AN: Chapter 16 takes place during Season 1 Episode 15: Bato of the Water Tribe, where we get to see Xia and the GAang reunited! Yay! Well…reunited for a time at least…Anyhooties, various POVs as always, so enjoy my lovelies!
Aang looked curiously at the whale-tooth sword that was sticking upright in the ground. Thinking quickly, Aang grasped the hilt and pulled the weapon out of the ground, turning around to face Sokka as the older boy came sliding down the dirt slope behind him.
"Hey, look!" Aang called out to Sokka excitedly as he examined the sword, "A sword make out of a whale's tooth."
"Let me see that." Sokka stated as he walked up to Aang and snatched the scimitar, looking at it thoughtfully, "This is a Water Tribe weapon. See if you can find anything else."
The two boys began rummaging through the bushes in search of more weapons as Katara walked toward them curiously.
"Did someone lose something?" She questioned, looking at them interestedly.
"No, we found something!" Aang replied as he continued to search the bushes.
Sokka kneeled on the ground and brushed some fallen leaves away, revealing a spearhead lying on the ground. Sokka picked up the spearhead and ran his fingers along the point.
"It's burned…" He muttered as he got to his feet and examined a tree that had slash and burn marks on it, "There was a battle! Water Tribe warriors ambushed a group of Firebenders!"
Sokka turned away from the tree and looked down the hill, searching for more clues, "The Firebenders fought back but the warriors drove them down this hill."
Sokka raced down the hill with Aang and Katara following after him. The Water Tribe boy leapt over a few rocks and continued running forward until he reached a sandy beach with Aang and Katara appearing right behind him.
"So, then what happened?" Aang asked as he looked curiously at Sokka's back.
"I don't know." Sokka replied in disappointment, "The trail ends here."
"Wait, look!" Katara exclaimed when something to her right caught her attention.
"It's one of our boats!" Sokka said excitedly when he saw the half-obscured Water Tribe ship sitting idly on the shore behind a few large rocks and the trio raced towards the boat quickly.
"Is this dad's boat?" Katara asked Sokka as she looked at the boat with a small smile.
"No, but it's from his fleet." Sokka replied as he stroked the boat with a smile then turned to Katara as Aang walked up behind them, "Dad was here."
The siblings exchanged excitedly looks as they both turned back to the boat while Aang watched them with a small, but slightly sad smile as he wished Xiaodan was here with him at that moment.
Iroh sighed happily after he took a sip of the tea Xiaodan had prepared, his face relaxed. Xiaodan hid a pleased smile behind the rim of her teacup as she took her own sip of the warm liquid, her eyes closing blissfully at the delicious tea filled her mouth.
"Aahh!" He exhaled softly as he placed his cup on the low table, "See Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for mental well-being."
Iroh picked up the teapot and poured the grumpy prince a cup of tea while Xiaodan set her own cup back on the low table and folded her hands primly in her lap. She watched with a curious expression as Zuko lifted the small cup to take a sip but the ship suddenly jerked violently, causing the tea to slosh out of the cup and all over Zuko's face and hair.
Xiaodan giggled manically and clapped her hands over her mouth to stifle the sounds, but her eyes shone with mirth. Zuko growled in frustration and leapt to his feet, stomping out of the room and up to the main deck with Iroh and Xiaodan trailing after him.
The three arrived at the deck where several Firebenders were poised for attack just as a large beast with a young, dark-haired woman mounted on its back leapt onto the deck.
"Look out! Argh!" One of the Firebenders shouted as they fled from the large creature.
"Get back!" the woman barked at the crew as she directed the creature, "We're after a stowaway."
Zuko stepped forward with a glare, "There are no stowaways on my ship."
Xiaodan's dark brows rose nearly to her hairlines as the creature tore a chunk of the metal deck flooring right off then hurled it in Zuko direction. Without even thinking, the white-haired girl grabbed the prince's arm and yanked him down while the crewmen and Iroh dodged to the side just in time for the metal piece to fly over their heads and hit the doorway leading into the command tower.
Zuko growled and jerked his arm from Xiaodan's grasp, glowering at her for moment then he turned to watch as the creature shoved its head inside the hole in the deck, sniffing loudly. Xiaodan put her thumbs near her ears and spread her fingers, sticking her tongue out as she made a face at Zuko's turned back. She stopped when the creature lifted its head from the hole and screeched as strange man climbed out of the whole and raced towards the surprised Fire Nation prince, crewmen and Xiaodan.
