Chapter Eight –

The commercial fades away. The camera focuses on a yellow flower and zooms out, giving the viewer a glimpse of the surroundings for the interview segment with the Avatar. Unlike the interview segment with Sokka, there are no screaming admirers. As the cameraman zooms out even more, the viewer can see the set of the Southern Air Temple. Spring is in full bloom.

The live feed cuts to a terrace, overlooking a courtyard where Aang and the interviewer are walking about.

"Welcome back, every one." The interviewer adjusts his microphone. "I am with someone who needs very little introduction – Avatar Aang."

Aang exhales and rubs his neck, visibly relaxing as if he is nervous. "Whew… Thanks for that. I hate it when they call me the last Airbender."

The interviewer nods his head in acknowledgement. "Are you the last Airbender?"

Aang looks thoughtful, his dark brown eyebrows scrunching together. "I don't know. I hope not."

"Some people theorize that you aren't," the man speculates. "Some of the fans have asked if the genetic codes for the various bending disciplines are tied directly into national identity. What are your thoughts on this theory?"

Momo jumps into the scene and climbs onto Aang's shoulder, offering him a half-eaten piece of fruit. "No thank you, Momo."

Momo tosses the fruit at the interviewer's head, who dodges the lemurs attempt.

"Momo!" Aang chastises his pet, trying to catch him before he runs off. "Sorry about that. Momo has had an attitude problem ever since we came back. He got spoiled, being on location in the Earth Kingdom."

The interviewer shrugs his shoulders. "It's okay. So, what are your thoughts?"

Appa growls in the distance, and Aang leans against the railing of the terrace, looking over his shoulder. "I'll be down in a bit, buddy! I'm talking to someone. I never really gave it much thought, but I hope they are right."

Satisfied with the Avatar's answer, the interviewer asks the next question. He somehow manages to keep from rolling his eyes. "Kataang, Zutara, Taang… what is your take on the shipping debates in the fandom?"

A blush crawls up the twelve-year-old's neck and face. "To be honest… I'm not sure what to think, but I think Zutara is a little farfetched. They aren't friends. Katara hates Zuko. Look what he did to her village."

Realizing that Aang is trying to dodge the questions, the interviewer smirks. "If you had to pick between Katara and Toph, who would you pick?"

"In what way?" Aang counters. "They are both great bending masters. I wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for Katara. After all, she got me out of the iceberg."

"So you like Katara better?"

"I didn't say that."

"So you like Toph better?"

"I didn't say that either," Aang sighs in annoyance. "I just think that the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing has been blown way out of proportion. I don't have time for a girlfriend. I'm trying to save the world!"

The interviewer chuckles at Aang's response. "Good answer, Avatar Aang."

Appa growls in the distance again.

"Next season, you'll be learning Firebending," the man states. "Who do you think will be your Firebending master?"

Aang shrugs his shoulders, distracted by Appa's calls to be fed. "I'm not sure."

"Who do you want it to be?"

Wrinkling his nose, Aang crosses his arms over his chest. "Jeong Jeong, I guess. But I don't know where he is."

"You wouldn't prefer Zuko or Iroh?"

Aang looks at the interviewer as though the man is crazy. "You're kidding, right?"

The interviewer shakes his head. "No."

"Did you not watch the season two finale?" Aang asks, his inflection incredulous. "Zuko tried to kill me. I've been running from him for two seasons now. He helped his sister try to kill me."

"Okay," the interviewer replies dispassionately. "What about Iroh?"

"I wouldn't mind Iroh being my Firebending master, but I'd have to rescue him first. Wasn't he captured by Zuko's crazy sister?"

The man nods.

Aang unfolds his arms and picks at some vines covering the wall he is leaning against. He gives the camera a guarded smile. "Well then, I doubt Iroh will be my Firebending master. Is this going to last much longer? I need to go feed Appa."

Off camera, the cameraman rolls his finger to wind things up.

Taking the cue, the interviewer leans closer to Aang. "One last question… Are you afraid?"

Aang's guarded smile falls as he contemplates his answer. "I am afraid for my friends, but not for myself."

The cameraman's hurried motions to wrap things up irritate the interviewer. "Fascinating… I'm afraid we are out of time though. If we have more time later, I'd like to follow up on that question."

Aang nods. "Sure."

Appa growls in the background.

"I have to go feed Appa," he says, turning away, but stopping. He bows. "Thank you for visiting."

The interviewer watches as the twelve-year-old boy who is destined to save the world runs off to feed his pet air bison.

Out of time, the scene fades to commercial.

--

TBC

Author's Notes – Thanks to all who submitted questions. Next up is…? You have a fifty/fifty guess. It's either Katara or Zuko. Okay, I'll end the suspense. It's Katara. So, if you have a question for Katara, other than a shipping question, please send it in. Thanks again!