AN: I can't, I can not believe that I have to say this, but apparently some readers lack the common sense to grow up a little when they read a fic about a couple they don't like: when I said "reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed" I meant just that, reviews (meaning, something pertaining to what actually happens in the story or chapters) or constructive criticism (criticism by the reviewers regarding their concerns regarding the story, and not just something as superficial as what ship is being used here) are welcomed. Anything less can just as easily be expressed by clicking the "exit" button, because frankly, I don't need confused, close-minded Maikonians or Kataangers to waste space on my review page. Believe it, children, your mommies actually had a valid point: when you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
For the rest of the readers who've actually hit puberty and developed common courtesy, I apologize for any concern regarding the label I have placed on this story: yes, it is labled Katara/Aang, because it CENTERS around them, they are the main characters of this story. This story is based off what happens to them after the war, and how it affects everyone else. Even though this fic will eventually be Zutara, Aang will still be focused on more than Zuko, so it only makes sense to put him as part of the label. I still apologize if this caused concern among my more mature readers.
Lastly, I write this fic because I want to, because I think its fun, and because I actually like BOTH Kataang and Zutara. I wrote a Kataang fic last time, and wanted to try my hand at Zutara. That's why it's called FAN-FICTION: it's fiction that a fan can write for what they like.
Now, with that out of the way, to the rest of you I give chapter 3. Again, all REVIEWS and CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM are welcomed.
Have a nice day. :)
Chapter Three: Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen
Above a wave of clouds Aang finally spotted the top of the eastern Air Temple in the distance. With a snap in his stomach, the anxious Avatar flipped the reins of his bison, motioning the gentle giant to lower himself down. Out of all the Air temples, this was the one the Avatar knew of the least. Southern was his home, Northern was where his other nation friends were closest to, Western was where the monks had eventually moved their Avatar-practice to before the invasion. But this, this one was relatively new. Aside from flying by this area in the century past, the Avatar never had business here, and it didn't strike him to go looking around.
Appa lowered under the lake of clouds that blocked their view of the temple, and indeed, from a distance this temple seemed no different from the others. Aang saw a tree around the front of the temple that bore a fruit he had not seen in decades: mango-berries, a bison's favorite.
And how intelligent some bisons are! The mellow monster needn't even a second "Yip" from the Avatar to land right below its young, but growing branches. The Avatar smiled at his bison and emptied the basket that contained his sleeping bag and meals onto Appa's saddle and with the ease one would have gathering food with air-cushioned feet, he filled the basket to the brim with the delectable bison fruit.
"Here you go, buddy," Invited Aang as he placed the basket down in front of the beast. "Dig in!"
As the bison dove his tongue into the basket, the Avatar turned and faced the temple, taking the scroll from his belt. "I'll be back." He said as he walked cautiously forward.
Through the first lobby, he recognized monuments built to honor Avatar Yang-Chen, and all other air Avatars that preceded her. He also saw marble sculptures of some monks, faces he could vaguely remember.
He realized this temple was bigger than the other three he visited, and was amazed to see how the temple doors towered over him in stature. With a tentative knock with his knuckle, the doors opened with a moaning creak.
"Ah, Avatar Aang. Right on time." Called a woman.
Aang looked into the room and saw no face to trace the voice from, for it was almost black with darkness.
"Where are you?" Asked the monk.
"In here, Avatar, waiting for your company." Said a man.
"I can't see you."
"Most can't when they won't take the time to stop and watch."
Aang stood there for a moment, with the door propped open and the little tail of light that leaked from outside disappearing into the black. He tightened his grip on the door handle in preparation, for he wasn't sure what was going on. He thought for a moment before clearing his throat, and then loosened his grip on the handle.
"Okay, I will."
With a last step, his body was entirely within the temple and he let the door close. As all Air Temple passages do, the natural air cushion prolonged the complete closing of the door. The Avatar stood and watched the floor as the little triangle of light that came in from outside grew thinner and thinner. Just when it seemed that he would be trapped in the boundary-less darkness, the door closed, and a spectacular lighting of crystals in the walls luminated the temple in an uprising swirl of visual magnificence.
With the lighting of the temple, he saw in a semi-circle before him 9 men and women dressed in red, blue, and green robes, sitting on a curved ledge with their hands folded neatly into their enormous, majestic sleeves.
