Chapter Ten: Stars and Surprises
"And that one's the dragon."
"Where? I can't see it." Katara's gaze followed Aang's arm as he pointed out the constellation. To Katara, the stars did not look like a dragon. She told this to Aang, and he laughed, snuggled closer, and began to tell the story behind the constellation. Katara smiled as she listened.
It was almost three days since Aang and Katara had left the North Pole to return to the Northern Air Temple. It had been a bittersweet experience, wonderful seeing friends and family again but sad that everyone had to go their separate ways. Katara's family was part of a group sailing to finally rebuild to the South Pole. Sometimes Katara thought it would be wonderful to go with them. Suki had left to rejoin the other Kyoshi Warriors and help out in the Earth Kingdom. Katara was sure Sokka was taking it hard.
Now, Aang and Katara were laying on Appa's back and gazing at the passing night sky. Katara lay on her back with her arm around Aang. Aang rested his head on her chest. The air was cold, but Aang warmed them. His glowing hand rested on a small, exposed part of Katara's stomach. Between the sensation of Aang's firebending and his body so close to hers, Katara was content and warm.
"And that one," Aang said, "is—is—well I forgot. But the story's about a girl who weaves."
"How do you know so much about stars?" The only star Katara could identify was the North Star. Her mother had always pointed it out to her.
"The monks," Aang answered. "I used to know a lot of names, but I guess I've forgotten some in the past hundred years."
"You probably still know more than most people," Katara replied. Aang said he doubted it. "Are you kidding me? You're one of the smartest people I know. Probably top in your Air Nomad class." Katara believed this. Sometimes Aang still acted silly and immature (he could always make her laugh, if his antics did not get out of hand), but he was smart. He knew a little bit about everything.
Aang frowned. "You'd be surprised." His tone was sad.
"What's wrong?"
Aang sighed. Katara's comment brought up parts of his past. Things he had not remembered in a long time. "I wasn't as great as you think I am."
"What do you mean?"
Aang said nothing for a moment, but sighed and told Katara. Aang had been one of the most promising boys at the Southern Air Temple. Until it became known he was the Avatar. The boys treated him differently, and Aang stopped standing out in lessons. He became one of the worst students. Aang had hoped this would make them his friends again. He had wanted to be friends with everyone.
Katara saw how these memories affected Aang. He sounded nostalgic at his memories of the temple and ashamed at how easily he had given into peer pressure. Katara could see this was hard for him to admit. She was touched that Aang was telling her this. When Aang was done talking, Katara told him this and pulled him closer. They watched the stars in silence.
These memories made Aang think of his pupils at the Northern Air Temple. Were they practicing on their own? Had they improved? Did they understand his teachings? That gave his pupil's problems. Aang hoped they had. Yet, Aang had doubts. He had been a poor, easily discouraged student, so how could he expect to be a good airbending master? Some said stars were windows to the Spirit World which allowed your loved ones to watch you. If this was true, Aang hoped he could continue Air Nomad culture and make the watching monks proud. He hoped he could impress himself.
Cold, autumn air rushed over Appa. Aang and Katara covered up and continued taking in the night. The two fell asleep cuddled together, dreaming their last dreams before they reached the temple.
The thick book fell off the shelf and into Hana's arms. She smiled. Her airbending was getting better. Hana carried the book across the room to set it on one of the library's low tables. A tall, chubby boy named Yuan and a short-haired girl sat at the table. They had come to the Northeast Tower after breakfast to find a book on gliding. Hana had offered to find it for them. As Hana placed the book on the table, the two of them thanked Hana and continued talking.
"Have you heard about the Rough Rhinos?" Yuan asked. "Finally on trial in the Fire Nation for their crimes."
"Finally," the short-haired girl replied. "Took them long enough."
Hana clasped her hands together. "Oh, that's wonderful. Finally the people who destroyed your town can be brought to justice."
Yuan and the short-haired girl looked at each other in confusion. "What are you talking about?" The girl said, "The Rough Rhinos didn't destroy Yun Zhen."
"But—but—Teo," Hana sputtered in her quiet voice, "Teo said the Rough Rhinos did destroy your town. He saw them and fell out of the tree and—and--" Teo had told her how his hometown had been destroyed. What could these two be talking about?