The creature instantly gave chase then struck the stowaway twice in the neck with an elongated tongue. Xiaodan's brows rose and her eyes became wide as she watched the man fall to the deck, completely paralyzed with terrified look on his face.
"He's paralyzed." Zuko muttered in shock.
"I want one." Xiaodan stated as she gleefully clapped her hands together, looking at the creature in amazement, ignoring the dirty look Zuko sent her way.
"Only temporarily." The woman stated as she hauled the paralyzed man up onto her shoulder easily, "The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."
The woman walked over to the creature and tossed the man on the back then prepared to remount.
"But how did you find him on my ship?" Zuko demanded, causing the woman to pause and look over her shoulder at the prince.
"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." The woman stated smugly then finished pulling herself back onto the shirshu's back.
"Well, I'm impressed." Iroh stated as he, Xiaodan, and Zuko watched the woman crack her whip and the shirshu bolted off the ship, racing down the docks.
The three walked over the edge of the ship and leaned against.
"Very impressed." Iroh said with a smirk as he stroked his beard thoughtfully and Zuko gave him a disgusted look.
"I had no idea you could be such a pervy old man, Iroh." Xiaodan commented with an amused shake of her head as she walked over the where the large piece of metal was still blocking the door to the command tower, which she promptly Airbended out of the way much to the chagrin of the crewmen who had been trying to move it.
Sokka poked at the small fire he had set up earlier when they had decided to make camp by the Water Tribe boat, his expression slightly worried. Aang and Katara were already asleep, but Sokka's mind was too busy whirling with memories for him to do the same.
'A younger Sokka with a large bundle in his arms and wearing his face-paint walked over to where his father was standing next to a ship.
Hakoda turned around after handed a bundle to one of the men on the ship and smiled slightly when he saw his saw. The Southern Water Tribe chief walked over to his son just as Sokka halted in his tracks.
"Sokka."
"I'm coming with you." Sokka stated determinedly if not a little pleadingly.
"You're not old enough to go to war, Sokka, you know that." Hakoda said gently as he looked down at his son.
"I'm strong, I'm brave, I can fight!" Sokka reasoned, looking desperately up at his father, "Please, Dad!"
Hakoda put his hand on his son's shoulder, "Being a man is knowing where you're needed most. And for you right now, that's here, protecting your sister."
"I don't understand." Sokka stated as his eyes began to glisten slightly with unshed tears.
"Someday you will." Hakoda said gently and Sokka tossed his bag to aside then threw himself into his father's arms, sobbing quietly as he buried his face in his father's parka.
"I'm going to miss you so much…" Hakoda whispered as he hugged his son tightly to him…'
Sokka shook his head slightly to rid himself of the memory and continued to poke at the fire with a sullen expression. The Water Tribe boy instantly perked up when he heard a strange noise come from the shadows.
"Who's there?" He demanded, on the alert as he stood with his boomerang in hand.
Sokka watched as a man in Water Tribe garb with white bandages wrapped around the upper left part of his torso stepped from the shadows and appeared in the light of the fire, a surprised expression on his face.
"Sokka?"
Sokka looked at the man quizzically with a raised brow then asked spiritedly, "Bato?"
"Who the what now?" Aang mumbled sleepily as he lifted himself up slightly along with Katara.
"Bato!" Katara exclaimed excitedly, no longer sleepy when she saw the Water Tribe man.
"Sokka! Katara!" Bato said happily as the two siblings rushed towards him, "It's so good to see you!"
He hugged them both tightly and smiled down at them, "You've grown so much!"
Aang approached the three but remained a few feet away as he bowed to Bato.
"Hi, I'm Aang." He greeted politely then straightened as Katara and Sokka pulled away from Bato.
"Where's Dad?" Sokka asked eagerly.
"Is he here?" Katara asked right after, just as eager for news as her brother.
"No, he and the other warriors should be in the Eastern Earth Kingdom by now." Bato replied and the siblings looked crestfallen at the news.
A sudden gust of wind caused them all, even Bato to shiver.
"This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside." Bato suggested then slung his arms around Katara and Sokka's shoulders, leading them away.