That's when he saw the woman who addressed him before, a middle-aged Water Tribe native.
"We are the Sages of Generations. "
Aang, astounded by the lighting spectacle, looked in awe at the nine regal sages.
"Welcome, Avatar Aang."
"Do not fret, Katara," Consoled Iroh. "The Sages are a bendless, peaceful gathering of loyal Avatar advisors. They are there to help and serve the Avatar."
"So were the Sages of the Fire Nation." Katara said, finally taking a moment to stop nervously pacing around the room, her breakfast long ago abandoned. "But they turned on him."
"I assure you, every one of the Sages are dedicated Avatar advisors, even the Fire Nation sages."
Katara looked up at Iroh with fear in her eyes. "How can you be sure?"
"Katara, the role of the Sages is one of fierce discipline and test of virtue. When someone becomes a Sage, they dedicate the rest of their lives to serve the Avatar. When they pass on, only new Sages who are appointed by the Avatar themself can replace them. It is a duty of great trust and sacredness."
Katara remained looking at Iroh, unconvinced. "Iroh?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think that, even though the war has long been over now, that there may still be animosity between the nations?"
"Katara, there will always be animosity amongst people because they concern themselves with superficial differences, for they themselves are superficial people. "
"I mean, would there still be belligerent War Vultures?"
"I suppose it is possible, Katara, but the real threatening Vultures have been incarcerated. There should be no real threat among us now."
Even with the worst of the war gone, Katara still remained wary of the Fire Nation, mostly because of the War Vultures, Fire Nation individuals who still retained the ideals of Sozin and believed that Fire Nation reigned supreme over all nations. They were called "War Vultures" or simply "Vultures" to recognize their hunger for bloodied remains in the name of a dead cost.
Katara heaved a sigh and picked up an empty cup. "Yes, I suppose you're right."
Iroh smiled at her assuredly as he took the initiative to pour hot tea into the cup. "Just relax, my dear."
With a second sigh, Katara look at her filled cup and blew at it before taking a sip. At last she smiled, albeit small, and downed the last of her tea.
"Thank you Iroh. I think I'm going to go out and buy custard pie."
Iroh chuckled and took some money out of his pocket.
"Better make it two," He said, patting his belly, as he handed her the extra money.
This time with a wider smile, Katara waved at Iroh before going out through the door, calling back that she'd return soon.
As has become normal, whenever Katara would go into the market square, she was met with a wave of smiles, hellos, and nods of respect. Never would she fail to return the polite gestures, and always maintained her politeness and humility. As she walked past the stands, the vendors would always greet and address her by Miss Katara as they tried to lure her into their products and bargains. Today was a short day at the market, though. She was coming only to surprise her Air Prince with his favorite treat.
She made her way into the pastry stand in the corner of the square, where there was the most shade and strongest aromas of sweets, sugar and other tasty delights. She went to the stand and asked Minka, the town's beloved baker, for the two pies.
"Just give it five minutes, Kattie," Said the spunky baker. "I'm almost done baking a fresh batch right now. After all, you can't rush…art!"
Like a graceful whale, Minka leaped to the other side of the stand to take another order, her enormous breasts following closely behind her. Minka's animated persona always amused Katara and the rest of the town; she was fat, middle-aged, and eccentric, but had an electric charm that was all her own.
Katara politely took a few steps back to give Minka her space. While she waited, she absent-mindedly looked around to the neighboring stands when she saw a hooded figure by the apple stand. It took a minute for the light to shine on the lower part of their face to reveal ruby lips. Huh, so it's a woman.
That's when Katara noticed that she kept looking back at her clutched hand and then back at the vendor, each time showing her hand a little closer to his face.
'She must not have enough money.' She thought.
She stood there for a moment, fingering the sum in her pocket before looking again at the woman. She was still there, still negotiating, and had an empty shopping basket at her feet. She took a last look at Minka, still adding finishing touches to her pies and figured she'd have enough time to come back.
She took out a couple silver pieces and approached the apple vendor. The hooded woman stepped back instantly with her head down.
"How much for a pound of apples?"
The vendor held up a hand and waved all fingers. "Five copper pieces."
"I'll take two."
She gave him the silver piece and was given back two packs of apples. He happily took the money before turning back towards the woman.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't make my prices any lower. This is the least expensive stand in the square, and if you can't afford the cost, then come back next week."
