Disclaimers: I do NOT own Avatar: The legend of Aang/Korra, Bryke does.

Oneshot: The airbender

Gyatso:

He was like a son to me, the Avatar, Aang. Why he left was a mystery to all of them, but not to me. I knew him well enough to know that he had probably overheard my conversation with the other elders. I missed him, very much, and I hoped that wherever he was, that he was safe.

A loud thud caught my attention and I got out of my bed to take a look out of my window. What I saw shocked me and I didn't know what was happening at first. I could see ships of the Fire Nation, scattered at the horizon and Fire Benders making their way towards the temple.

"The comet," I whispered to myself. "Aang."

I put on my clothes and ran down the stairs, trying to help the others. They were looking for him, there couldn't be another explanation. Roku had once told me about Sozin's plans, that he wanted to take over the world and twelve years ago, my friend had died, after fighting a volcano. Some said that the Fire Lord's dragon appeared around his island, but most of them thought of it as nothing. But I knew the truth, he had let his and my friend die.

When I first discovered Aang was the avatar a lot of things became clear to me. Like the reason why he was my friend from the beginning, some friendships are able to transcend lifetimes. On my way down I wrote a quick note and looked for a lemur who could bring it to the other members of the White Lotus. The animal flew away, clever enough to hide itself from the firebenders during its flight.

"Gyatso."

I turned around and saw one of the other elders, his face burned and I ran over to him.

"They're coming for him, for the Avatar. They're going to kill us, all of us." His hand fell out of mine and he closed his eyes, taking his last breath. So it was true then? Sozin was really starting a war.

"There's another one!"

I didn't turn around before I laid down the elder and I felt the fire, coming closer to me. With one move off my arm the fire and the bender flew against a wall. Although airbending was mostly a defensive element and monks were kind and not vengeful, I knew that it was kill or be killed.

Soon I was surrounded by more than twenty firebenders but I killed them all, only thinking about surviving and searching for Aang, so I could keep him safe. More soldiers came and soon I was getting cornered and when one of them was going to give me the final blow someone stopped him.

The firebenders parted and soon the Fire Lord himself walked up to me, frowning and his hands behind his back.

"Where is he," he asked, venom filling his voice.

"Gone," I answered before feeling every bit of life going out of me.

One hundred years later at the Southern Air Temple:

Aang:

"Gyatso!"

I was almost running, I couldn't wait to see my master, who was like a father to me. Katara was walking behind me, calling my name a few times, clearly trying to tell me something but I didn't listen to her, I needed to find Gyatso and tell him I was alright.

"Gya…"

I looked down at the square and I could see hundreds of skeletons, some of them wearing Fire Nation uniforms but there was only one that caught my eye.

"No!" I shouted, running over to the body. I knew it was him, he was wearing the Mala I once made him and I could feel an anger rising within me. Whoever did this, he was going to pay.

Flashback:

"He is just a child, he needs to have fun right now, his training should wait a few more years…" Gyatso said.

"You don't see the problem," another elder answered. "You know what the rumors say about Sozin. We can't wait with the Avatar's training. You'v grown soft, Gyatso. It is better if you and the boy are separated, we will send him to the Eastern Air Temple."

Gyatso sighed and was about to speak again but I couldn't hear it. Where they going to take me away from him? From the only true friend I had, from my mentor, my father? Well, he wasn't my biological father, but he was a father to me.

"I won't go," I whispered, fighting back the tears and I ran outside towards my flying bison, Appa.
"We're going on a trip, buddy," I said to him. "Are you ready to go?"

The giant beast growled once and we took off in the air, not aware of the danger that was about to come.

End of flashback:

"Aang!"

I turned around, looking at Katara and to my surprise the whole square was empty except for me, her, and my dead master in my arms. I must've been using my airbending when I was thinking of the past.

"Calm down. I know that it hurts to lose the ones you love, the Fire Nation took my mother when I was little. You're going to get through this, we are going to get through this."

I found myself lost, lost in her azure eyes, lost in the sincerity of her words. I found myself falling head over heels with the Water Tribe girl, Katara.

"You're right," I said when I finally managed to get something out of my throat. "Gyatso would've wanted me to get through this."

I took the necklace of my master's neck and decided to give him a proper funeral later that day. Katara and Sokka helped me to dig a big hole in the ground, since I couldn't bend earth yet and they left me in front of his grave, so I could say a few words.

"Gyatso," I whispered. "You were like a father to me, I love you."

The wind ruffled over the grave and I knew that he had somehow heard me and that he loved me too.

About fifteen years later, somewhere in the Southern Water Tribe:

Aang:

I looked down at the little baby boy in my arms and smiled. He was asleep at the moment and so was his mother. We didn't have a name for him yet, but it wasn't a problem, as long as he was healthy, everything was alright.

"Aang?"

I turned around and looked at the new uncle, Sokka.

"Oh, what a beautiful baby!" he shouted, running over to me. "Isn't he cute? Ooh, yes he is."
My son woke up and looked at his uncle as if he was gone crazy.

"Who's going to be a strong warrior? You are, you are," the young man in front of me said, poking the baby lightly in his stomach.

The baby's eyes narrowed and his hands went up in the air, sending Sokka towards the wall.

"Great," he said, getting onto his two feet. "A bender, stupid magic tricks… Is using them to hurt me or to make me look like an idiot…" he was dusting off his shirt and suddenly looked up at me, his eyes widening.

"Wait a second! He's a bender! An airbender Aang, an airbender!"

Soon Sokka stood next to me again but was careful enough not to tease the baby again.

"What's his name?"

I looked down at the baby and although he had two azure eyes, like his mother, I could see a wisdom in them that I had seen only once, a very long time ago.

"Tenzin," I answered. "Tenzin Gyatso."

The end.