Unfortunately, I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. It belongs to Nickelodeon and its original creators.
It had been about 2 hours since Appa departed from the shores of Ba Sing Se. He was extremely weary from his endless flying, but he knew he must not stop. His eyes would open and close occasionally and his tail would stop moving, causing his to grow ever closer to the blue ocean. His mind was occupied with disturbing images of what the soldiers could be doing to Aang. Appa was extremely depressed. He soon felt as if he couldn't handle all of the stress and pain anymore. Letting out one long and troubled bellow, Appa crashed to the ocean below him. His eyes remained closed for about 5 minutes before he opened them half way. He was amazed at what he saw. He had finally arrived where he was desperately aiming for, the Southern Air Temple. His eyes shot open and he cried out in joy. Appa whipped his tail up and down, forcing himself into the air. His legs swung back in forth to keep him up. He paid no attention to the pain that rushed through his beat up body. All he cared about was saving Aang and being able to rest finally.
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Katara laid in her room holding onto the bison whistle Aang had mistakenly left for her. All of a sudden, she thought she had heard Appa but figured it was her mind playing its evil tricks on her. She closed her eyes and set the bison whistle on her night stand. Katara turned on her side to try and think of something that could be real. Then she heard a large thud and yet another drone and low grunt. "Appa?" Katara questioned as she rose from her bed. She slowly walked out of her room to find Appa standing wobbly before her. She was both happy and shocked at all of the numerous scraps, abrasions, and gashes. Katara tried to avoid every little scrap as she ran up and gave the mighty beast a huge hug. "Appa!" Katara smiled. She excitedly looked around for the one that would bring her out of her depressing state. Sokka ran out of his room because he felt his bed shake from Appa's large landing.
"Oh my god! Appa!" Sokka said happily. Katara looked all around for that one particular person, but she never found him. Sokka noticed this and taped her on the shoulder. "H-hey? Who are you looking for?" Sokka asked. Katara just looked up at Sokka with glistening eyes.
"A-Appa, where's Aang?" Katara asked as she approached his face. She held the necklace that Aang had given her on the day he proposed to her. Appa just starred at her for a few minutes, then looked back out across the ocean. Katara understood completely and covered her mouth from a scream she desperately wanted to let out. Katara collapsed to her knees and covered her whole face with her hands. Sokka ran over to her and swung his arm around her.
"Katara, its ok, don't worry." Sokka tried to calm her down. Katara's face was full of tears, her heart felt like it was ripped in two, and her mind was out of control. Appa knew she was upset so he gently lowered his body to the ground next to her. Katara continued on crying and her hearted raced beyond control. "Please calm down Katara, please." Sokka said. "I hate to see you this way." Sokka hugged his sister tighter. Katara brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them close to her body. Her crying had lasted almost 20 minutes now and she showed no signs of stopping, until another 20 minutes went by. All of a sudden Katara lifted her head from her knees and starred blankly out into the sea. Sokka tried to talk to her but she showed no signs of listening. Katara stayed in that position for a few minutes before standing up and heading back to her room. Sokka followed her, but he was locked out of her room. "Katara? Katara, please open up! I can help you!" Sokka said knocking at her door. Sokka waited a few minutes, hearing nothing but silence. Then, all of a sudden, he was blown back from the door by a violent shout.
"I WILL KILL THEM ALL! I WILL AVENGE MY HUSBAND, EVEN IF IT MEANS TAKING MY LIFE!!" Katara screamed from inside her room. Sokka was shocked and scared for his sister so he decided to knock harder at the door.
