Okay, so Tyler's met Aang already. Is Tyler ready to meet the rest of the gang? You'll see where the gang is at in this chapter.
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~Soldier78~
The Epic of Tyler
ch.8: Stunts
I rose with the dawn of the new day, even without the bugler. It became a habit that I rather enjoyed. I would sit on a chair or stump and acknowledge the rising sun, peeking out of trees or even the hills no matter where we camped.
I never experienced the warmth and beauty of the sunrise because normally, if I was up with the sun, it was either to do farm work or go to school. I was never fully aware of the serene and peaceful sight. It reminded me of a new day in the rhetorical sense of my grandfather.
Acknowledging this while up, I touched my little pendant of elegant carving of a symbol I did not recognize and seeing that I am no longer educated, I probably wouldn't figure it out for a while. But, if it had been my Great Uncle, the boy I had met yesterday and had strange ties with, who gave my grandfather this necklace, he could probably tell me what it is.
Speaking of the flighty lad, I was sitting on a chair, sipping some week old coffee when I heard a whisper from the tree above me.
"Hey Tyler."
I looked up and almost jumped up in surprise. The mentioned boy was hanging down from the tree by his legs and he skillfully landed with a pillow of air.
"What're you doin' here?" I asked.
"I want you to meet my friends." Aang had told me.
"You know I am a soldier and I can't leave my post, let alone the camp." I acknowledged.
"Are you on duty now?"
"No."
"So come on."
"Aang, I could be deemed deserter." I told him.
"No you won't, I promise I'd get you there and back in no time." My uncle had declared. Uncle, still weird to say. "Avatar's promise."
"Fine," I surrendered. "But if get caught, you better get me out of the fine damn mess you got me in."
"Promise."
His friends were very...interesting. They were siblings. The oldest was a tall boy with a blue, draping tunic and some leggings that were held up by a white belt that hung on his waist. He had a weird ponytail-hair thing going on and he had this look of disgust at me. I was dressed in my uniform and remained without my musket to avoid getting sour with any of them. His name would be known to me as Sokka.
Katara, on the other hand, welcomed me and entranced me with her beauty. Though, I had a little thought going that Aang was attracted to her so I wouldn't let me go for it all, do not take that suggestive mind you dirty hogs. She had flowing brown hair tied in a ponytail and little hair lopes that graced her thin face. She had the eyes that reminded me of my Rose who I hadn't communicated with in so long.
I shook my head and offered to shake both their hands. Sokka did not take my offer but Katara did.
"It is an honor meeting a real soldier." Katara acknowledged to me.
"It ain't such an honor, ma'am. We're here to knock those Johnny Rebs back into America before anything else takes a bad turn for us, Union boys." I said, rotating both my shoulders in a showy way.
"How many fights have you been in, Tyler James?" Sokka questioned me. Katara looked at him with disdain and muttered his name in a hush whisper. I chuckled, lightly, having the feeling that I hadn't laughed in so long.
"I'd say one. There was a skirmish two weeks ago. Same day we first landed here." I reported.
"Really?" Aang had asked. "What...were the results?"
"Twelve dead but we managed to make 'em Rebs run back to their pretty camp. After that, we hightailed out of there before they get their reinforcements if there was any."
"So you retreated." Sokka concluded.
"I wouldn't go as far to say that. It was only a skirmish mind you. It ain't like a full-fledged battle where we gotta hold ground at all costs." I had replied.
"But you still ran."
"Sokka, would you stop it? He's a soldier and a brave one too."
I blushed but slowly recalled Jeremiah's damning words.
They always go for the most vulnerable
"Tyler?"
I shook my head, realizing I had gone off in a distant memory, closing myself out of reality.
"What?" I asked.
"You alright?" Aang had questioned in concern. I nodded my head.
"Y-yeah, I am." I said. I cleared my throat and tightened my face. "Look, I've gotta head back before I get caught. It was an honor meeting you both and I hope our paths cross again soon."
"Same to you, Pvt. James." Katara had replied.
"Just know me as Tyler, ma'am." I said, tipping my hat.
"And you should address me as Katara, Tyler." Katara had told me before I finally exited the camp. My face burning red.
Aang's and my trek back was a bit of a heart talk, meaning we got personal with our words.
"I'm havin' a feelin' you've got eyes on that girl." I told my relative.
"K-Katara?" He stammered. "N-no."
"You stutterin' yer words, completely evidence to having an attraction to her." I replied, knowingly. He shook his head. "C'mon lad, it's okay to admit it."
"Fine, I do like her alright. She beautiful and caring and sweet and..."
"And?"
"And amazing." He said, dreamily. I laughed.
"You got it bad, Uncle." I said, giving him a pat on the back. "And she is pretty attractive. Pretty little thing but seems a bit cheeky."
"She is stubborn." Aang answered. "But Tyler...you're not going to..."