He paused a moment later and looked back at Aang, gesturing for him to follow them with his hand. Aang trailed after the three Water Tribe members as Bato lead them to an abbey some distance away from the campsite they had made by the ocean.
"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey." Bato explained as he lead the three children followed by Appa into the abbey where a few nuns were milling about, "The sisters have cared for me ever since."
"Superior," Bato called out as he lead Katara and Sokka towards two young nuns and an elderly one, who turned around to face him, "These are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar. I found them by my boat."
The elderly nun smiled as she faced Aang, "Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey."
"Thank you, it's truly an honor to be here. If there's anything-" Aang started to offer but Sokka cut him off.
"What smells so good, Bato?" the boy asked, looking up at the older warrior curiously.
Bato sniffed the air then explained, "The sisters craft ointments and perfumes."
"Perfume?" Sokka asked then gestured at Appa with his thumb, "Maybe we can dump some on Appa, because he stinks so much. Am I right?"
Sokka waved his hand in his face and looked at the others expectantly but everyone remained silently except for one person who coughed quietly.
"You have your father's wit." Bato commented with slight amusement as he looked at the teen, then he lead the three into the hut the sisters had let him stay in.
"Bato, it looks just like home!" Katara exclaimed when she saw the hut had a small fire in the middle and there were various pelts on the floor and walls.
"Everything's here, even the pelts!" Sokka stated excitedly as he sat down on one of the pelts near the fire.
"Yeah, nothing's cozier than dead animal skins." Aang muttered sarcastically, watching as Momo jumped from his arm and started hitting the head of a bear pelt only to hiss and return to Aang's shoulder when the mouth closed with a snap.
"No way!" Katara said in surprise and delight as she lifted the lid off the cooking pot hanging over the fire, "Stewed sea prunes!"
"Help yourself." Bato offered with a smile as he joined her and Sokka by the fire.
"Dad could eat a whole barrel of these things." Sokka commented as Katara began filling the bowls.
Katara handed Aang a bowl and the boy sniffed it then cringed in disgust and set the bowl back down. Momo leapt over and started to eat the stewed sea prunes but spit them back out a moment later and started scratching at the bowl.
"Bato, is it true that you and dad lassoed an artic hippo?" Katara asked as she ate a spoonful of stewed sea prunes.
"It was your father's idea, he just dragged me along." Bato said with fond smile, "Well, the hippo did most of the dragging!"
"Hey, I ride animals too!" Aang said excited as Katara and Sokka slurped at their stewed sea prunes, "There was this one time when I rode a giant eel and I-"
"So, who was it that came up with the Great Blubber Fiasco?" Sokka asked, cutting Aang off mid-sentence.
Bato chuckled to himself quietly, "You knew about that?"
"Everyone does!" Katara said with a small laugh.
"What's that story?" Aang asked curiously but Sokka waved his question away.
"It's a long one, Aang, some other time."
Katara smiled at Bato, "You and Dad had so many hilarious adventures."
"Not all of which were hilarious at the time, but everything's funny in hindsight." Bato said with a chuckle then stopped when he saw Aang wearing a fur pelt on his head, "Hey, Aang! Please put that down, it's ceremonial and very fragile."
Aang careful put the fur pelt back on the wall and sat back down in the corner near the door, pulling his knees to his chest and resting his chin on them with a crestfallen expression.
"Was it your or Dad that put an octopus on your head and convince Gran-Gran you were a water spirit?" Sokka asked with a grin at the older man.
"Your dad wore the octopus." Bato said then lowered his voice, "But I did the spooky voice."
Aang sighed quietly as he watched his friends talk to Bato as if he wasn't there. The young Airbender had never felt more alone before and he desperately wished Xiaodan was there, at least then he could talk to her while Sokka and Katara caught up with Bato.
Xiaodan pursed her lips and crossed her arms in annoyance as she walked beside Iroh as they followed Zuko to a seedy looking tavern in the small Earth Kingdom harbor town.
"Out of my way!" Zuko barked in annoyance as he shoved people out of his way, "Step aside, filth!"
"He means no offense!" Iroh apologized quickly to the man Zuko had pushed as he followed after his nephew with Xiaodan at his side, "I'm certain you bathe regularly."
"That's doubtful." Xiaodan muttered under her breath as she crossed her arms tighter over her chest, her tanned and tattooed face twisted into an expression of disgust.
The three reached the table where the bounty woman was arm-wrestling with a man that looked twice her size.