"Our town was destroyed by a flood," Yuan said. "My parents call it 'The Deluge.'"
"Yeah," the short-haired girl added. "Unless 'deluge' is another name for 'gang of Fire Nation thugs.'"
Hana looked between them. She said nothing. Had Teo lied or had be forgotten that part?
Yuan continued. "I'm surprised he didn't tell you that. I mean, it's how his mother died."
"Teo said he didn't know how his mother died." Hana bit her lip in confusion. She did not handle confusion well. So had he lied about everything? Yet, Teo was her friend and was honest. Or so she had thought. Before Hana could ask for further explanation, another of Aang's pupil's ran into the library.
"Didn't you hear?!" The boy's eyes were wide. "Master Aang and Katara are back!"
"What?!" The short-haired girl exclaimed.
"They're back from the North Pole. Teo's already writing the greeting in the sky."
No one moved or said anything.
"Well, come on," the boy said.
The four of them ran out of the library. Everyone went where they needed to go. Yuan, the short-haired girl, and the boy ran out to the runway and Hana headed in another direction. On the windy runway, most of the temple's youth had already assembled. Teo and the other gliders flew about. 'Welcome Back Avatar Aang and Katara' was written in the sky in tall, smoke characters.
Aang, Katara, and Appa could be seen in the sky. Momo flew ahead. Aang and Katara were surprised to see the greeting party, but when the fliers shouted a greeting, they shouted one back. Aang steered Appa onto the runway. Aang and Katara were set upon by Earth Kingdom children when they dismounted. Some said 'hello', some hugged them, and Aang's pupil's grabbed his arms.
"Master Aang, Master Aang," one boy chirped. "We've got a surprise for you."
"You'll like it," the short-haired girl said.
Aang and Katara were pulled through the crowd. They were being led into the temple. Katara had no idea what was happening, so she looked to Aang. Aang shrugged. He did not know either, but he liked surprises. Wondering that the surprise was, Aang looked around the clean tower. Then it hit him.
"The temple," Aang gasped. "You've cleaned the temple." His eyes were wide.
The soot on the walls was gone, the nomads' mosaics now visible. Clean water flowed from the air bison fountain. The statues had been dusted. Fewer pipes ran along the walls and to the small, metal elevator. Aang rushed to one of the walls and began to run his hands along it. His class had listened to him. His class had understood the message for themselves. This was a good start. Aang ran about, exclaiming excitedly. Aang barely listened as his pupil's explained how they had tidied the entire temple, leaving only the elevators and ramps as it was the only way for everyone to get around. Or how Teo said he had never realized how amazing the temple was.
Katara put a hand on Aang's shoulder. "Aang, there's something else they have to show you."
"Okay."
The Earth Kingdom children led Aang to the door of the inner sanctum. It was the room Teo's father had used to store war machines. The group stood outside the tall door. Aang wanted to airbend the door open, but he was told to wait.
"Where's Hana?" Yuan whispered to Aang's pupils.
"Not here," the short-haired girl replied.
Aang was impatient. He moved to open the door when a voice came from behind him.
"No, wait! Let me!" Hana called. As everyone turned to look at her, Hana started running straight at the group. She quickly maneuvered, running along the wall before coming down in front of the door. Hana pulled out a pair of pink fans she kept at her belt. The girl moved through a series of airbending stances. Wind hissed through the door's whorled locks. The door creaked open.
"You're an airbender." Katara was shocked. Ty Lee's cousin could airbend.
Hana nodded and smiled as Aang grabbed her.
"I can't believe it." Aang held Hana by her arms. "Another airbender." He bounced up and down as if he was going to start dancing. He spoke quickly. "I'm not the world's only airbender anymore. How did you learn airbending? When did you finally get it?"
"I don't know," Hana said. "I guess it's because I had a good teacher."
Aang surprised everyone by hugging her. This was beyond anything Aang had expected. When Aang received his prophetic dream about returning airbending to the world, he had begun instructing the youth of the Northern Air Temple. Aang had been uncertain about getting results. If no one had been able to bend, Aang had at least hoped the people here would begin to learn respect for the temple. Both had happened.
