Fire
Tejas surveyed the grey beach before her. The giant wave had brought the expected algae and shells, but also the wreckage of unlucky ships, some of it green with age. There was treasure everywhere.
Huo caught up as she slid down the rocks. "Mom says we're not supposed to go near the water. The aftersharks are gonna get you!"
"Aftershocks," said Tejas without slowing. "Suit yourself."
Huo bravely resisted until the first piece of flotsam was uncovered, then decided he could probably outrun the aftershocks if they ever crawled out of the water. "Wait up!"
Tejas was clearing algae from a plank that could well have come from a long lost ghost pirate ship.
"Allow me," said Huo, getting into position.
"Huo, don't even think about…"
The algae was consumed by flame. As was much of the wood.
Tejas threw the charred remains on the ground. "Why do you have to be so immature? Go play somewhere else and stop bothering me!"
Huo sulked away. He knew she was just jealous because she couldn't bend, but he still liked getting attention.
Tejas exhaled dramatically and followed a toucan-puffin as it bobbed its way through the debris. She was soon interrupted.
"Hey, sis!"
"Not now, Huo."
"You need to see this."
Tejas walked over. "I'll look if you promise to…"
Huo stood beaming in front of a melting boulder of ice.
"I knew you'd like it. Maybe the aftershocks dug it from the deep too."
"Okay, genius," said Tejas, gaping. Ice was hard to get on the island – to see so much of it at once… "But how did it get there in the first place?"
Huo couldn't come up with a good answer, so he changed the subject. "I think there's something inside." A faint glow was getting stronger.
"Huo, don't you dare…"
The jet of flame bore through the ice. They were blown back by the shockwave as the boulder shattered. A blue beam shot into the sky and time slowed.
From the mist, a young boy stumbled towards them and collapsed.
#
Storm waves wash over and draw him under. He is too tired to struggle. He has failed.
Aang woke with a start, gasping for air. He choked when the room came into focus: the familiar black-and-red banner covered an entire wall.
His body protested as he rolled off the bed. He noticed he was dressed in the oversized garments of a peasant – or a convict. Embarrassing, but not his main worry at the moment. He heard steps outside.
"I'm saying I heard something."
"For the millionth time, Huo…"
He turned to the window but winced with pain.
Huo stormed into the room. "See?"
Tejas walked in after him and smiled. "You're awake. We didn't mean to startle you."
Aang noticed his defensive stance and relaxed – a little. "Where am I?"
"Shu Jing," said Tejas. "You washed ashore."
"We had to leave the treasure to fit you in the cart," Huo said wistfully.
"The Fire Nation?"
"Well duh," said Huo, inspecting him closely. "Are those pirate tattoos? Were they the ones that put you in ice?"
"Ice?"
"Enough, Huo." Tejas turned to Aang. "The earthquake caused a tidal wave, several ships sank. You don't need to remember everything now."
Aang set on the bed. He did need to remember. There had been a storm, and a ship. But he had been running away. Away from… Katara, the others! "The Day of Black Sun," he said aloud.
"Was that name of the ship?" asked Huo.
"No, the eclipse. What month is this?"
"The sixth," said Tejas, concerned. "Maybe you should rest."
There was still time. He stood up. "I have to go to the Capital. Back to the Capital, I mean. May I borrow these clothes?"
"Of course. Sorry about the size, they were our father's – he died in the war."
"I'm sorry."
"It was a long time ago." Tejas looked up. "Do you have any relatives here in the city? Maybe the authorities can help."
"We could go too," said Huo, "have an adventure!"
"Huo, I'm sure he has only regular homework to return to. As do you."
Aang smiled weakly. "A really tough assignment." Huo walked away disappointed.
Tejas handed him a conical dou li hat. "You sure you're okay to travel?"
"I'll manage." Somehow. "Thank you for everything."
Aang stepped into the sun.
#
The town was built on a terraced hillside, red-roofed houses overlooking a waterfall valley. Aang found the marketplace easily, but that was as far as his planning extended. He juggled two pebbles as he weighed his options.
The others wouldn't know to look for him here, he would have to meet them at the Capital. But he had no glider, no Appa. No Katara. There was no way to tell her he was alive – not without blowing his cover. He would need to travel the conventional way, which required money – something monks weren't very good at. His only craft was saving the world, and anyone could see how that was turning out.