The woman stood there looking at him through the veil of shadow that covered her eyes from the hood. It was apparent she wasn't the most financially successful consumer here; her basket was wiry and dusty, and even her hood was not black, but a fainted dark gray. The way it draped over her body and limbs weighed down to reveal skinny arms inside edge-torn sleeves that hung open to reveal veined hands. Indeed, she wasn't the youngest consumer either.
She sighed before pocketing her worthless change and bent over to pick up her empty basket. However, when she looked down at it, she realized it wasn't empty, but now loaded with two pounds of apples.
She looked quizzically at the food before looking up ahead to see that the Water Tribe girl who had made a purchase before her was receiving pies from Minka. No trace of her previous purchases anywhere.
She watched Katara swiftly receive the pies into her basket before heading out of the square.
"Aang, as the Avatar you understand more than anyone else the vitality of balance in the world of now and tomorrow."
"Yes, Sage Kai-Nghi."
"As such, you are the last of your people, a thin thread holding the fabric of balance together. As you know, the Avatar cycle goes in a trend: when the Avatar dies, he is reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle. When you pass, your spirit, and the spirits of all the Avatars before you, will rejuvenate in the body of a Water Native."
"Yes," Said Aang. "then Earth, then Fire."
"But after Fire is Air, and since you're living as the last nomad now, there will not be another Air Native to perpetuate the cycle when the next three Avatars pass. This anomaly in the generations to come could be fatal, as the well-being of all nature, divinity, and existence depends on an Avatar."
"Without another Air Native to perpetuate the cycle, the Avatar will cease to exist, and consequences won't stop there. Without an Avatar, the very power of bending will become extinct; the technology we depend on through use of our bending will collapse. It could very well send us back to the darkest of ages."
The innocent monk looked at the sages with large, clueless eyes for a moment. Blinking once. The invasion of his people took place before Monk Gyatso has a chance to clarify with him information that a blossoming 12 year old could have found very useful. Blinking twice. It, however, never seemed to be too much of a problem, except when he sometimes couldn't understand the humor in the jokes Sokka would chuck long after Iroh had fallen asleep.
"Mkay…so…what am I supposed to do?"
The sages finally broke their expressionless faces to quickly exchange amused and confused looks between each other.
Finally the Water Native woman, Kai-Nghi, spoke. "Well…ahem…as the last of your kind, you must seek and find a wife by your 16th birthday and then…proceed to revive the Air population."
Again, an awkward silence ensued, and Aang remained quiet. It was by this time; Aang had caught wind that Sage Kyanu of the Fire Nation had covered his eyes with his hand and tried his best not to laugh.
"Okay…" Aang said at last. "Uh, why by my 16th birthday?"
Kai-Nghi shot a glare to Kyanu, for by this time, the sage's fat, wrinkled, face was creaking with suppressed laughter.
"Because…"Answered Kai-Nghi, shifting her eyes back to Aang, determined to keep this mature. "Life is unpredictable, young airbender. No one knows if you will live to wait out a few more years to marry. Plus, 16 is the traditional age by nomad custom to marry."
Aang nodded, albeit with apparent hesitation.
Spotting his confusion, Kai-Nghi added, "Don't worry, young Avatar. First, concern yourself with finding a wife. After you are married, instinct will guide you from there."
To the side, Kyanu's face was now purple with hidden hysteria.
"Before then," Inputted Sage Okru of the Earth Nation. "When you have found your wife, you will return to your home temple, as is customary, on your 16th birthday. We will be waiting for you. There, the spirits of the monks and nomads can bless you and your matrimony with offspring born with the gift of airbending."
As Aang flew through the sky on Appa, snacking on rice cakes Katara prepared for him, the words of the sages buzzed about in his mind. 'Find a wife, huh?' Thought the Avatar as he sucked on his sticky fingers. Katara always knew how to please his appetite for sweets.
She also knew how to please his need for laughter, and his need for happiness. Come to think of it, almost everything Katara did wielded the power to lift the Avatar higher than the cosmos.
The Avatar at that moment came up with a wonderful idea; he looked up at the sky to estimate what time it was. Then, with a last look down at the Earth villages he was flying over, he fingered his pocket to see how much money he had before motioning for Appa to land.