Chapter 2: Kyoshi Island.
I layed on my back nauseous as we rode Appa in the sky. While Katara was sewing Sokka's pants, and Aang tried to get Katara's attention. I closed my eyes trying to forget that we were a hundred feet in the air. If I looked over the saddle I would be taking a chance of falling to a watery grave. After leaving the air temple Sokka declared we were going to Kyoshi Island. I told the group that they couldn't mention anything about me being a bender. They understood why, but there was another reason than the one they thought. I opened my eyes when I heard Sokka say something.
"You have no idea where you're going do?" I let out a groan. This meant we were going to have to fly above water longer.
"Well I know it's near water." Aang said responding to his question. I put my hands on my head. Just hearing the word water made me nauseous. I slowly sat up making sure that I didn't get to close or fall of the edge. I looked at Katara who was still sewing Sokka's pants. She had a concerned look pasted on her face when she saw mine.
"Alec, are you okay? You're as white as a ghost." She stated. I nodded my head, and curled in to a ball. She turned her attention back to the pair of pants.
"Don't bother her, Hothead. You have to give girls space when they do their sewing." Sokka said. I would have looked at him to raise an eyebrow, but he wasn't wearing pants, and I did not want to see that.
"What does me being a girl have to do with sewing?" She asked him challenging him to continue.
"Well girls are better at sewing than guys. While guys are better at fighting, hunting, protecting, and things like that." He said. I stared at Katara to see what she would say next.
"Look I'm done with your pants, and looked at what a great job I did." She said sarcastically at him holding up the unfinished pants, and threw them at him. Leaning back on the saddle, Katara looked satisfied, at her work. Then I felt a tap at my shoulder. I turned my head to see Sokka holding out the pair of pants, asking for me to sew them.
"Not all girls know how to sew." I said, and smiled at his disappointment.
"Don't worry where we're going you won't need any pants." Aang said. As long as were on solid ground I'll be happy, I thought bringing my knees closer.
Soon we found Kyoshi Island. After another hour of riding the bison, I finally felt brave enough to glance over the saddle to see a breath taking sight. Kyoshi Island was beautiful. It was huge with so much greenery. More than I had ever seen in my life. Before Appa could make a complete landing, I jumped off the beast and used my airbending to break my fall. I landed in the sand and rolled onto my back, smiling for the fact that I no longer felt like throwing up. Sweet land was all I could think, but as soon as the others landed Sokka started complaining.
"Aang if we keep flying at these rate we won't get to the North Pole untill spring." He said. Aang jumped off Appa, and started to explain that Appa was just tired. "Well we can argue with a ten ton magical monster."
"Look!" Aang said pointing towards the ocean. From a distant you could see huge koi fish. I gaped at them, but quickly looked away when I saw Aang taking of his pants. I turned around so I couldn't see him, but Sokka and Katara kept there eyes on the koi. "Katara you have to see me ride one."
"Cold!" The boy screamed and I turned back around, getting up from my spot on the ground. He was already in the freezing water swimming after the koi. While Sokka used his finger to show that the kid was crazy. Me and Katara stared in wonder as we watched Aang on the koi's back.
"He's amazing!" Katara exclaimed
"The fish is doing all the work." Sokka said with envy.
"You're just jealous because you can't do that," I told him, but then I heard a noise behind me. It was coming from Appa and I tapped Katara's shoulder to point at the flying bison, who was eating a tree by the roots.
"No Appa! Don't eat that!" She said going after the huge bison. I would have followed her to stopped him, but I kept looking at the fish. I was still scarred of the ten ton beast. When I looked back at Aang he seemed disappointed that Katara left. Oh... I thought as a smirk crept at my lips. This looked like classic case of boy trying to get girl's attention. I was about to tease him about it, but then I noticed something black in the water beneath him. Sokka say the fish too and tried to warn him.
"Aang wacth out!" Sokka yelled, but Aang was too far to hear him.
"Aang!" I waved my arms frantically, and Katara was at my side.
"What happened?" Katara asked.
"Aang's in trouble." I said still waving my arms. We called out his name over and over until he saw it. A fish ten times bigger than the koi rose from the water. Aang was literally running on water to escape. When he hit land he didn't see where he was going and crashed striaght in to Sokka.
"What was that thing?" Katara asked. Aang got up off of Sokka and started putting back on his clothes. Sokka stood from the ground, looking angry as usual.
"I don't know but we..." He didn't have time to finish his sentence because we were all ambushed. It went so fast. I took a stance to fight, but people in green got us one by one until we were tied. With our arms and hands tied behind our backs, I tried to get a glimpse of their faces but was quickly blind folded.
"Why?" I asked myself aloud as they picked me up, and started walking away.
"You four have some explaining to do." A husky man's voice said from behind me. I struggled against the ropes as I sat on the ground.
