"and I hate the invasion plan, too! I don't want you, or anybody else risking your lives to
fix my mistakes!", Aang shouted as he ripped the fire nation flag off the wall of his metal room
on the captured ship. He continued, a bit softer this time, "I've always known that I need to face
the firelord, but now I know that I need to do it alone." This hurt Katara deeply, and sort of
surprised her after all they had done for him. "Aang-", Katara started, but was cut off when Aang
said, "Katara, Please just go. Please." Katara reluctantly made her way to the door, but before
shutting it, she added, "Is there anything you need?" Aang's face became even more grim, and he
replied, "I need to redeem myself. I need my honor back."
Katara went to join Sokka and Toph who were eating some sort of Fire Nation meat, they
looked sort of worried. Then, it was nothing compared to Katara's worry for Aang, after all, what
he had said had defiantly scared her. She sat down on the dock next to Sokka. Sokka asked,
"How is he?" Katara struggled at first, but told them exactly how their conversation had gone.
"Weird. He hates my plan?! Ugh! Let's let him come up with something better!", shouted Sokka,
obviously hurt by Aang's outburst about the plan he had spent many full days revising. "I mean,
it almost sounded to me like he was planning to...", Katara didn't finish her sentence, but both
Toph and Sokka could complete the terrible thought. "Runaway."
They all rushed back to the ship, screaming for their friends that were already onboard
and disguised as Fire Nation soldiers to find Aang. Though Katara had been farther away, she made
it to his room first. She wasn't surprised when she found it the same as when she left, there was
still a bed, still a tattered flag on the ground, but there were two things missing. The staff that
Aang had knocked over, and Aang, himself. Katara felt tears rush down her face as she announced
seconds later to everyone, "He's gone."
Meanwhile, Aang was gliding ever so close to the ocean. He was falling closer and closer
to it by the minute, still determined to face the Firelord right then, no matter how insane
it may seem. He finally hit the water and was floating on his staff, completely out of energy,
and almost wishing he had waited just another night so that he could rest. He knew that was not
even an option, now. He couldn't face Katara after what he had said to her. Aang, still floating
on his now sinking staff, drifted off to sleep.
At this time, Katara was yelling at everyone to keep an eye out for Aang. She was violently
shaking, and extremely worried for the already injured Aang's safety. Pipsqueak, the very large
member of the group, shouted to Katara, "I see him! I see Aang! Is he dead?" Even though it was not
Pipsqueak's intention, he dramatically increased Katara's worry with the unnecessary comment about
Aang possibly being dead. Everyone stood still and silent for a moment, watching Aang become
entirely submerged in the ocean water. Katara lost all of the sanity she had left, and screamed,
"What are you idiots doing?! GET AANG, HE'LL DIE!!!" Sokka snapped out of it, apparently
the idea of Aang being dead was too much for everyone, and jumped overboard. He gripped Aang around
his waist and swam closer to the ship, Sokka's father threw down a ladder, and with much effort,
Sokka climbed it while carrying an awake, but very dizzy and "out-of-it" Aang.
When Sokka reached the ship's deck he handed Aang over to Katara, who dragged him to his
room and lay him down on the bed. Aang almost instantly fell asleep, Katara lay on her side,
watching him breathing, an hour passed before she was calm enough to drift off to sleep, as well.
When Katara awoke, she found Aang sitting up in bed, wondering if yesterday was all a dream, and
not being fully aware of how much he had wounded her. Katara immediantly stood up and yelled,
"What were you thinking?! You can't just leave us, especially in your condition!" Aang looked
surprised, then furious. He said, "I can't just have you, all of you, risking your lives for me!
The world thinks that I have failed, and I need to take down the Firelord now, and by myself!"
"You still think that, Aang?! I can't believe you! We all care about you.", Said Katara, in utter
disbelief that he could be so thick-headed.
Aang looked up at Katara, "You don't know what you're trying to get yourself into. I have
to do this myself, I have to redeem myself." Katara looked really angry, "Well, that sounds like
someone we know! Aang, we know what we're doing, we've been with you from the start! If we hadn't
gone looking for you, you would be dead." Aang suddenly remembered sinking and stated stubbornly,
"Maybe if I was dead, that would be better! Then we wouldn't be lying!" Katara was shocked. She
needed to bring Aang to his senses, but how was she to do that? The boy was injured, and wouldn't
listen to reason. He thought himself better dead! She was struck with the solution.
She took a seat on the bed and said, "Aang, you need what I am about to do, it won't put
you in any sort of life-threatening situation, and since you won't listen to reason, it is my
only option. Please forgive me." Aang's face portrayed a mix of confusion and annoyance, but he
allowed her to take his hand and place him over her lap. He still trusted Katara, he just didn't
really think that she knew how he was feeling at the time.
Katara raised her hand high and brought it quickly down on Aang's bottom. Aang, realizing
what was happening, tried to free himself, but couldn't in his state. Katara continued to spank
him while scolding, "Aang, can't you understand that we love you?! Don't you know what we wouldn't
know what to do if you were gone!" Katara followed this by a series of sharp smacks raining down
all over his poor backside. She continued, "I know how confused you must be. We are all so terribly
worried about you. We don't want you to have to do this alone, it's why we're here." Aang suddently
felt very guilty for putting them, Katara above all in such worry. She continued to bring her hand
down and started to cry. Aang, noticing this, cried too. He left because he wanted to protect Katara,
none of what he said the night before made any sense to him, now. Another minute passed, and Aang's
bottom was really starting to hurt. Katara cried harder and stopped spanking altogether to bury
her face in her hands. Aang stayed where he was for awhile, Katara was still crying. He got up and
hugged her, telling her how sorry he was for this whole thing, and how he wished he hadn't been so
foolish. Katara returned the hug and they cried in each other's arms for a long time.
"Katara, I promise to never leave you, again. I never meant to make you worry so much.",
Aang explained his feelings as best he could. Katara sniffled, stood up, and said, "You need to rest
, you're still hurt." Aang nodded, and Katara added, "Might I recommend sleeping on your stomach?"
Katara and Aang giggled, and Katara left, leaving Aang to his thoughts.
The End!
M'kay, so I've been busy, and I rushed the story, it's a little choppy, as well, but I did it! =P