The Next Avatar (Zuko) A Plant Called Last Hope

Walking further into the Temple, the sound of voices stopped. They knew we were there. A large bolder, water, and flames shot out of the dark tunnel ahead of us. Not completly shocked, I put up a wind sheild and Cole use earthbending to counter before I was able to stop him. Smoke filled the small walk way from his rock and the fire colliding, giving them thr coverage they wanted. One of them ran at us, firebending with amaizing speed. I kept up the sheild, watching with slight amuzment from his attempts to get at us.

"Your the avatar, Melody! Use your bending to attack them!" Cole shouted, annoyed that not only did my sheild provent them from harming us, but us from harming them.

"No! I promised Aang I would not harm them!" Cole glared at me.

"Well, I made no such promise! Let me out!" I shook my head.

"I can keep this up all day, but you look like your going to collapse already." The boy firebending at ussmirked. I groaned slightly. I was not use to this flesh, and I used a lot of my strength getting down here. My sheild gave a short blink and he took the oppertunatly to strike. Cole did the same, but the pain of the fire making contact with my shoulder caused a shriek of pain to fly from my lips as I was thrown back.

"Melody!" Cole shot a sharp spear of rock, which hit the fire bender, peircing his shoulder. As I fell back, Cole ran to where I had landed. "Melody? Melody, are you alright?" I groaned, sitting up holding my shoulder.

"We mean you no harm!" I shouted, standing up with Cole's help. Supporting, me, my arm across his shoulder, we walked foreward. "I know Aang. Please hear me out." At the sound of his name, a young water tribe girl walked into view.

"How do you know Aang?" she demanded. I saw the pain, sorrow, and love flash in her eyes.

"You must be Katara of the Water Tribe." she nodded. "I have something for you from Aang." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the neckless. "He wants you to know that he's watching over you. He loves you a lot, Katara, and wants you to be happy."

"She's lying!" shouted a males voice from the back. "There's no way she knows Aang! He's dead!"I sighed.

"My name is Melody. I'm-"

"The Avatar?!" whispered the firebender, now standing beside Katara. I nodded before clutching my shoulder in pain.

"You don't have Aang's markings." the other male shouted, standing beside Katara as well as a young blink earthbender. He gave a triumphant grin.

"I am the waterbender Avatar. Aang was the Airbender, there for, he had the arrows, and-"

"You have the moon and stars?" I nodded and looked at the one whom had spoken.

"You must be Prince Zuko, Toph, and Sokka?" Looking at one another, they all nodded. "Aang has told me much about all ofyou."

"How do you know Aang?" Sokka asked, still confused. I smiled.

"Let's just say we're closer than you think." Toph nodded.

"Of course." she said, hitting her fist on the palm of her hand. "Your his future self!" I giggled.

"Not really. Aang's my little brother." Assuring Cole that I was alright, he let me stand on my own. I walked forward. "I promised him I'd give you this." I repeated, my vision blurring before I dropped forward, crumpleing onto the ground.

[Hours Later]

Groanning, I opened my eyes and placed my hand on my forehead to try and eace the pain. "Your awake." I looked to my left to find Katara, who looked slightly releived. Sitting up, I rested my forearms on my bent knees and sighed.

"I can't believe I fainted." I shook my head in embaressment. Already I felt as though I was failing.

"You shouldn't be embaressed," Toph said, sitting beside me indian style. "You used up a lot of energy and refussed to attack us even though our intentions were to kill you." I looked at her with slight shock, even though I understood why.

"You really are....the next Avatar, aren't you?" Katara whispered, her voice filled with sadness.

"Yes," Turning my head, I saw her touch the neckless that Aang asked me to deleaiver.

"How are you so sure?" Sokka asked. He didnt believe me or the others. I wasn't really too suprised at this. Katara looked at the statue of Aang across from us with tearful eyes.

"When he died," she begain quietly. "I gave him mom's neckless and he was burried with it. She gave it to me." Katara looked up at Sokka, Cole, and Zuko, who all stared at us. "I believe her." At the sound of her words, I looked down and smiled softly.

"Thank you, Katara." I whispered.

"So do I." Cole said, walking over and standing beside Toph, who now stood up and nodded.

"Me,too." she said proudly. Smiling, I stood up between Katara and Toph, looking at the other two.

"I know I'm not Aang." I started.

"Damn right your not!" Sokka shouted in rage. I sighed.

"And I'm not trying to take his place in any of your hearts, but Aang and I both share the same fate." Knitting my brow together, I tightened my fists in determination. "To take down Fire Lord Ozai!" Zuko scoffed.

"You can't do it alone." I looked at him shocked, watching him walk over. "You'll need me." Smiling slightly, I nodded, releaved he was with me and not against me. My eyes then fell upon Sokka. He didn't look convenced.

"All I ask is that you give me one chance, Sokka. That's all." Everyone nodded at him as he looked at each of them individually. She finally spoke.

"Alright. One chance." I nodded.

"Thank you, Sokka." Turning, I made my way to the exit. "I know it's been a year a year, but I think I can bring Aang back." Everyone gasped. "I'll need all of your help, though." Tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, Katara nodded.

"We'll do whatever it takes." When everyone agreed, I nodded and turned around.

"It's going to be dangerouse. Get some rest all of you. We leave in the morning for the Fire Nation Collinies." Everyone gasped and looked at me like I was crazy.

"Perhapse you've forgotten, but we're wanted there!" Zuko shouted in disbelief. I nodded.

"No, I haven't forgotten, but in the village is a rare plant that a woman named Yumi grows. Its called the Last Hope plant and with it, Aang will rise again." Turning back, I closed my eyes. "Now get some sleep." Walking away toward Mizu, who was laying down silently, looked up when I walked over. I sat down beside her and stroked the side of her face as she nuzzled her head against mine. "I have a confession, Mizu." I whispered, closing my eyes as I curled up beside her. "I don't know if I truly have their confadnece or support. They all believe I'm trying to take Aang's place." I sighed. "I need Aang to do this, but if I revive him, I make the chose to give up my Avatar abillities and become a normal, none bender. I will no longer be the Avatar......