Rated T for character death and violence. If you don't like that sort of thing, then you best get out of here. Ye be warned.

Disclaimer: I'm just a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I do not own it, I am not associated with it, and I sadly have nothing to do with it at all. I am just a very obsessed fan who took the time to write this piece. I also thank the writers, voice actors, artists, directors, and everybody else who had something to do with the making of Avatar.. without you guys, I wouldn't be writing this today! Whoa, I said that all in one breath...

---

Prince Zuko

Tears of salty crystal glass followed my shadow as a bone flute sounded in the distance, the melody pained and sad. The sound of death, captured in a single harmony, a force that brings down even the strongest, their souls stabbed. A chilling wind fell to the valley below, rushing past the adjascent cliffs. The sky, a velvet tone of icy agony, a single cloud bleeding crimson. The melody was captured by the wind, carried away to a far off world. The broken melodics danced on the nearby rocks.

Slick transparency covered the path which I walked, my instep shattering the purity. The tone of my breath evaded the silence, echoing through the steep wintry walls. A sharp chill hit my center, and the path ahead grew dull. Another chill, this one slicing straight through my spine. A sliver of purity cut through the skin on my cheek, opening my eyes, vision blurred, frostnip setting in on my fingertips.

How long had I been out here? I was walking only a moment ago along the side of the polar cliffs. Now, I'm laying off the path in a dusting of frost, my fingers lotus white.

No more. I can't continue. I can't go on. I don't have any strength. I feel like the life is falling from me, falling off the cliffs into the valley below. There's no reason for me to go on. Nobody loves me, and I don't love anybody. I've always been isolated for who I am.

I'd scream, with the possibility of somebody hearing me, but my voice is gone. Not that it would matter, nobody would come to save me. I'd cry my pain away, but there are no tears to cry.

The agony of silence dawns on you when you're alone. When you're alone and your dying of a broken heart. A shattered heart, one that would never heal, just grant you more pain each day, until your spirit is allowed freedom.

Freedom.

---

Jun

Arctic desert winds concealed the frost desert below them, the skies above turning a pale blue-green colour. Cold glass covered the cliffs cascading from the sky, halted in time from forces of endless winter chills. Eyes of firey origin scanned over the abandoned landscape, a soul that had been lost to wealth years ago.

A woman ruled by wealth, bluntly, a bounty hunter, as they've called me. Doing treacherous tasks in exchange for gold and rarities. The tundra crunched underneath my worn leather boots, wisps of dark hair hanging in my face, barely moved by the breeze. Ever since I had been deserted, I had stayed a loner.

Heck, even if I'd stayed with Xirxu, I'd still be in this deserted land, tracking the prize that would get me the largest sum, and finally be accepted for who I am. I would be out of exile, and could retire from hunting.

The rose-like crescent moon peeked through the luminous clouds, the frost blinding me as I spotted a collapsed creature in the distance, singed with burns.

I flew across the ice, feeling like the demon who just got her bleeding black wings. Perhaps the creature would be worth something on the market. As I approached, I recognized the creature.

An adolescent being buried by the ice at least a day's old lay there, her face singed and unrecognizable, her clothes torn apart, the blue cloth barely covering her. Ice in various poses, bended while in liquid form, a few air orbs inside surrounded her body, in a few places melted by fire.

I leaned down, to see if she was still alive. Rhythm and heat were gone, not a breath of air was taken. She was gone, taken away to another world. I grabbed her frozen, delicate hand, and held it in my own. So lucky, to be released from the dark world. Her body rested peacefully as the sky began to send down crystals, a natural burial.

The only thing of any value on the girl was a dark blue choker secured around her neck, a reflective, blue marble stone hanging by a delicately made gold piece attatched. The stone was vividly cut into a water tribe design, and steamy tears burned at my eyes as I reached to take it.

No. Even hunters can have feelings.

I'd leave my prey untouched... For now.

---

Aang

When she deserted us, I knew there was something wrong. I remembered the day vividly, the day I believe I upset her.