"And if you don't tell us we'll kill the firebender, and throw you guys back in the water with the Devil Fish." Another voice said from behind me, but from a female.
"Oh great. Thanks for the special treatment," I drawled sarcastically, but then I weighed my options. Devil Fish or killed by warriors? I thought. Killed by warriors.
"Show yourselves cowards." I heard Sokka say, which came from in front of me. They then ripped off my blind fold, and I saw about a dozen Kyoshi Warriors standing around with there fans. In front of me, I saw Aang, Katara, and Sokka tied to a pole that had Avatar Kyoshi at the top. Just like the Island the statue was beautiful, but then I realized where I was. Why am I on the floor?
"Where are the men who ambushed us." He continued and I shook my head in disappointment.
"There were no men. We ambushed you. Now tell me who are you, and why do you have a firebender with you?" The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors demanded holding her fist in the air.
"Wait! How could a bunch of girls ambush us?" He asked.
"Shut up Sokka," I called before they killed him. His sexist comments to Katara was one thing, but these "girls" literally handed us our rear ends in an ambush.
"A bunch of girls?" The warrior with the bobbed hair said, grabbing the collar of his shirt. "The Devil Fish will eat good tonight." Beams of sweat and fear raced down my face thinking the serpent.
"No don't hurt him. He didn't mean it. My brother's an idiot." Katara said protecting her sibling.
"A big idiot." I added with emphasis. Then after staring at him for a while she let him go.
"It's my fault I wanted to ride the koi." Aang said trying to explain.
"How do we know you're not Fire nation spies? You already brought a firebender." The man with the husky voice said.
"I'm not a bender!" I yelled out in frustration, but it was in hopes they would let us go. Then the man went on about how Avatar Kyoshi Island has stayed out of the war so far, but Aang told him he knew Kyoshi. The man huffed while Aang told him he was the Avatar, and Kyoshi was his past life.
"Throw the impostor, and his friends in the ocean." The man said. I frantically struggled against the ropes. At that moment I feared for my life. Then everything went silent after Aang did some airbending. "You are the Avatar." With that said Aang took out some marbles, and made them go around in a circle in his hands. The crowd went wild, and at least on man foamed from the mouth.
After they untied us we followed them to a building where they sat us at a table with many types of sweet bread. The whole way walking to the building I could tell everyone was staring at me. My red tunic had a huge gold threaded symbol of the Fire Nation insignia on the back. It was bound to draw attention, but it was more than I thought it would be. When we passed be some of the stores I thought about getting a different tunic, but then heard my father's voice. Alec you must be proud of your Nation. You might not be proud of what they did, but be proud of who you are. I let out a heavy sigh, and kept walking with people staring at me. When we were in the room me, Aang, and Katara ate the sweet bread while Sokka pouted in the corner.
"Sokka what's wrong? Eat!" Aang said with his mouth full of sweet bread. All the teenager did was complain or talk about food, but now that their was some right in front of him, he wouldn't eat.
"I'm not hungry." He said.
"But you're always hungry." Aang stated.
"He's just upset that a girl beat his butt." Katara explained. I snickered realizing that's what was putting him in a bad mood.
"Don't worry Aang. There's no room for food if he can't even swallow his own pride," I said but then brought up yesterday at the air temple. Looking back at Sokka, I tossed him a piece of bread. "Anyways, I beat your butt yesterday at the air temple."
"That was different you can..." Right when he was going to say airbend I gave him a stern look, warning him. "you can you know. Whatever." He said, and left, but not without some sweet breads. So after that situation, Aang left to go venture around the village, while me and Katara ate, but she barely touched anything. I swallowed hard to clear my voice, and sipped my water.
"What's wrong Katara you look down." I said, and took another wonderful bite out of the sweet bread.
"I'm just worried." She said poking at her share.
"Don't. Sokka has a thick skull so it won't hurt if they beat him up." I said laughing at my own joke.
"Not Sokka, Aang. I'm worried that this Avatar stuff will go to his head. It must be weird for a whole crowd to stare at you." She confessed, and propped her chin on her hand.
"It is." I said, letting at a sigh. She looked at me to continue.
"Since we got here everybody has been staring at me, because of this." I explained pointing at my back. The waterbender looked back, and saw the Fire Nation symbol.
"Why don't you just take it off?" She asked looking back at me. "I can help you find a clothes at the market."
"I can't." I said, and causing her to raise an eyebrow at me. I didn't really want to elaborate. She wouldn't understand.
"So you look better. You really did look sick when we were on Appa." She said concern in her voice. Then I remembered the watery grave.
"I think I was a little sick. That's all." I lied, turning my gaze to the pile of bread. My appetite was gone already and I poked at a piece just how Katara did.