Aang was so happy. He resisted the urge to cry. Katara noticed how Aang seemed to be holding back tears, but the Avatar stood straight and strode proudly through the door. The inner sanctum had been tidied. Yet, unlike everything else Aang and Katara had seen today, this came as no surprise.
"Watch me."
Aang's five pupils watched him move through a set of airbending stances. Katara and Teo also observed from their spots by the courtyard wall.
It was evening. The sun was low; the stars would be out soon. A warm breeze blew, smelling of the orange and white wildflowers that grew on the mountain.
Aang and Katara had been given a tour of the temple earlier. They had wanted to relax after their trip, but Aang's class had begged for a lesson. It was impossible for Aang to refuse. Katara knew why. She saw how happy Aang looked teaching, telling jokes, and airbending. She saw how happy Aang looked now that he was here. Aang's impromptu lesson was inspired by his and Katara's trip to the North Pole.
"Now, Hana," Aang said as he finished a move. "To answer your question, this is how airbending is like waterbending. In airbending you have to balance many forces. There are many chaotic outside forces, like the wind, and chaos within which you have to deal with. Without the right control these forces can get away from you."
"I know," Hana admitted. "My bending sometimes blows up or backfires."
Aang continued. "This can be understood better if you understand waterbending. Unlike with airbending, waterbending only deals with two forces, yin-yang. Two outside forces, two inside forces."
"Like qi," the short-haired girl said. "Before he died in the flood, my uncle was an acupuncturist. Talked about it all the time."
"That's right." Aang explained this idea further. He explained how Water Tribe life was built on this philosophy of duality. Everything came in twos, yin-yang, Moon-Ocean, man-woman, waterbender-healer, North Pole-South Pole.
As Aang talked, Katara saw something in the sky. "Is that a bird?"
"Probably," Teo replied. "Some hawk's been circling for days."
"Hawky!" Katara watched as Sokka's message hawk circled in the sky. Katara held out her arm and the bird landed on it. Had Sokka sent them a letter already? Katara was excited. She untied the letter. The envelope was worn. The envelope's green, wax seal was stamped with a flying boar.
"Aang, we've gotten a letter from Toph!"
"What?"
Katara waved the envelope. Aang told his class to wait and joined Katara to read Toph's letter.
As Dictated by Lady Toph Bai Fong to Madame Xiu
Dearest Avatar Aang and the Lady Katara,
I hope this letter, along with the invitations to my Debutante Ball, finds you two in good health. I apologize for the briefness of his letter, but there is much preparation to do for the ball.
Best wishes,
Lady Toph Bai Fong
P.S. As my guests I expect you to arrive looking your very best. Dress to impress, I always say.
"'Dress to impress?'" Aang raised his eyebrows. "Would Toph say that?"
"The day she stops calling you Twinkle-toes, which will never happen." Katara pulled the invitations out of the envelope. "I wonder how much Toph actually said and how much Madame Xiu edited."
"We can ask her when we see her," Aang said. He had forgotten about the ball.
Toph was working on improving relations with her parents. She wanted her parents to finally acknowledge she existed, to let the world know. It was Madame Xiu's idea to have Toph attend a debutante ball. Aang and Katara doubted Toph wanted her coming out to be at a fancy Earth Kingdom party, but they figured she was compromising with her family.
The invitations were on thick, cream stationery stamped with a coin background. Teo noted it was expensive and machine made. The writing was in gold calligraphy. It read 'To the holder, an entrance to the 616th Biannual Gala for Young Earth Kingdom Women of Distinction.' On the bottom, a hall in Ba Sing Se was listed at the address. The date was in a few weeks.
Aang and Katara looked at each other. Toph's big day was in a few weeks. It was exciting.
Aang finished his lesson. Only last night he had been worried about his students. There was nothing to worry about. He had also been worried about the temple. There was nothing to worry about. There were other worldly things to worry about, but right now those were far away. The Air Temples had always been peaceful place for Aang, but it had been a long time since he had been at peace in one. Yet, Aang felt peaceful with the wind blowing and the clear mountain sky and the temple as it should be.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.
When I published the first chapter I told myself I'd continue if I happened to get any feedback, but I didn't expect to make it to chapter 10(!). Thanks to those who follow and/or provide feedback.