"I need to talk to you!" The banished prince stated loudly as he glared down at the woman.
"Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy and Uncle Lazy." The woman commented as she glanced at the trio, her brow lifting slightly when she got sight of Xiaodan standing beside Iroh, "Oh look, you even brought your girlfriend."
"Pfft… Not even in the Firebug's dreams." Xiaodan said with a dismissive flick of her wrist.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Zuko shouted a moment later, glaring first at Xiaodan then at the bounty woman while Iroh chuckled in amusement at her comment.
The woman sent a slight smirk at the pale-haired girl and ignored the two men as her opponent strained to get the upper hand. Finally growing bored, the woman slammed the large man's hand down against the table and the crowd cheered at her victory, tossing money on the table.
"Your beast trashed my ship." Zuko growled lowly, "You have to pay me back!"
"Well, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money." The woman stated as she collected her winnings then leaned back in her chair and addressed the boisterous crowd, "Drinks on me!"
Xiaodan's lip twitched in amusement as the crowd cheered happily at the woman's words, then quirked her brow when Zuko grabbed the woman's wrist in a vice grip when she lifted her cup to her mouth.
"Money isn't what I had in mind." Zuko stated lowly, his tone dangerous.
"I need you to find someone." Zuko said after he, Iroh, Xiaodan, and the bounty woman, whose name was June had left the tavern.
Xiaodan's eyes became huge when Zuko held up Katara's necklace.
"Hey!" She hissed and tried to snatch the necklace from his hand but he easily kept it away from her, "That's not yours!"
Zuko ignored the fuming white-haired girl and showed the necklace to June.
"What happened," June drawled sarcastically as she leaned against her shirshu with her arms crossed, "Your girlfriend run off on you?"
"It's not the girl I'm after," Zuko stated coolly, ignoring the heated glower he knew Xiaodan was sending him, "It's the bald monk she's traveling with."
June gave him an unamused look, "Whatever you say."
"If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship paid for."
Xiaodan crossed her fingers and hoped June would refuse the grouchy prince.
"Heh, forget it." June scoffed and started to climb into the shirshu's saddle but Iroh's next words made her pause.
"Plus, we'll pay your weight in gold."
Xiaodan slapped her forehead with her hand and shut her eyes tight, her lips twisted into a furious scowl, but there was nothing she could do even if she wanted to and she very much wanted to do something.
June smiled and walked over to Iroh, poking his rounded belly, "Make it your weight, and we gotta deal."
Iroh laughed merrily, "You got it!"
"Get on!" June instructed as she grabbed the necklace from Zuko.
Iroh eagerly climbed in a spot where he would get to sit behind June and looked at Xiaodan and Zuko expectantly.
"First, we have to stop by my ship." Zuko stated firmly as he glanced coolly at the Xiaodan, who was staring at him with fiery orange eyes, "The girl will only get in the way."
"Can't do that, Angry Boy." June drawled as she waited for the three to get into the saddle as she held the necklace in front of her shirshu, "Once Nyla has the scent, she has to follow it. There are no pit-stops."
"Fine." Zuko snapped harshly then turned to face the white-haired girl and pointed to the saddle, silently ordering her to get on.
Xiaodan crossed her arms and scowled at him defiantly as she refused to comply, silently telling him to shove it. Zuko growled and grabbed the girl around the waist, tossing her over his shoulder like bag of rice then walked over to the shirshu, where Iroh was no waiting with June sitting in front of him.
"Hey!" Xiaodan squawked indignantly as she pounded on the prince's back, "Put me down, you stupid, annoying, fire-shooting jerk!"
"Be quiet, pest!" Zuko hissed angrily as he tossed the girl into the saddle then climbed up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist to keep her in the saddle when she attempted to get back off, "Move and I'll tie your hands together."
"I don't believe that they're not dating." She muttered to herself, snapping her whip and Nyla lunged forward, following the Water Tribe girl's scent trail.
"There's something I should tell you kids." Bato stated after he and the two siblings had finished eating, "I'm expecting a message from your father."
"Really?" Katara asked excitedly, not noticing Aang sitting behind them with his eyes closed and was completely excluded from the group.
"When?" Sokka demanded a moment later, as oblivious as his sister.
