I caught up soon enough. It didn't take long, considering that I had a special way of travel. But the time didn't matter to me. Except if I was too late. I knew something Aang did not. And unless someone broke it to him gently, this trip was going to blow up in everyone's faces. He didn't know me, true. But we were bonded together. I was probably the only one with the strength to give him the strength.
I watched them. The girl, Katara, and the teenage boy. Aang woke the boy up, and as I watched, I could barely stifle the laughter that rose up. He seemed so excited... I felt guilty.
I leapt with speed and grace in the hills, determined to beat them there. The dense wall of plants didn't help, especially since my braid threeatened to get caught several times, but I still managed to get there before them. I watched silently as they wandered through the empty place, Aang pointed out several things, and he played the boy in a game that I believed was called airball. I remembered how Fang had taught me about the Air Nomads, as if they were a foreign culture. But they were. After all, they weren't my culture.
Then they went inside the temple. I sensed from Aang's thoughts, so strong now that we were close, that he was going to finally see something. A forbidden room? I didn't know what awaited inside, but I kept watch. I immersed myself in Aang and watched through his eyes, and was amazed.
A room full of Avatar statues. The history of the world. So big... and then things happened I didn't understand. I couldn't hear, so I tried to adopt Aang's ears as well, but the connection between us wasn't strong enough. They hid, and there was a shadow. I recognized it instantly, and wondered why they were afraid.
Their surprise and relief was felt quickly. The lemur had frightened them, but now they were friendly towards it. But wait... The teenage boy chased it... and Aang chased it! I slipped out of Aang as if slipping out of water and ran towards their destination. If what I had guessed was correct, trouble was ahead.
I ran as fast as I could, but I was too late. Aang had found his mentor. I felt his pain, so intense and vivid, that I groaned and clutched my head, even as I ran. But it only worsened. He entered the Avatar State, filling me with rage and sorrow that wasn't mine. But I moved forward. I resisted, and fought, and struggled, and reached him. The two teens hid. Their eyes widened as they saw me, but made no move to stop me. I sought the right words to say, but would could you say to someone who had just found it their life, their home was gone? The right words came.
"You need to slow down. It's hard to find out and you know that you've just lost your home, you feel like you're just falling down. You must turn around, don't hide from the light, don't fear to cry that first tear, and let the tears rain down– So stand in the rain, stand your ground, stand up when it's all crashing down. You must face your pain, you won't drown, and all that you've lost can be found, so stand in the rain... Don't fear crying out; don't be alone in this fight with yourself, or let your fears whisper if you stand, you'll fall down. You know you've been found. The only way out is through everything you're running from. Don't just give up and lie down– So stand in the rain, stand your ground. Stand up when it's all crashing down. You must face your pain, you won't drown, and all that you've lost can be found, so stand in the rain... So stand in the rain, stand your ground, stand up when it's all crashing down. You must face your pain, you won't drown, and all that you've lost can be found, so stand in the rain! Stand your ground! Stand up when it's all crashing down! You must face your pain, you won't drown, and all that you've lost can be found, you stand in the rain..."
I watched in awe as the ball of air he had conjured evaporated and he came down to the ground. His eyes and tattoos still glowed, so I walked up and put an arm around him.
"You think you've lost a family, Aang," I whispered. "But you've really just found it." Then I added the words that changed everything. "I've missed you, brother."
"So, you're Aang's twin? And you both got trapped for a hundred years?" Sokka asked as we sat around a fire. Momo, as the lemur had been christened, leapt on to my shoulder. Sokka continued without giving me a chance to answer his rhetorical questions. "How is that possible? I mean, it's not like if you kill a turtle-seal, its brother dies, or if you grab an arctic hen by the leg, its twin starts to limp. In fact, I think that-"
"You don't think at all," Katara interrupted. "If you did, you wouldn't be quizzing her on her existence." I gave her a brief nod of thanks. I looked down, studying my thumbs. I still could hardly believe it. I was talking... to actual people, not a simulation of Fang's. This was different from what I expected. I'd expected to welcome Aang alone, teach him everything, and save the world... okay, so it wasn't exactly a well thought-out plan.
"There is a lot you don't know, and most of it you can't," I said quietly. Without warning, my shoulder began to burn. I cried out and held it. Aang reached for me but I shied away.
"I'm fine," I said, but it probably sounded like I was just trying to convince myself. I was too busy gritting my teeth at the pain to care. Suddenly, my vision flashed between black and a vision. I shuddered; I knew my vision was a prophecy, and it would come true. And it wasn't a nice future. Then I blacked out.
