"Gyatso I'm home", Aang yelled. "What took you so long?", Gyatso asked.
"I was chased by fangirls, then I bumped into a Water Tribe girl, she's… ". Gyatso cocked a eyebrow asking, "She's what?". "Beautiful", Aang confessed.
"What about Gia?", Gyatso questioned. "Gia?! She's fine, but nothing compared to Katara. Besides she just likes me for my title not me".
"So she really is special", Gyatso said. "Definitely. But there's this guy, her parents aren't sure if they should go with the tradition of betrothal between the 2 sister tribes", Aang replied.
"Aang, I'm not sure if you should get involved with serious issues like this", Gyatso sighed.
"Why not?", Aang asked with uncertainty. "Aang, the people of the Water Tribe are very committed to their traditions and culture", Gyatso explained. "And even if you are the Avatar, cultures and different nations mixing would lead to confusion between families and nations".
Aang replied, "Gyatso, I don't care what others will say, if Katara and I do end up being together then it shouldn't matter or what our cultures are. We should be making history, not repeating it".
"If this is what you really want this then, I'll be there to support you and Katara along the way", Gyatso said with acceptance. "Thank you, Gyatso", Aang replied with a caring hug.
"Now today is the banquet, you need to get ready because your the Guest of Honor", Gyatso said. "Don't remind me", Aang answered.
Gyatso rolled his eyes jokingly and understandingly, ever since Aang was told that he was the Avatar he's been annoyed by the attention and boring duties he had to do.
"The banquet doesn't happen until a hour from now, can I go take Appa for a ride. Just for a few hours?" Aang begged. Gyatso sighed, "Fine Aang, but be here by sunset".
Aang smiled back, he ran out the room and out to the greenhouse to find Appa in the shed. Once he got there he saw servants feeding Appa. "Avatar Aang, were sorry we just wanted to make sure your bison, was fed", a servant said. "It's perfectly fine, I just wanted to fly Appa for a few hours", Aang replied. "We will leave you two alone", they bowed in respect and left.
"Hey Appa!", Aang said as he petted his arrow. Appa made a low growl of joy, "It's good to see you too". "Today was pretty interesting, I was chased down by fangirls, but there was this one girl. She was fantastic, you should have met her".
"Meet who?", a voice said right in front of the shed. "KATARA!?", Aang questioned in excitement. "What are you doing here". "I was going to get some practice on my waterbending, done before tonight. Didn't mean eavesdrop", Katara said blushing. "Oh, it's okay. Maybe you could teach me some waterbending moves. I was just gonna take Appa on a ride for a few hours", Aang replied. Come on you moron ask her if she wants to go on a ride! But what if she says no, you'll never know if dont ask. Aang thought conflicting with his thoughts. "Hey would you want to go on a ride, on Appa. It's fine if you say no, I just wan-", Aang said cut off. "I would love to go on a ride with you", Katara said. "Really?!", Aang said with excitement. Katara nodded. He grabbed her hand to introduce her to Appa, "Appa this is Katara, she's new to riding on a bisons. Katara this is Appa". Katara smiled in delight it's nice to meet you Appa, she was hesitant to pet Appa but Aang nodded in reassurement. Katara petted Appa lightly on his arrow, and to her surprise Appa gave her sloppy lick on her face. Katara giggled in joy, "That means he likes you", Aang said. Aang grabbed Katara's hand to help her up on Appa's saddle, "Thank you". "No problem Aang mentioned.
Aang flew up to Appa's head, "Yip Yip", Aang said. Appa took a few steps back, and flew into the deep blue sky. "This is amazing!", Katara yelled. "I still can't believe you do this everyday, it must be incredible". "Yeah, it really is the wind in your face, and the seeing the landscape. "But it's really good to be up here with someone", Aang replied with a smile.
Maybe I should move so I can sit next to him. But what if he feels uncomfortable. Come on just do it, Katara thought. Katara got up from the saddle and decided to slide down to sit next to Aang on Appa's head. Aang glanced twice to see if he was seeing right, because he saw two blue ocean eyes looking down at the large city of Ba Sing Se. "Yeah, it really is", Katara responded earlier to Aang's comment. For a few minutes they blushed and frequently looked at eachother.
"There's the Jasmine Dragon", Aang said. "That's where my friend Zuko's Uncle work, he makes the best tea in my opinion". "I've never been, maybe you could take some time", Katara replied. "How about we go now?", Aang mentioned. "Are you serious? That would be great", Katara exclaimed. Aang took Appa lower towards the Jasmine Dragon. Appa landed right near the fountain, so Aang and Katara could get off. Aang grabbed in maroon hood so no one could recognize him.
