Title: O'Children

Rating: T

Summary: Children shouldn't be in the war; but they didn't have a choice and grew up too fast, too soon.

Notes: The title was inspired by the song, O'Children by Nick Cave. Listen to it. I only adopted the title, not the meaning of the song. I don't own the song neither.


If only people weren't filled with greed, the want for more when they had plenty. If only the world was fair, and there was no thing such as rich or poor: that way no one would be jealous, nor filled with envy with what others have.

They were children. They experienced a hundred years of war in nine months. They've seen soldiers fall, their armor covered in soot. They've seen children running around, engorged with fire. They've seen mothers dig graves for caskets smaller than Momo.

They've heard the cries of mercy, the shrill scream of a child startled by their nightmares, the muffled sob of elders: who remember when all was peace, and fair, and togetherness. They ask theirselves what have they done to deserve to live in a world with fear, and darkness, and an eternal fire wall following them. They fear seeing smoke, even if it is their own fire. The one they must make to get warmth, and seek momentary happiness.

The Gaang would sit together as close as possible as it was, and spoke to cover up the eerie noises that materialize out of nowhere, or the snaps from the woods or the ruffling of the grass in a meadow when there was no wind.

Toph would hide in her rock tent, and she wouldn't sleep. She didn't know the difference between awake and asleep, as both were dark. She would stay on guard, feeling for any unfamiliarity. Sometimes she would cry, (and prayed she wasn't heard) for her parent's safety. If anything happened to them, she will seek revenge on the person who caused them any harm and they would wish they have never step foot near the Beifong's.

Aang still wish he was in the iceberg. That way he would never have experienced nor had knowledge of what he caused. It is selfish of him, but if only Katara and Sokka went fishing in another current, and he'd stay frozen.

Katara had grown up too quickly. She had to teach herself, and cook, and clean when her mother died and her father went away to fight. Her grandmother had the few years of life in her, and Katara wanted her to spent those in peace.

Sokka was a boy when he too sleep, and a soldier when he awoke. He slept with his boomerang and club next to him in case of any surprises.

They grew up too quickly. Fought to quickly. They killed men, slept on the groundEtta's bark and didnt showers for weeks on end and they couldn't be protect from the drastic world. They helped the world start on its journey to a slow recovery towards unity and peace and hope. They will want someone to tuck them in at night, and say everything is alright. But everything isn't!

They held each other close, and kept their distances at the same time. They cried on each others shoulders, but held their heads high: showing the others they can sustain on their own.

But the bedtime stories will be great. The stories being exchanged from lips to lips, changed, altered, exaggerated. They will know of the Gaang's sacrifices and bravery. Their determination to spread joy, and not fear.


Notes: It's short, but just think about it. They were children basically thrown into war without knowledge of how cruel and evil it really was. Enjoy.