"K..K..Katara?"

My voice trembled, holding a secret that desperately wanted to be free. There was a look of fear in her dark aquamarine eyes, my fists clenched, my knuckles ghostly white. I was stiff, cheeks red with blush. Her dark eyebrows curved upward, in curiosity, much like a cat's whiskers. I opened one of my fists, and extended it toward her, grasping her hand in my own.

I desparately wanted to say what I believed, and I squeezed her warm hand gently, just enough for her to feel.

Up above, the storm clouds that had poured upon us for hours began to clear, rays of light shining through the openings. The rain was still falling, but softly, quietly. The grass below our feet drooped over, heavy from the raindrops that weighted it down.

Two birds quietly watched us from a deceased tree, while a lone rabbit chewed on the grass nearby. It was so silent. A light storm wind streamt pass us.

My eyes swelled up with tears. Whether it was from the chill of the wind, or angst escaping my body, I do not know. My voice trembled as I began to speak.

"K..Katara, I know this might b..be strange f..for you..."

She listened intently. My heart began to beat like a drum, excitedly, nervously, and I felt her pulse speed up as well. My mind was swirling with thoughts about her.

"But I..."

I swallowed, feeling the liquid slowly drip down my dry throat, tears swelling in my eyes. She gently squeezed my hand, and tears began to descend from my eyes. "What I..I'm trying to say is, that.. I like you, more than as a friend.. maybe even..."

She squeezed my hand with a firmer grip, as I tried to find the words to say. It takes so much courage. But I was afraid. I didn't know what to say. The truth was, I really did love her. Tears streamt down my cheeks. Such an embarassment.

She saw the Avatar cry. She saw me cry. Possibly the last tears of my youth. I had become more mature. You couldn't say I was a child anymore, which made me even more sad. She watched as the last drops of my youth fell to the ground. I couldn't say anything, I couldn't do anything.

Silence froze us in time.

Then, her face flustered, her eyes began to water, and she looked shocked, her aqua eyes slightly glazed over, she dropped my hand, and held it to her heart, her mouth in a shocked frown, her lips slightly parted. She leaned in to kiss me, but just on the cheek, though it still sent an adrenaline rush through me.

"Aang..."

"K..Katara?"

"It's so hard to tell somebody how you feel... but it's even harder to say this."

I looked onward expectantly, though I felt my heart tremble within.

"Yes?"

"I love you, because you are my escape, because you've taken me away from my customs. But, I cannot say I love you in the way you love me. Please, Aang, don't take this the wrong way..."

My heart shattered, hurting. My soul was dying. I felt like I was dying, and waiting for her to finish what she was saying felt like an eternity of ill.

"...But I don't think that I can stay with you any longer. You and Sokka will have to continue on your own. There can be no distractions like this in your life. You have a duty, and maybe someday we'll meet up again."

"Katara, please. Don't go."

"I'm sorry Aang, but it's for the best."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. But please, continue on your journey."

"But where will you go?"

"I'll go find my father. I've memorized the map Bato gave Sokka and me, so I'll be fine."

"Won't Sokka want to go with you?"

"It's too dangerous for you to travel alone."

"K..Katara?"

Tears streamed from my eyes, and I truly died right there, falling right into the Earth Kingdom grass.

"Goodbye Aang. Good luck with your journey."

She kissed the point of the blue arrow tattooed on my forehead, and immediatly ran away. She had no supplies, no money.

But she ran away anyway. She was free.

She was truly free.

---

Aww, I felt so bad for Aang while I was writing this! Who was the person who collapsed? Well, I'll just leave that a mystery for now. Some of you probably already know who it is, and I'm sure most of you realized that the second part was from Jun's point of view. All of the mysteries here will be solved in later chapters, don't worry.

This is a replacement for my old fanfic, Dark Blue Clouds. It will end up being similar, and yes, Meng will be making an appearance later on.

Please review, because reviews help me stay alive! Sort of, anyway...

-- Koikitten