He and Katara entered the store to see a golly old man serving tea. "Iroh!", Aang yelled happily. "Aang, it's good to see you", Iroh replied with a smile and a warm hug. "Who's your friend?", Iroh asked. "This is Katara", Aang answered. "It's a honor to meet you General Iroh", Katara said bowing in respect. "It's also a honor to meet you, the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe", Iroh replied. "Where's Zuko?", Aang asked. "He decided to stay back at the Upper Ring with Mai", Iroh responded. "Who's Mai?", Katara asked Aang quietly. "Zuko's girlfriend", Aang answered. "Oh", Katara said. "Let me get you two settled down there's a table right over there in the corner, for privacy", Iroh directed.
Aang and Katara moved to the small table near the corner of the left side of the restaurant. "So how do you know Iroh?", Katara asked. "Well Iroh and my Guardian Gyatso have been friends for years, being apart of the White Lotus. That's how I got to know Zuko, in a couple of weeks he became my firebending teacher", Aang explained. "Oh, my grandfather Paku is part of the White Lotus, but doesn't talk about it much.", Katara replied.
"What would you two like?", a waiter asked. "I'll have Jasmine tea", Aang said. "I'll have the same thing", Katara responded. The waiter nodded, and left to go grab their tea. "Who was your waterbending master?", Aang asked. "My grandfather Paku, he originally was from the Northern Water Pole, but left to marry my Gran Gran", Katara said. "That's true love", Aang said. "Yeah it is", Katara said sadly remembering about the betrothal that may happen. "Oh, Katara… I didn't mean to say that, I'm sorry", Aang apologize. "It's okay Aang, I know you didn't mean it that way", Katara said sincerely. "I just wish that I find true love one day, and not be forced into marrying someone I don't know". Aang felt guilty, he was trying to spend time with her not make her feel miserable. Aang grabbed Katara's hand and squeezed it in reassurement, "Katara I don't know what your future holds, but I know one thing for sure that true love will always find a way", Aang said lovingly. Katara held Aang's face and looked into his light grey eyes. Aang's skin tingle at the touch of her hand's warmth and smoothness. "Thank you", Katara warmly.
"Hum-ph", the waiter coughed interjecting their moment. Katara and Aang removed all body contact they had. The waiter set their tea down in front of them, "PDA isn't allowed, it might ruin the other customers appetite, and my own", the waiter said rudely. Aang and Katara looked at eachother blushing, then looked up to see the annoyed waiter. The waiter walked away to serve other customers, until Aang sent vibrations into the ground to cause a earth mound large enough to trip the waiter. Before he knew it the waiter face planted into the ground. "PDA, my ass", Aang said snickering, Katara and a few customers bursted out in laughter. The cranky waiter tried to comb his hair back, and stormed off to the back of the restaurant. "Iroh needs to hire people who are actually happy, not dicks", Katara laughed. Aang laughed even more at her comment. Seeing Katara laugh and smile gave Aang more joy than she knew.
For a few more hours Aang and Katara, talked and laughed more and more. Until Aang realized the sun setting, "Shit", Aang said. "What?", Katara asked. "Gyatso is going to be pissed if I don't show up by sunset", Aang answered. "Sorry, we have to cut this date short", Aang said. Katara blushed at Aang for not realizing for what he said, but she decided not to say anything. "It's okay, my parents are probably worried that I've been gone for this long", Katara replied. Aang and Katara said their goodbyes to Iroh, and left to go have Appa take them back to the Upper Ring. "That's where I'm staying", Katara pointed out. Appa dove towards Katara's house, she jumped off and looked back at Aang. "See you tonight?", Katara said. Aang replied with a smirk, "Definitely". "Appa, yip yip".
Katara entered the house to see her mother and father talking to a guard, until they saw her. "Katara, where have you been you had us worried sick", Kya asked frantically. "I was hanging out with Aang", Katara responded. "Who's Aang", Hakoda asked. "Katara's new boyfriend", Sokka said, while eating a apple "She couldn't keep her eyes off him earlier today, it gave me the oogies". "Sokka what the hell are oogies, anyway? Besides no one was talking to you anyway", Katara said flustered and blushing. She waterbended some water onto Sokka's hand and the apple so he would be frozen to it. "Moommmm!", Sokka whined. "Katara, undo what you did to Sokka", Kya demanded. Katara unfrozen Sokka's hand, at her Mother's request.