"Any day now. Your father said he'd send a message when they found the rendezvous point." Bato explained with a slight smile, "If you wait here until the message arrives, you can come with me, and see your father again."
Aang opened his eyes and sat up slightly, looking at his friends with a sad and worried expression on his face. He couldn't believe they were talking about leaving him as if he weren't even there, especially now when he had only lost Xiaodan a couple weeks ago.
"It's been over two years since we've seen Dad." Sokka said excitedly and tossed his hands in happily, "That would be so incredible! Katara!"
"I do really miss him, it would be great to see Dad." Katara agreed softly with a smile.
"It's been far too long, hasn't it?" Bato commented with a nod of agreement.
Aang frowned sadly then got to his feet and left the hut with slumped shoulders, Momo following after him.
"I'm not sure when word will, but when it does-"
Aang slid the hut's door shut, cutting off the rest of Bato's sentence as he walked out of the abbey and towards the beach with Momo.
"It would be great, but we can't." Sokka said softly, "We have to take Aang to the North Pole first."
"Even if we do have time to wait for the message, knows how far we'd have to travel." Katara added a little sadly, "We don't have time for a long detour."
Bato smiled at the two proudly, "I'm sure your father would understand, and be proud that his children are helping the Avatar."
"I can't believe they would leave me." Aang said quietly as he sat on the bow of Bato's ship, one knee pulled up to his chest, "I still haven't found Xia yet and they'd want to leave me…"
Aang looked up when he heard the braying of an ostrich horse, his brow furrowing when as he watched an Earth Kingdom messenger riding towards him quickly.
"I'm looking for Bato of the Water Tribe." The messenger stated urgently as he looked up at Aang.
"Uhh…" Aang stuttered then shook his head, "I know Bato!"
"Make he sure he gets this!" The messengers said quickly then handed Aang a scroll and rode back the way he'd just come, disappearing into the night a few moments later.
Aang looked at the scroll in his hand curiously then opened it, his eyes widening when he saw it was the map that would lead to Katara and Sokka's dad.
"It's the map to Sokka and Katara's dad!" He gasped quietly as he looked at the map, then he pursed his lips in frustration and crumpled the map into map, shoving it inside a pocket in his shirt.
Aang wrapped his arms tighter around his chest and sat on the bow of the ship for a little longer before heading back to the abbey.
Aang opened the door of the hut and poked his head in quickly before stepping inside fully.
"Hey everybody!" Aang greeted enthusiastically, lifting his hand in a small wave as he slid the door shut behind him, "Sorry I was gone so long."
Katara turned to face him with a curious and sheepish look on her face, "Hey, Aang, I didn't notice you left."
"Yup, but now I'm back." Aang said, trying not to sound nervous as he sat down between the two siblings, "Sure could go from some delicious sea prunes!"
The young Airbender grabbed the bowl and began digging in, rapidly shoveling spoonful after spoonful into his mouth then chocking them back up a moment later, but he continued to act as if he was enjoying them. Katara, Sokka and Bato gave him strange looks but decided to ignore the younger boy's strange behavior for now.
Xiaodan yelped when the shirshu suddenly jerked to a stop among some ruins and she almost fell of the saddle, Zuko's arm around her waist the only thing keeping her in her seat.
"Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?" An elderly woman with a cat asked as she stood and turned to the face the five sitting on the creature.
"We're looking for someone." Zuko replied, his tone harsh and demanding as he stared at the old woman suspiciously.
"I hope it's not Miyuki." The elderly woman said then she looked at the fluffy white cat standing beside her, "Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation, again?"
The cat purred and Xiaodan took the moment of distraction the old woman and feline provided her to elbow the prince in the stomach roughly. Zuko grunted and his grip around her waist relaxed just enough for Xiaodan to toss herself from the saddle and to the hard stone ground below. The white-haired girl managed to turn her landing into a somersault and rolled to her feet, but before she could take more than a few steps she was tackled back to the ground from behind. Xiaodan yelped and tried to wiggle away but her arms were quickly trapped to her sides and she was hauled to her feet by an irate prince.
"You just have to be difficult, don't you?" Zuko grumbled as he quickly tied Xiaodan's hands together and bound her arms to her sides, then he lifted her easily back into the saddle, climbing on after her, "Try something like that again and I'll have the shirshu paralyze you."
