It was like a dream. Everything looked so hazy and nothing seemed real. The only sensation Aang was aware of was a dull throbbing in his head, the same kind you get when've been trapped in a deep, almost endless sleep and are suddenly woken up. He was unaware of his entire body until he felt his hand twitch slightly, then he felt his leg. Finally, he became aware he was lying down on his face. He propped himself up and became even more confused.
He was in some strange forest, surrounded by plants he couldn't identify. There were small streams and rivers weaving their way around everywhere. It felt oddly familiar. A creeping sensation went up his spine and suddenly he realized where he was.
He was in the Spirit World. And in a sudden burst of awareness, he remembered the confrontation with Long Feng.
He put a hand to his head, tasking his brain to figure things out. "What's going on?" A thought entered his mind and terrified him. "Am I…dead?"
"Not yet" a familiar voice answered. Aang looked down and saw Avatar Roku's reflection in a pool of water. Avatar Roku rose up and became real.
"Avatar Roku" Aang acknowledged as he finally started to feel awake. "What's going on?"
"You are in a state of suspended animation, similar to when you were trapped in the iceberg for all those years, "Avatar Roku explained. "Because you were in the Avatar State your body sensed the danger it was in and acted to preserve your life force."
Aang felt relieved. "So, I'm not going to die."
Avatar Roku shook his head sadly. "I didn't say that." Aang's shock was apparent so Avatar Roku continued speaking before he asked his next question. "This is different than last time. You entered this state to survive the cold of the iceberg. Now your heartbeat has been slowed enough to delay the spread of poison through your body but it will not stop it completely."
Aang was doing his best not to panic. "What does that mean?"
Avatar Roku sounded dire. "The Avatar State has only bought you time. The poison is still slowly working its way through your system and once it reaches your heart it will never beat again."
Aang was no longer able to remain calm. "What?! Well, I've got to hurry I have to do something I have to…"
Avatar Roku stopped him. "I'm sorry Aang there's nothing you can do." "What do you…?"
"If you reenter your body then you will exit the Avatar State and your pulse will return to normal. Then you will die immediately."
Aang's felt like he was out of breath. "So, what are you saying there's no hope at all?!"
"As far as I know no one has ever survived being exposed to this sort of toxin," Avatar Roku said.
"However, there is one plant I know of with flowers that are said to be able to cure any venom. But it is very rare."
"That doesn't help!" Aang replied. "I can't go looking for that flower if I can't go back to my body!"
Avatar Roku nodded solemnly. "True. Nor can you direct anyone else to do so while you are unable to interact with the physical world."
Aang's eyes widened and he dropped to his knees. His voice was filled with despair. "There really isn't anything I can do."
Avatar Roku knelt down and put a hand on Aang's shoulder. "No. You can only wait and pray that someone saves you before it's too late."
Aang lifted his head and looked Avatar Roku in the eyes. "Because my body is still in the Avatar State…" He trailed off, too overwhelmed to finish the sentence.
Avatar Roku completed the thought for him. "If you die the Avatar will be destroyed forever, never to be born again into any nation."
Sokka, Suki and Toph were on top of Appa's back, flying urgently to save Katara. They were going so fast Toph had to exercise all of her willpower to avoid getting sick.
"If I barf all over the saddle you have no one to blame but yourself" Toph warned when Sokka insisted on going no slower.
Suki was wearing her Kyoshi Warrior armor and paint again, feeling far more comfortable than around the house. She was taking the time to sharpen the edges of her fans and her katana. She had left Little Hakoda in the care of Iroh at the Jasmine Dragon so they knew he'd be safe.
Sokka was at the reigns, which made sense because he was the only one who had been to the cave they were looking for. But more than that he had a look of grisly determination on his face, refusing to take his eyes off the sky for a second.
Suki gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Sokka I can fly Appa for a little while. You need some rest."
"I'm fine" Sokka said without even turning around. "I studied the Earth King's maps so I know the fastest way there."
Suki sat down next to him. "Please just for a little while."
"I have to save Katara" was Sokka's only answer. "I won't fail her again. I don't have time to rest."
"Sokka…" Suki said, looking away with shame. "I was there too, trying to protect her and the baby. I also failed. This isn't just your burden to bear."