"Thank you for your help, but I think we'll be fine", Hakoda told the guard with uncertainty. Based on what just happened. The guard nodded and left the house.
"Katara, what happened while you were gone, and who is Aang?", Hakoda asked. Katara sighed
"Aang is someone who I ran into earlier today, and later on today I saw him in the greenhouse, near the Palace Grounds. Then we went to the Jasmine Dragon to hang", Katara explained.
"Like… a date?", Kya asked. "Katara you can't just run off with some guy you hardly know", Hakoda responded in confusion.
"Dad I just explained that I knew him, besides he's not dangerous he's the Avatar!", Katara exclaimed in annoyance. "And no it wasn't a date".
"You spent the day around the Avatar", Hakoda asked. "Yes. What of it?", Katara questioned. "Katara, your dating the Avatar, that's a big deal. He's one of the most powerful beings in the world", Sokka said.
"I'm not dating Aang! And why should it matter if he's the Avatar or not? Did you all really expect some type of more power or fame, just cause a family member was socializing with Avatar", Katara yelled. She glanced at her family left and right, "Oh My Spirits, you actually did. I can't be in the same room with all of you, I'm going to my room", Katara stated.
"Katara wait", Kya said. "We're happy for you, and we understand why you may be upset because you being with Aang may cause popularity for the Southern and Northern Tribes. But know this socializing around the Avatar may cause fame and danger".
Katara turned around and looked to see everyone looking at her, "Mom, I know but I'm willing to take that risk. Besides I can take care of myself, and Aang will be there to protect me".
"Thank the Spirits your not dating that annoying bastard Yadone, do you know he had the audacity to say that boomerangs are the most ineffective weapon", Sokka remarked. Katara and her family rolled their eyes at Sokka. Katara and her parents shared a warm family hug, "Sokka get in here", Katara said. "Seriously though, what could a club do. He wasn't even holding it right, looked like a complete moron, Dad you should've seen it, it was so sa-", Sokka ranted. "Sokka don't ruin this moment, and just hug us", Katara demanded. "Okay, okay", Sokka said. The family hug soon disbanded and everyone went their separate ways, to get ready for tonight's banquet. Katara went to her room to plan out her outfit later for tonight. Until she heard a knock on her door.
"Come in", she said. "Hey", Sokka said. "What do you need?", Katara asked. "Nothing I just wanted to talk", Sokka replied. "But we never (talk)", Katara said confused. "Look don't make it as awkward as it has to be", Sokka said. "So what do you want to (talk) about?", Katara questioned. "Look, knowing what happened between you and Jet, and now Aang. I just want you to know that I have your back, come hell or high water I just want you to know that I'll always be there for you", Sokka said. "Even if it means beating up a ex-boyfriend". Katara almost became teary eyed, "Awwww, Sokka you really do care", Katara exclaimed. "Course I do, your my little sis", Sokka replied. Sokka and Katara shared a loving hug, and with that Sokka left Katara in her room to finish what she was doing.
After 20 minutes of searching and going through her clothes Katara found the perfect outfit. It was a light and dark blue traditional Southern Water Tribe silk kimono. Showing enough cleavage, and her perfect curves she developed. Leaving her hair chocolate hair down, but keeping her signature loopies. She was ready.
Earlier…
Aang showed up, once the sun had set. "You remember where your shed is, right buddy?", Aang asked. Appa let out a growl of assurement. "Alright, see you later buddy", Aang said. Appa flew off to where the shed was, near the greenhouse. Aang knew that he was heading into his own death when he opened that door.
"Aang I specifically said to be here by sunset", Gyatso said before Aang could close the door. "Gyatso, I know I'm late but I have a good reason". Gyatso rolled his eyes saying, "It was Katara, wasn't it?". "Not exactlyyy… yeah". Gyatso sighed, "Aang I know young love is fun and interesting, but your responsibilities are more important". "I understand Gyatso", Aang replied. "But it's good to see you smile more, Aang", Gyatso said. Aang flashed a wide smile, as he left to get ready for the banquet. He chose his classic airbender robes, with orange, yellow, and beige colors. With a Air Nomad bead necklace. He was ready to go the banquet.
Sorry, that I haven't posted in a while. Things have been really busy with school and everything. But I will try to get Chapter 4 up by Sunday
Thanks for the reviews!