An older Katara wonders why she first decided to follow Aang.
Thinking back, Katara wonders exactly why she followed Aang all those years before. Sure, he was the Avatar, and yes, she most definitely wanted to defeat the Fire Nation, but as she looks out at Yue Bay and watches the moonlight dance along the water, she knows there's something more. A small breeze lifts her hair, and she hears wind chimes from the Temple, the sound reminding her of a lullaby her mother used to sing. The air slows, and Katara, taking off her sandals, wades into the water, her element calling to her. The stars and the lights of Republic City appear, upside down, in the smooth bay, and the night is calm and still for a moment. And in this pause, Katara draws a breath and thinks of penguin sledding and marbles and air scooters. But the breeze drifts through the air again, and the city's reflection ripples. Katara looks up, wishing she could paint the sky. The yellow moon and tiny stars look like watercolors—soft and undefined. The air feels cool but smells like the sweetness of summer, and Katara smells jasmine. She lets her fingertips dance along the surface—she submerges her entire hand and feels the coolness of the water, then wades further into the water.
The wind picks up, and Katara can feel the water answer. She feels the ripples becoming waves, as the stillness of the water suddenly becomes motion. The air swirls, and the bay turns, and Katara can feel the earth under her feet respond. The air beckons, and the water reaches out, trying to close the gap between the two elements, and the sand rolls out to sea with the waves… In. Out. Push. Pull. And Katara feels the water and the earth pull her further into the bay, as the wind calls, always calling—
And Katara sees Aang rising from the iceberg. She sees him cry over the skeletons of lost airbenders. She sees him meditate in the North Pole. She sees him loose control in the desert as he mourns Appa. She sees him hit by Azula's lightning. She sees him master firebending. She remembers their first kiss, their first dance, the first time she had to heal him. She remembers their kiss after his defeat of the Firelord. She sees him holding Kya, and then Bumi, and then Tenzin. And she sees and remembers all this, and knows Aunt Wu was right, she did marry a powerful bender, but it isn't it. The air picks up, the water pulls her, and the sand slips under her feet, beckoning—
And then Katara knows. She knows why she followed Aang, why she'll always follow him. She closes her eyes and feels the cool gusts of air against her cheek. She feels the wind in her hair, and she feels the water lap around her body. Eyes still closed, she feels the water listen to the wind. And as the wind gathers speed, Katara feels the water pull stronger. Push and pull. The water following the air.
Katara walks back to Air Temple Island, where she finds Aang meditating in the night. He doesn't open his eyes as she sits next to him. Katara closes her eyes and listens to the push and pull, wind in her hair, and water in her veins.
Aang shifts, and she hears him say her name. Katara opens her eyes and looks at him. His beard, now silver, shines in the moonlight, and Katara's eyes blur with water. She knows what he will say. She's known for some time now. Aang takes her hand and squeezes. Katara closes her eyes and squeezes back. She feels Aang's heartbeat, and she feels the blood course throughout his body. For now, this is enough.
A year later, Katara travels back to the South Pole. She knows that she has a new Avatar to follow.
Thanks for reading!