Aang realized he was being watched: two kids followed the pebbles intently. He didn't want to attract attention, but a little fun couldn't hurt. He kept adding new stones to the mix as their eyes widened. When he finished his performance, a small crowd had gathered. A merchant threw him a coin before moving on. Well, it was a start – and it beat shoveling manure.
He took a bow and started a new number. Arms and legs danced with the pebbles as he wove air and earth, making impossible arcs. More coins clattered on the cobblestones.
Aang counted his winnings as the sun set behind the hills. One coin escaped and rolled a short distance, stopping at a black boot. He looked up at three armed guards.
"No beggars allowed in town," said the captain. "You're coming with us."
"I wasn't begging, I was performing."
"You will remove your hat when speaking to your superior!" She knocked off the dou li. Aang tensed for the fight.
The guards shrugged and dragged him to his feet. Could his wanted posters not have reached the town? If not, he couldn't run away without revealing himself. He decided to escape at a more discreet opportunity.
They didn't walk far to the guard post. The cell lay below street level, small barred windows letting in the last of the day. Aang was alone. He studied the walls wishing he had practiced more with Toph. For now, he sat in a lotus position and waited.
When night fell, Aang cautiously stood and walked to the cell wall. The guards were finally silent. Holding his breath, he stomped his foot and tore into the stone. Above him, the front door opened and closed. He froze. Muffled voices made their way to the stairs.
"You, boy, up front," ordered the captain.
Aang moved slowly as the wall behind him healed.
"This the one?"
The visitor nodded from the back. He was old and out of shape, but held himself like a fighter.
Before Aang could react, the guard clasped chains on his hands and feet.
#
Aang kicked himself as they trekked up the hill. He could barely walk, much less bend. Avatar state was still out. He could refuse to move, he supposed, but that would gain him little beyond squandering good will – assuming there was any. Had they finally realized who he was? The captor walking behind him said nothing.
They came to a villa on the edge of the cliff. A servant opened the gate, and they crossed the courtyard to a study overlooking the valley below. A man stood at the window, gazing at the moon.
"Earthbending isn't welcome here, boy."
Aang's chains felt heavier. "It was just juggling…"
"Enough. We both know what you are."
"We do?"
"The only question is…" he stopped as he turned around. "Aang?"
Busted. Aang tried to sound more confident than he felt. "I am the Avatar! Release me and I will spare your village."
The man laughed a familiar laugh. "It's me, Aang."
Aang studied his face. It too looked familiar despite the short cropped beard. "Have you ever been to the Water Tribe?"
He smiled. "It's me. Sokka."
The room started spinning.
I need to face him alone. I need to redeem myself. I need my honor back.
Aang awoke in an elegantly furnished room. He felt lost until he spotted Sokka sitting beside him – then he felt more lost.
"How long was I out?"
"This time? A few minutes. You haven't aged."
"But you have!"
"Most people do." Sokka paused. "We thought you were dead."
Aang stared at the ground. "Maybe I ought to be. I shouldn't have run away. I thought I had something to prove. I proved I'm an idiot."
"You can say that again. Where were you all this time?"
"I guess the self-preservation instinct kicked in. Again. How long was I out?"
"Aang… it's been twelve years."
Twelve years! There was one thing on his mind. "Where's Katara?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know? What happened?"
Sokka sighed. "We broke away from the others to search. When we didn't find you, we regrouped for the Invasion. It was a disaster – they knew we were coming. Dad was killed. Some of us managed to escape on Appa."
"I'm so sorry, Sokka. So you formed a resistance?"
"It was crushed in a doomed uprising in Ba Sing Se several weeks later. This estate belonged to Piandao, a master swordsman I met while we were looking for you. He died that day. That was the last I saw of Toph or Katara."
A hot tear rolled down Aang's cheek. "How could you just give up like that?"
Sokka stood, voice trembling. "How dare you? Sorry, great Avatar, if not all of us can hide from our problems in a block of ice. We were brothers, Aang. You gave up on us. Katara…"
Aang didn't look up.
Sokka exhaled. "Listen, stay the night. I can give you some money, but then you're on your own. Oh, you can have this too."
Aang caught it in the air. "A pai sho tile?"
"Piandao gave it to me. It obviously hasn't brought either of us much luck. It's yours, for what it's worth."