"Linn? Linn?" I heard Katara's voice, then blinked as her face came into view. I thought of my vision, then dismissed the thought. Even if it did come true, it would do nothing but harm to tell them of the pain to come.
"I'm awake," I groaned. "How long?" Katara seemed a bit perplexed at how quickly I had gathered my thoughts.
"Only a minute or so. You fell, but you're leaning against Appa now, and your head doesn't seem to have hit anything." I smiled at her, trying to convey my gratitude.
"Thanks. Wait, Appa?" I looked up, and heard a rumbling groan. Ah. The bison. "I see. So," I said cheerfully, pushing myself up, "You guys left the Tribe to help Aang?" Katara nodded soberly.
"Aang is the Avatar. Even though we didn't know that then, we knew that he needed help. Speaking of the Tribe," she said, her face taking on an expression that worried me, "Are you Water Tribe? I have a set of clothes just like yours at home." My eyebrows shot up. So, Katara, I was at your house and thought I'd borrow these...
"I was at the Southern Water Tribe for a brief time, and I was lacking the proper clothes for the weather. The women there were very kind and lent me these. But next chance I get, I'll probably switch to something lighter." Next time I see an abandoned clothesline, that is. "Well, where are you heading?" As if I didn't know. Katara smiled at that.
"We're supposed to be going to the North Pole so Aang can learn Waterbending, but he has a few... pit stops planned along the way." I felt Aang's mind, just out in the forest, collecting firewood. After some searching, I found what I was looking for.
"Kyoshi Island?" I said incredibly. Katara's smile turned into a suspicious frown.
"Yeah. How did you know? He wants to ride the koi there." I thought about it. So Aang liked riding koi. Not sure how he developed that habit, considering his location for most of his life, but another thing struck me.
"The North Pole to learn Waterbending? Then what did Aang do back there at that Fire Navy ship?" Katara's frown deepened.
"Have you been stalking us?" I shifted uncomfortably; when she put it that way...
"No, I've been trying to keep up with you guys. You just can't stay still, can you? By the way, your grandmother was very kind. I appreciate her hospitality." I changed the subject desperately, hoping she wouldn't ask more, but it only made it worse.
"You met my grandmother? Were you spying on us then, too?" Katara accused. I shook my head quickly. She certainly jumped to conclusions!
"I had to rest there. You should try walking through the South Pole by yourself. Have fun, bring Momo, and don't freeze to death or collapse from exhaustion!" Katara huffed at me. I smiled prettily. A slight itch in my mind alerted me to Aang's activities. "Well, while you do that, I'll go off to help Aang. It seems Sokka's stubbed his toe. You might want to check that for splinters later." I jumped to my feet and headed in the boys' general direction.
Ah. Ticking off the girl I just met, saving the Air Temple from Avatar State-induced destruction, and helping Sokka not collapse from his splinter. All in a day's work. With that in mind, I found Aang and Sokka.
"It could be infected! What if my toe swells up and I have a huge inflated toe!?" I smiled. From what I knew so far of Sokka, it seemed my journey with him and the others would be very... entertaining.
"Calm down, Sokka," Aang said. "I'm sure Katara will fix it right up when we get back." I walked up to them.
"Or I could," I offered. "Sokka, come over here." He pathetically limped over. I grabbed his toe, grasped the splinter between my index and thumb, and, ever so delicately, yanked it out. Sokka yelled, and I flicked the splinter away. "There, all better." Aang gave me a look. "Okay, okay." I took some water from a nearby puddle, with my hands, and rubbed it on Sokka's foot. When I was sure neither was examining me, I Waterbended it into a mold and healed it. Sokka sighed in relief as I grabbed a soft leaf and wrapped it aruond his toe, making small incisions with my fingers so I could tie it closed.
"Aaaaaah. So much better." I rolled my eyes, and glanced over at Aang. I saw him studying me. I sensed from his mind vague thoughts. Is she telling the truth? How did she get here? What can she do? How did this happen? The thoughts were probably along the lines of what I would have thought had I been him, but they still troubled me. And they brought along thoughts of my own. How could I prove to them I wasn't lying? How could I do that without revealing my bending abilities? How would Aang react to the truth about our parents? I groaned inwardly. Aang may have stood through the pain of losing what he had grown up with, but I had my own rain to stand through.