After that she got up, and said she was going to go to the market. I wasn't hungry anymore so I went over to the window behind me, and stared out. I watched as the people of Kyoshi did what they normally did. Just normal people getting there everyday things. I sat there for an hour until I saw something you don't see everyday. Aang was being chased by little girls. Little girls chasing Aang? Does Katara know? I sat there for another hour. When I heard familiar voices I looked down and saw Aang, and Katara arguing. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but I was pretty sure it had to do with little girls. Then Katara grabbed her basket, and stormed off in to the building. I walked away from the window, and sat down in front of the wall by the door. I had to make sure she didn't think I was eavesdropping. She walked in the room, and slammed the basket on the now cleared table. She started saying something, but then saw me by the wall.
"Hey Alec. I didn't see you there. Have you been in here the whole day?" She asked. I nodded my head answering her question.
"There's nothing outside to do." I lied once again, but I really wanted to see the island. The truth was that I didn't want to hear people gossip, and stare at me.
"Yeah there's nothing to do out there." She said as she took of her jacket. She hung it up, and sat next to me. "I know why you're not going out there, because of your tunic, but I don't get why you don't want to take it off."
"because taking it off would show that I'm ashamed of my Nation."
"But aren't you?" She asked.
"No. I'm not ashamed of being Fire Nation. That's where I was born. That's where my mom was born and my dad..." I said my voice cracking. "I don't want to talk about this now. We can talk about it when were flying to the next place."
"Okay, but you're going to have to come out. I want to leave by tomorrow morning." She said. I turned my head towards the door when I saw Aang.
"Hey girls. I was wondering if you would like to come watch me ride the Devil Fish." He said with a smirk on his face, and looked at Katara. I just shook my head.
"It's going to be dangerous." He added still eyeing Katara, but she wasn't having any of it.
"Cool." She said with mild interest in her voice, not even bothering to look at him.
"You're not going to stop me." The Avatar asked slouching his shoulders. His plan was back firing, and I sat right there in the middle of them, watching as it burned.
"Nope."
"Fine." He replied loudly.
"Fine." She repeated louder. Then Aang stormed out of the room leaving a trail of dust.
"What just happened?" I asked. She let out a sigh and slouched her shoulders.
"Aang thinks I'm jealous of the little girls," She said pouting. So that's what they were arguing about. I thought. "but I'm not!"
"Maybe he's the one that's jealous." I said. She looked at me like I was crazy. "Maybe he's jealous you're not the one watching him. Maybe he wants your attention."
"You might be right." she said getting up on her feet. Then she started biting her lip. "I should go stop him before he get's himself hurt."
With that said and my wave of dismissal, she walked out the door once again, leaving me to my own thoughts. You might not be a match maker, but you're not stupid. I told myself grinning.
The grin was gone as soon as it came, and boredom swept in to take its place. I could do a number of things in the confinement of the room, but I didn't want to seem like a crazy person. So I was left with only two options. That was to either sleep or meditate. Meditation wasn't something always did but it felt like a good thing to practice at the moment. It might actually make time go by faster, and that's what did. I could have been meditating for a good hour before I opened my eyes again. It was almost therapeutic as I brought myself back to reality. I felt so calm, and the world felt so peaceful.
But then I heard screaming people. I stood up in less than a second, and looked out the window. A Fire Nation ship crashed to shore, and soilders came out with three-horned rhinos. With at least six rhinos, and two firebenders to one. Except the one in the back that had his own rhino. I leaned forward to get a better look and was beyond surprised at who I saw.
The banished Prince Zuko.
I leaned back into the building, and I had to warn the group. When I ran out of the building I saw Aang trying to fight off Prince Zuko. I didn't have time to watch I had to get Appa. I kept running to where I last saw Appa, but when I got there he was gone. I ran a little further, but tripped over something. I peired down and saw two daggers in a sheath. No ones going to need these. I got up, and took the sheath.
"Alec come on!" I heard Katara yell. I looked behind me, and saw they were already to leave. I sprinted to them, and used a bit of airbending to jump on to the saddle. When Aang saw I was on, he called out 'Yip-Yip' and we were in the air. When we were high enough I stole a glimpse of the village. It was in flames. Before I could blink, Aang jumped off Appa's neck, and in to the water. I gaped at his actions. When He pop out of the water he had the Devil Fish, and made him release water on to the town. The town was no longer in flames. I turned to Aang, who some who found his way back up, and watched as he got his much deserved hug from Katara.
"Aang you are one crazy kid." I said, and he gave me a big goofy smile. I turned to Sokka who I hadn't seen all day, but when I saw him I had to stop from laughing my guts out. "Why are you in a dress?"
Edited by Kya-Waterbender-Avatar
Edited by Alec Garcia 8-23-2017
Till next time
- Alec