"Katara! There is nothing you can do!" Sokka yelled. All of a sudden the door quickly swung open and Katara walked out with the bison whistle in her hand and a death defying look in her eye. Sokka could practically read her mind. She was planning on going to Ba Sing Se. Sokka ran after her and grabbed tightly onto his sister arm. "Katara, no. You are not going to Ba Sing Se." Katara ignored him and ripped her arm out of his grip. Sokka continued to follow her and this time, he held onto her arm with both of his hands. Katara got pissed at her brother's attempts to hold her back, so she quickly brought some water out of her pouch and whipped it at his arms. Sokka screamed in pain and quickly retracted his arms back to his body. He rubbed them both and looked up at his sister. Katara starred down at his brother who landed back on the floor. Sokka noticed the tears that still streamed down her confused face. Katara didn't say a word and continued towards the kitchen to gather some food and some water for her trip. Sokka remained on the ground in shock. 'What is happening to her?' Sokka questioned in his mind. He knew he couldn't just let his sister leave, and he knew his sister would jump back at him if he didn't use any force. He rose from his feet and ran towards his sister, tackling her to the ground. Katara screamed at the sudden pounce and struggled to get up from beneath her brother. "I won't let you go!" Sokka screamed. Katara continued to cry and scream, wanting so bad for her brother to just let her go.
"Sokka…don't…make…me…" Katara said in anger. Sokka just held onto her tighter. Katara struggled to get to her water bending pouch. After about 10 minutes of struggle she finally reached it. Acting fast, she brought out two strings of water and viciously whipped her brother, forcing him to let her go. Katara did not hold back her strength. Sokka grabbed the spots that she whipped him in pain. Katara drew her bending water back to her pouch and slowly got up from the floor. She was shocked at herself.
'What am I becoming?' Katara wondered as she starred down at her brother. She focused her sparkling eyes to her hands. 'These hands cause pain?' Katara was so upset that she had caused her brother pain. Sokka continued to role around on the floor in pain. Katara's face was in shock. She starred at her brother who still tried to keep her from going.
"Please Katara, don't leave." Sokka said. Katara couldn't help him. She was too afraid. She let tear after tear flood her face as she responded to her brother.
"I'm sorry Sokka. I need to do this. For Aang and for my life." With that she turned fast and ran off to the balcony. Sokka watched as she ran away.
"Katara!" Sokka yelled as he sat up half way. His eyes glistened with waiting tears. It took a lot to make Sokka cry, but this was a lot for him. His sister could loose her life out there. Sokka found it useless to stop her so he just watched as she began to climb up onto Appa's badly scarred back. Katara found it extremely hard to look back at her brother, but she found the strength to. Sokka remained on the ground starring at her with eyes full of sorrow and tears. Katara was upset but she continued onto Appa's back.
"Yip, yip!" Katara gave the reigns a small flick and Appa slowly took off to the air. Sokka watched as they struggled to stay in the air. Sokka shut his eyes tight, causing more and more tears to exit the corners of his eyes.
"No!" Sokka yelled and it echoed through out the temple.
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"This will make you think twice about harming any innocent soul!" Aang dropped the general to the ground. He fell almost 30 feet, but managed to survive. The general groaned and struggled to his feet. Aang lowered his body and stopped glowing. This made visible the tears that dripped down his cheeks. The General was scared beyond belief. "I will make you suffer!" Aang said ignoring the pain that shot throughout his body.
"Please, have mercy!" The general pleaded.
"Have mercy?! You would have never had mercy if you found out where my daughter is at! Why should I go easy on you, if you were going to kill my daughter?!" Aang was outraged by now. He swung his leg back, ready to hit the general in the stomach. His foot met the general's stomach and he wailed in pain. He fell over as Aang continued to kick him. After about 5 minutes Aang stopped and knelt beside him. "You have no idea who you have messed with." Aang said in an angered voice. The general was scared out of his mind. He just sadly starred up at Aang who smiled evilly back at him. "I will make sure you never mess with me again." Aang starred the general in the face. The general had never known himself to cry, but in this case he felt as if he could break down.
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He sat at his firey thrown with his hands folded; watching down on the Avatar as he mercilessly beat the young general to a pulp. He did nothing but stare. A Senior Admiral approached him.
"My Lord, what are you commands?" He starred down at the older admiral with only a few words to say.
"I have now seen what the Avatar is capable of. We are against a dedicated and powerful being Admiral." He crossed his hands and crossed his legs.
"Sir?" The admiral spoke.
"Admiral Sheng, bring me the Avatar; Dead or alive." The admiral bowed before him.
"Yes sir, Fire lord Ozai."
TO BE CONTINUED…