Xiaodan scowled and tossed her head backwards, knocking the back of her head against his chin in retaliation. The prince gave a muffled grunt and leaned away from the furious girl, but he kept his arm wrapped around her waist to prevent another escape attempt.
June watched the entire exchange with a quirked brow then she shook her head, "The Avatar's been through here. Let's keep moving."
The bounty woman cracked her whip and Nyla shot forward, back on the Water Tribe girl's trail.
Aang stood by a large pile of hay then Airbended some over to Appa, unwittingly causing the crumpled map to fall out of his sleeve.
"Aha! I caught you!" the Mother Superior said victoriously as she picked up the crumpled paper and pointed at Aang, who was looking at her nervously, "You should be ashamed of yourself, littering in the courtyard."
"I'm sorry, I'll take care of this." Aang said quickly and took the crumpled paper from her outstretched hand, trying to keep the relief from his face as he bowed to the Mother Superior.
The head nun nodded once and walked away. Aang watched her leave then stuffed the crumpled map back into the shirt with a relieved and uncomfortable expression on his face.
"This ship is sentimental to me." Bato stated as he touched the ship's hull with Sokka and Katara standing in front of him, "It was built by my father."
Aang walked behind Bato and started when he saw the ostrich horse tracks in the sand. He glanced over his shoulder nervously then quickly sent a gust of wind down the beach, erasing the tracks. He turned back around, clasping his hands behind his back and started whistling innocently as he walked back over to the Water Tribe members.
"Is this the boat he took you ice dodging?" Sokka asked curiously as he looked at the beached ship.
"Yep! It's got the scar to prove it." Bato confirmed with a light chuckle then looked at the younger Water Tribe boy, "How 'bout you Sokka? You must have some good stories from your first time ice dodging."
Sokka looked away sadly and Katara stepped forward slightly, placing her hand on her brother's shoulder.
"He never got to go." She explained, "Dad left before he was old enough."
"Oh," Bato muttered with slight awkwardness, "I forgot you were too young."
"What's ice dodging?" Aang asked, genuinely curious as he looked up at Bato.
"It's a rite of passage for young Water Tribe members. When your fourteen, your dad takes you-" Bato started to explain then smiled and put his hand on Sokka's shoulder, "You know what, you're about to find out!"
The three teens looked at each other excitedly then they all smiled up at Bato eagerly.
Xiaodan winced slightly as she listened to the terrified screams of the villagers as they fled from Nyla in fear as the giant beast raced through their village. The shirshu pulled to a stop in front of a building where an older woman in yellow robes stood, completely calm.
"Why are we stopping?" Zuko demanded in annoyance as he temporarily let go of Xiaodan's waist, feeling confident that she wouldn't try to get away again.
"Because the girl must have spent a lot of time here." June explained flatly and Zuko growled.
"We have no time for this!" He snapped as he jumped off Nyla's back and thrusted Katara's necklace in front of the shirshu's nose.
Nyla hissed in agitation and snapped her tongue out at Zuko, who barely managed to duck down.
"Hey!" Zuko snapped as he straightened and glared at the creature, "Watch it!"
"Oh look, he likes you!" June cooed as Iroh laughed from his spot behind her, while Xiaodan gave the irritated prince a smug look.
"Too bad he missed." She quipped with a cheeky smile then puckered her lips at the prince, "Why don't you give Nyla a kiss, Firebug?"
Zuko glowered darkly at her as the old woman approached the shirshu and addressed Iroh with her hands on her hips.
"Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" She offered flirtatious and Iroh smiled down at her.
"At my age, there's only one big surprise left," Iroh replied serenely with a smile, "And I'd just as soon leave it a mysterious."
"Wise words, old man." Xiaodan commented with a shake of her head as Zuko jumped back into the saddle behind her, his arm instantly going around her waist again as Nyla lurched forward, leaping onto a building then over to other side to continue chasing Katara's scent trail.
"Ice dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery, and trust." Bato explained to the three teens as they sailed his boat through the water, "In our village, ice dodging was done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs."
"How are we supposed to ice dodge without ice?" Sokka questioned with a skeptical look on his tanned face.
"You'll be dodging those." The older man said as he pointed to a group of tall, sharp, jagged rocks near the shore, causing Katara and Sokka to stare nervously.
"Sokka, you steer and call the shots, lead wisely. Katara, you secure the main sail. The winds can be brutal, so be brave." Bato instructed and the two siblings hurried to do as he said then the warrior turned to face Aang, "Aang, you control the jib. Without your steady hand, we all go down. Your position is about trust."