"I'm her brother" Sokka replied with insistence.
Suki grabbed his face and made him look at her. "And I'm your wife! Please don't shut me out just because you feel guilty!" She looked in his eyes and saw more than just guilt; shame, emasculation and fear. She knew protecting his family meant everything to him. Sokka tried to look away with shame the same way she had.
Suki smiled and decided to try a more humorous approach, one that was reminiscent of when they first met. "What you think just because I'm a girl it's not my job to protect your family too? You think I should go back home and start cooking dinner?"
Sokka couldn't help but smile a little. "I know better than that now." He grinned in his usual cheesy way. "You'd definitely kick my ass again if I still acted that stupid!"
Suki smiled. It seemed she had succeeded in bringing Sokka back. "I'd totally kick your ass." They kissed passionately, comforting and reassuring each other.
Toph was definitely not enjoying herself nearly as much as they were. "Ugh and I was already about to be sick."
As they pulled away Suki responded, "Oops sorry Toph." She smiled a mischievous grin. "I forgot you had a little crush on Sokka."
Toph was certainly not amused. "What the hell is wrong with you people?!" she shouted as her cheeks turned the brightest red. "I NEVER HAD A FRIGGIN CRUSH ON SOKKA!"
She didn't actually say, "friggin" she was a bit more explicit. Quoting her verbatim definitely would have created the need for a much higher rating. Which naturally meant Sokka was laughing, until he turned his gaze back ahead and saw something horrifying.
Miles below, on the surface of the earth, he saw countless soldiers spread across the landscape, looking like one giant mass that went on forever. Before he said anything he immediately pulled Appa up into the same level as the clouds so they would be obscured from view.
"What's going on?" Toph asked as she felt Appa shaking. "How did you not see that?" Sokka asked as he looked back.
Toph adopted the usual sarcastic tone she did when people asked her questions like that. "Oh, gee I don't know. You know being blind and everything I sometimes miss a thing or two!"
Sokka felt guilty. Toph so rarely appeared handicapped it was easy to forget her disability and accidently make insensitive comments. "Sorry Toph. I just saw Long Feng's army. It was huge!"
Toph sat up, her annoyance replaced with urgent curiosity. "How huge?"
"I don't know" Sokka answered. "Too many to count even from up here." Suki added, "There had to have been at least 10,000 down there." "10,000!" Toph repeated. "That's insane!"
"I know" Sokka replied, with total seriousness. Seriousness he then completely dropped as he made his voice sound raspy and angry.. "I mean it's…OVER 9,000!"
Suki smacked her palm to her forehead. "Sokka please stick to this fandom."
"All right all right" Sokka said. After he turned back to steering Appa and the fourth wall was firmly put back in place he added, "If that army sees us, they could let Long Feng know we're coming.
We'll have to fly around them to avoid being detected."
Suki frowned. "That means it's going to take a lot longer to get there doesn't it?" Sokka was clearly unhappy. "Yeah, it does."
Meanwhile Katara was in her cell, completely and totally dejected. After spending all night totally overwhelmed by her sorrow she had long since lost the energy to cry or feel anything but anger. She was angry Long Feng, so angry she was sure she'd kill him in the most horrible way imaginable if she ever saw him again. She was mad at jing, for daring to apologize for a death he had a hand in causing.
And most of all she was angry with herself for playing her role in long Feng's plan perfectly.
There was only one other emotion in her heart; worry. Now that she had served her purpose Long Feng had no more reason to keep her or her babies alive. He was sadistic and out for revenge as much as power. She knew he could easily be planning on killing her now. There was absolutely no more time to waste. She had to escape now. She managed to stuff her grief down long enough to think of a plan. They had sealed the door to her bathroom and kept the main door to her cell locked regularly since they had given her the grim news so escape would be harder now. But she had to try. She knew if Aang was really dead the best thing she could do for him was make sure his children lived to be born one day.
She waited patiently for her opportunity to come. When jing came in with her next meal she stayed curled up by the wall, face buried in her arms pretending to cry.
jing set her meal tray down gently. He looked over at her sadly but didn't say anything. He turned back around to leave. Then Katara struck.