Kataang Wedding: Chapter 1- Old Advice
The morning atmosphere flashed a brilliant orange and red, as the sun eclipsed the former darkness. It was void of artificial noises. Only the soft swish of the trees and the low grumbles of the air bison could be heard. That was how Aang preferred it, peaceful yet not silent.
As he sat down below his former master's statue, he breathed in the nostalgic dust. How long ago it seemed. Monk Gyatso would have been baking a dozen or so fruit pies, ripe for the pranking. The laughter of the other monks could be heard infusing with the chatters of the lemurs and grumbles of the sky bison. If airbenders labeled the sounds and rhythms of life, they'd have called it bliss.
But he didn't sneak out early in the morning to reminisce, though. Pressing his fingers together inversely, Aang freed his mind of all things material. Of anything tangible. Breathing slowed and mind quickened. A shimmering outline of a person emerged from Aang, resting a few feet away.
"Aang, it's good to see you. Do you need something?" Roku asked. His face still wrinkled as Aang remembered, except now he was a transparently deep blue.
"Well, there is something I've been meaning to ask you…" Aang hesitated before asking his request, in fear of knowing that his wish may not become a reality. "I was wondering- I was hoping to see an old friend of mine, a family member really. He died a long time ago, so he must be in the Spirit World baking fruit pies, right?" Just like that, the last sentence spilled out of Aang's mouth. Pain dribbling out with each syllable, wishing he had never even thought about it.
"Ah, yes Gyatso," Roku chuckled, his eyes wandered above for a moment, remembering their shared friend and past. "You can, as you talk with me, speak to your master. All you have to do is look deep within yourself and think of the clearest happiest moment that you share with Gyatso."
Roku's outline shimmered, fading in and out. "Before I go Aang, tell Gyatso that he still owes me a mango flavored fruit pie and a round of Pai Sho!" His laughter reverberated, creating a small draft after he dissipated.
"Okay, just-just think of the clearest happiest memory of Gyatso and me," Aang thought out loud, which, always seemed to help him when was in times of distress and need. He breathed deeply, his movement slowing down. Aang closed his eyes, concentrating on the memory. Pictures flew across every direction in Aang's mind. He saw many that were acceptable but not the best. Then, without even second guessing, he found it.
Another shimmering outline formed itself around Aang until it manifested into the kind-hearted, masterfully wise Monk Gyatso. "Aang…" Gyatso couldn't even form a sentence, his voice cracked; a few tears streamed down his garments. "It's-It's so good to see you. You've grown so much, and quite the beard you have might I add." A famous 'Gyatso Chuckle' filled the atmosphere with warmth and love.
Disbelief and happiness painted itself upon Aang's face. "Gyatso…" the Avatar whispered, even saying his name out loud felt surreal. "I have something to ask you, something that no one else I know could know the answer to."
Gyatso smiled, his lips thin but his emotion spread out so wide, "Of course Aang, anything." Clouds above shadowed the sun, allowing Aang to see Gyatso better. His face still shined with the airbending mastery; it was as if Gyatso had never even left.
"Well, I'm engaged to my friend-uh, I mean my girlfriend…and um, our wedding is in a few days and…" Aang, the young and bashful Avatar, couldn't reason with his fumbling words.
"And you want to know how to perform a traditional Air Nomad wedding? Haha, yes Aang, I would be more than honored."
Gyatso explained to the young Avatar the intricacies and rituals of an Air Nomad wedding. It seemed like a lifetime that they had been talking and laughing. It was like old times, blissful times. Aang bowed deeply to his master when the explanation finished. "I hope you understood what I told you!" another beautiful laugh escaped from the air nomad's mouth.
The Avatar nodded his head in answer. He knew his time was fading away with his master. Tears were at the edge of Aang's eyelids.
"Remember Aang, you can always speak to me because I am not only here," Gyatso pointed to his head, representing his mind. "But, am most importantly here," Gyatso stretched out his bony finger, pointing to his pupil's heart. "I'm afraid it is time for me to depart."
"Wait, Gyatso…do you want to know the memory that I thought of when calling for you?" Aang wanted to test his master; of course he was sure Monk Gyatso already knew the answer before Aang could think airbending.
Gyatso's outline shimmered slowly, "Why, of course!" His last sentences flowed through the nomadic wind as the monk faded, "It was the memory of when I gave you your airbending tattoos. I would have chosen that one too!" And all too soon, a ghost of Gyatso's laughter haunted Aang, leaving him alone with nature and the tears that fell away from him.
Aang remembered what Roku has asked of him, "Gyatso…Roku wanted me to tell you that you owe him a mango flavored fruit pie and a round of Pai Sho…" No one replied, of course. He was just talking to thin air, the same air that Gyatso and him were breathing and bending. But, still, to Aang it felt like it was only just yesterday….