Farewell for Now
After a long night spent in the alleyway, where sleep eluded me, I stood up and faced the huge wall that surrounded the city. I knew I could not stay here any longer. If he found me, if he figured out who I was… I guessed I would look quite different than when he knew me. I'd finally been able to grow my hair out, so it now reached my waist in an obsidian wave. My scar was the most prominent feature of my face, like his now was. But he didn't know I had it so… No, there was no point wondering if he would know it was me. I must leave. Now.
So I turned towards the city wall, off to who knows where. Honestly, I just wanted to get away from him. Anyone but him.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Sokka whispered, "You heard what Aang said."
Katara glared at him, and sighed, "Yes, I did, and it's because of that very reason we must find her now. Answers."
The two siblings were walking down a deserted alleyway, looking for the girl Katara had met the day before.
"How are we even going to find this, er… Jaya or whatever her name is?" Sokka asked.
"What about Jaya?" A boy's voice exclaimed from above.
"Wha - "
"Aang," Sokka grimaced, "What are you doing here?" he said, glaring at his sister.
"I followed you!" he grinned.
"Great," Katara grumbled.
"So are we going to try and find her then?" Aang asked.
"Yes," she sighed, continuing down the alleyway, pulling Sokka along with her.
"But you do remember what I said, right?" Aang frowned, looking forlornly down the unnaturally long alleyway before them.
"Ugh, how long is this thing?" Sokka groaned, kicking a nearby basket into the air, instantly succeeding in hitting someone who had just walked out of an alley to their right.
"Ow," the stranger moaned, turning to look at the perpetrator.
"Jaya!" Katara shouted, running up to hug her.
"Oh," she exclaimed, "It's you guys again."
"We were just looking for you," Sokka grinned.
"We have some questions for you," Aang growled menacingly.
"Guys…" Katara groaned, "Come on, walk with us."
"I can't," Jaya sighed, staring at the encircling walls of the city.
"Why not?" they all asked, as she stared at them.
"Cause I'm leaving the city today," Jaya stated, "I've been here way too long."
"Really? But why?" Katara asked.
"Reasons"
"Reasons?"
"Aka none of your business, sis," Sokka exclaimed, grinning at her.
Katara sighed. "Sorry, Jaya, he's right." She murmured.
"Wait, what was that?" Sokka cried, "Say that again please," he said, putting his hand on this ear and leaning towards his sister.
"Ugh, shut up Sokka," Katara growled, "Anyway, sad as I am to hear that you're leaving, is there anything we can do for you before you leave?"
"Huh?" Jaya asked, dumbfounded, "Well I guess you could help me find a way out of this giant city, I can't quite seem to find the gates."
"Easy peasy!" Aang exclaimed, "Here we go!" He suddenly let out an extremely high pitched whistle, causing some nearby pigeons to fly away in terror. Instantly, a man holding onto the reins of a donkey pulling a cart stopped right in front of them. "Get in!" Aang grinned. The other three stared at each other for a few seconds before hesitantly getting into the cart. "To the gates please!" Aang cried, as the cart set off down the alleyway.
"I still have no idea how you did that, Aang," Katara stated.
"Pure awesomeness, that's how," Aang exclaimed. "We're here!"
Jaya stepped slowly off the cart, staring longingly at the gates, before turning back to the three still on the cart.
"Thank you," she smiled, "I don't know how I'm going to repay you."
"Just thank us by joining us if we need you."
"And counting us as your friends," Aang grinned, "Don't forget us!"
"Not going to be easy," Jaya said. "It's been really nice to meet you all and I wish I wasn't leaving like this."
"Don't worry about it," Aang smiled sadly, "It's been hard on everyone recently."
"Yeah," she murmured, "Well I guess this is goodbye then."
"For now," Katara said.
"Yes," Jaya sighed, as she walked towards the gates that would take her out of Ba Sing Se.