how to get Sokka and Maya back.

Right now Hei Bai had already left the village and I don't think he'll be coming back anymore. He was the burnt forest's spirit. He was angry that his home got burnt that's why he's been attacking the village thinking that it was their fault. I felt great empathy for him. I know how it feels to see your home in ruins, but thanks to Maya's inspiration to me a while back about the acorns, I was able to cheer up and it helped cheer up the spirit too! I wouldn't have done this without her help. That's why I need to get her back, now it's my turn to help.

When Hei Bai left the village, clusters of tall bamboo grasses magically grew on the village's entrance and the people whom Hei Bai has been taking in as prisoners for the past few days came out of it.

Sokka went out of it as well and as soon as we saw him, Katara and I ran towards him. "Sokka!! You're alright!" Katara shouted as he hugged his brother. "What just happened?" Sokka asked as he broke off from the hug.

"You were trapped in the Spirit world for 24 hours! How are you feeling?" Katara asked. "Like I seriously need to use the bathroom," Sokka said as he hurriedly ran to the town hall's restroom.

I looked around and I noticed that the village people had also started greeting their loved ones who have returned, but there was something missing.

"Where's Maya?!" I asked while looking around. Katara looked around as well to search for her but she wasn't there. People had also stopped coming out of the bamboo, and it's starting to wither out.

"That shouldn't be it!" I said while looking at the bamboo. "Maybe Hei Bai won't let her out?" the old man suddenly said. I looked at the withering bamboo and crossed my brows. "He's gonna let her out whether he likes it or not!" I angrily replied and then I charged onto the bamboo. I was about to make contact with it when suddenly Maya came out and we bumped into each other.

We both fell to the ground while groaning in pain. "That hurts..." she said as she held on to her forehead. "Maya! Thank goodness you're fine!" Katara exclaimed as she went towards her and helped her stand up. I stood up as well.

"Well, almost. I was fine until Aang crashed into me. What is up with that?" Maya asked. "I'm sorry... You were taking too long to come out and the bamboos are starting to wither so I was about to come and get you. I can't leave you be you know?" I answered her.

I don't know why but for some reason she suddenly changed her mood when I said the last sentence. It was a subtle change but I noticed it.

"Yeah Maya, what took you so long to come out? Did something happen?" Katara asked this time. "Huh? Ugh, no nothing! Haha... Nothing happened I'm fine. I don't know why I got delayed to come out but I went out as soon as I saw an exit." Maya answered. Why does she sound so nervous?

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-Zuko's Point of View-

I've finally closed in on my uncle's trail. After 24 hours of tracking the earth kingdom soldiers' ostrich horses, I was able to pinpoint where they were taking my uncle.

While I was continually following the footprints, I suddenly came to a halt when I saw ostrich horses with their ropes tied to the ground in the middle of a road beside a hill.

I went down off my Komodo rhino to check out the place where the ostrich horses were. "Wait here," I said to the rhino. Once I got closer to the horses, I noticed that there were marks of struggle on the ground and it was leading to the edge of the hill. 

"Seems like they went downhill," I said to myself and then I hurriedly went to the bottom of the hill as well. It wasn't really that steep and deep, so I was able to reach the end in just a matter of minutes and I was just right on time to stop the earth kingdom soldiers from crushing my uncle's hands with a giant boulder.

I kicked the boulder away and then I broke my uncle's chains using my metal foot gear. 

"Excellent form Prince Zuko," Uncle said as he stood up and grabbed the remaining chains that were still attached to his wrist.

"You taught me well," I replied to him. We stood back to back while the earth kingdom soldiers surrounded us. 

"Surrender yourselves. It's five against two. You're clearly outnumbered," one of the soldiers said. "Ah, that's true. But you are clearly out-matched," Uncle replied. 

As soon as Uncle had said that, the soldiers attacked us all at the same time. They kept shooting boulders at us, but Uncle and I were quick to dodge. Uncle Iroh even used the metal chains to destroy the boulders incoming. 

I tried shooting them back with fire but it seems like they are good dodgers as well. I was able to hit one of them with my fire but another soldier had already aimed a boulder behind me. Good thing Uncle was there to keep that from happening. Uncle grabbed the boulder with his chains and threw it right back to the soldier. 

Attacks kept on coming and coming but I dodge them all. I tried to attack back but the soldier countered my fire as if it was like air. He then proceeded to earthbend a cluster of rocks and dust into a massive earth wave but even before he could shoot me with it, Uncle grabbed the soldier by the ankle using the chains and he pulled him down to the ground. 

With that, the fight was over and all the earth bender soldiers were buried in rocks and dirt. They should get used to it though because they play with them all the time. 

Uncle looked at me and then I looked back at him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you nephew, I knew you'd come looking for me," he said. "No problem uncle. Now would you please put on some clothes?" I demanded. 

"I would, but my clothes were left on the tree near the hot springs, so I can't," he answered back. I let out a sigh and then I said, "Fine, let's leave now. We need to get to the ship quickly. A few hours ago I saw the Avatar's Bison flying over the burnt forest. They could still be here. We need to hurry or we might lose them." 

"I may actually know where they could be," Uncle suddenly said. "I think there is a village somewhere near here that the Avatar could be staying in," Uncle continued. "Then we better get going," I replied and I started walking away. Uncle grabbed my shoulder and he said, "There's no time, we need to go there now, they might probably leave as soon as possible." 

"But you're naked!" I shouted. "Doesn't matter. Catching the Avatar is a must. This is my repayment for looking for me, now I want to help you look for the Avatar." Uncle replied. 

I smiled at him and then I nod. We hurriedly climbed up the hill and then we rode the Komodo rhino I brought.

On our way, Uncle was leading and telling the directions on where to go. As strange as it may sound but I'm amazed at how Uncle knew there was a village in here. We could've actually missed it since it was hidden behind the trees.