"Oh God now," I said, wavering my hands. "I've got a sweetheart of my own."
"A sweetheart?"
I didn't know what to describe my relationship with Rose. We shared a nice kiss before my departure, was that proof enough that we were infatuated, like true sweethearts?
"Tyler, you got to tell me more." Aang said, rather persistent.
"Oh fine, her name is Rose. She's so beautiful and amazing. Much like yer crush, she's got bluest eyes that resemble the ocean and every time I look at 'em, I get lost. Not to sound sappy or soft."
"Of course, we wouldn't want you to lose your toughness of a soldier." Aang affirmed.
"Aye to that." I replied with a nod.
"Pvt. James!" came an unmistakable bellow. I had just realized I was back at the camp.
There Sgt. McLyle approached me with daggered, angry eyes and he seized my arm immediately. He tore me away from my Uncle's side and threw me in the direction of two other men.
"You left the camp without permission." McLyle determined. "That is not the actions of a soldier."
"Sir." I said, stepping forth. "My uncle came to take me to meet his friends."
"Your Uncle? Who? This scrawny boy right here? He's not even older than you, fool. He can't be your uncle. You're damn crazy to think that."
"But sir-"
"I will have you flogged for your desertion, Pvt. and maybe discharged from the army. You treacherous moron."
"Don't talk to him like that." Aang barked. Sgt. McLyle turned to the boy. "And he is my nephew, we are related in that way."
"You are a child, boy. Don't become crazy."
"I'm not. I'm the avatar and I disappeared a hundred years ago, explaining the fact that Tyler is my nephew and I am his uncle." Aang defended.
The Sgt. let out a bitter laugh. Even though he never laughed before, this one made me angered.
"Yeah right. You are a child-"
A Pvt. stepped forth.
"Sir, he is. There is only one Airbender left and that is the Avatar, that is him." The Pvt. acknowledged.
"So you know the story of this...Avatar."
"I do sir, I teach the history." the Pvt. replied. "Fire Lord Sozin, a leader of the Fire Nation, wiped out the Air Nomads in attempt to kill off the Avatar so there wouldn't be a chance of defeat when they were going to expand their empire. Fortunately, the Avatar had managed to escape and well...most likely if he stays true, disappeared a hundred years ago and suddenly returned to this day, reentering the world without any airbenders. He is the only one left, the Avatar."
Sgt. McLyle seemed to believe him so he turned to Aang.
"Bend, Avatar." He demanded. "Show me this man is correct."
Without a second thought, Aang developed a ball of air that circled around and around and threw it at a stump that littered with tin cups and other utensils, knocking them over as it faded away.
"Does that help you?" Aang asked.
"Do not talk to me that way, Avatar or not-"
"Let my nephew go. It was my fault, blame it on me. I took him to see my friends because I wanted him to meet them before we would leave. He is not a deserter, sir. He was reluctant to leave."
"As a soldier, he has rules to follow and he did not confine to those rules so therefore he will face the punishment of a deserter."
"But he still came back." Aang fought. "He was never planning on leaving for good, you didn't catch him until he got back to the tent. He came back on his own, he is not a criminal. Please don't treat him as one."
"I suggest you listen to him, Sgt. Sir, he speaks wisely." the Pvt. who defended my brother, added. Sgt. McLyle thought for a moment.
"Very well." He said. My shoulders dropped in relief but the Sgt. turned to me. "But you will not go unpunished. Clean up after the horses for a week."
I sighed in defeat but complied with a nod of my head.
As Sgt. McLyle marched away with his privates tailing behind, I turned to my Uncle and he gave an ear-to-ear grin.
"Thanks." I said to him. "You saved me."
"I gave you an Avatar's Promise." my Uncle had stated. I suddenly had more respect for this boy, erm, man, I guess.
My eyes drifted to the ground and I kicked it, awkwardly. I looked back up at him with dull eyes.
"So you're...leaving today, right?" I asked, a little sullen.
"I am." Aang said with a nod. "I wish you could come with Tyler but-"
"I' m a soldier. We're on two different paths, Uncle, we've got to go our separate ways." I replied.
"Yeah." Aang said. "And please, Tyler, don't call me Uncle. I'm still young."
I laughed.
"Fine."
"And besides, like you told Katara, we'll cross paths again soon."
"I have a great feeling that will be the case." I responded.
"I will try to make it happen." Aang told me. I laughed again.
"So will I. Who knows, maybe we'll see each other upon accident."
"Much more likely."
I smiled and extended my hand to him.
"You be careful out there." I told him. "We need you to stay in one piece for a long time."
He smiled back and took my arm. As if we've known each other for a long time, he pulled me into a hug.
"Give me a hug, you soldier."
I laughed and complied.
When he left me standing there, I stood there like a soldier but also like a nephew, watching him disappearing the thickets of the trees and soon out of sight.
I soon turned to my camp, returning to my life as a soldier.
to be continued.
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