Aang blinked up at him and suddenly felt defensive, "I know that. Why wouldn't I know that? I'm the Avatar, I know about trust!"
Aang crossed his arms over his arms and looked away from the older warrior with a slight pout but then he glanced back at him a moment later as the man walked away.
"For this to be done right, I cannot help." Bato stated as he sat cross-legged at the front of the boat, "You pass or fail on your own."
Sokka studied the rocky shores critically for a moment then began tossing out orders, "Aang, ease up on the jib. Katara, steady."
Katara gave the rocky shore a concerned look but did as he brother instructed just as Aang did, though not nearly as confidently as the Water Tribe girl.
"Aang, less sail. Katara, give him room." Sokka commanded just before the ship moved to the side and sailed between some rocks, "Aang, helm to lee. Helm to lee!"
"What does that even mean?" Aang shouted in confused frustration as he yanked on the rope in his hand.
The waves knocked roughly against the boat, tossing Bato around slightly but he kept his eyes closed and remained calm. Sokka struggled to steer the boat through the rocks while Katara and Aang closed their eyes and held tightly to the ropes in their hands.
"Great job!" Sokka complimented with a grin that the younger two returned happily as they successfully sailed through the rocks.
Katara and Aang's eyes widened when they saw the boat heading straight for a closely bunched together pile of rocks.
"There's no way through!" Katara cried out apprehensively.
"We can make it." Sokka replied confidently as he watched the boat get closer to the rocks.
Bato stood then and grabbed the side of the boat, looking at the rocks worriedly, "Sokka, you've already proven yourself. Maybe we should-"
"Aang, I'm gonna need air in that sail." Sokka ordered, cutting Bato off, "Katara, I want you to bend as much water as you can between us and those rocks… Now!"
Katara quickly began swaying her arms, bending the water underneath the boat while Aang Airbended blasts of wind into the sail. The boat began to rise and move faster as Katara bended the water beneath them and Aang continued tossing air in to the sail until the boat passed right over the rocks, causing Sokka to groan in relief then sail the boat into clear water.
The young Water Tribe warrior sighed and relaxed happily as the boat reached clear water while Aang, Katara and Bato smiled proudly at him. Sokka smiled back and then directed the boat back to the shore.
"The spirits of water bear witness to these marks." Bato intoned as he dipped his finger into the blue cuttlefish paint then turned to Sokka, "For Sokka the Mark of the Wise."
Bato used his thumb to paint an arc with a small dot underneath it on Sokka's forehead and proudly stated, "The same mark your father earned."
"For Katara," Bato said as he moved onto the dark-haired girl and painted a crescent moon onto her forehead, "the Mark of the Brave. Your courage inspires us."
Bato stopped in front of Aang and smiled down at the younger boy then used his thumb to pain an arc on his forehead, "And for Aang, the Mark of the Trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe."
Aang stared up at him for a moment then looked down shamefully, "I can't."
"Of course you can!" Katara exclaimed happily, not understanding what the boy meant.
"No," Aang denied quietly as he wiped the mark away with his sleeve and didn't meet his friends' eyes, "You can't trust me."
"Aang, what are you talking about?" Katara questioned in concern, her expression confused.
"A messenger gave this to me for Bato." Aang said as he pulled the crumpled paper from his shirt sleeve and Katara took it, "You have to understand. I was afraid you would-"
"This is the map to our father!" Sokka shouted angrily as he cut Aang off with a furious look, "You had this the whole time? How could you?"
Aang shrugged helplessly and winced as Sokka continued to shout angrily at him.
"Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own. I'm going to find Dad." Sokka snapped angrily as he began to walk away.
"Well, Sokka. I think you should-" Bato started to say in an attempt to get the younger warrior to listen to Aang's explanation but Sokka cut him off as he turned to look at his sister.
"Katara, are you with me?"
Katara hesitated and looked back at Aang then closed her eyes as she turned away, "I'm with you, Sokka."
Aang watched sadly as Sokka, Katara, and Bato walked back to the abbey. He stood on the beach for a moment then trailed after them slowly with his head hung low in shame.
"Umpf!" Xiaodan gave a muffled growl as she was once again tossed back into the saddle behind Iroh, this time with a gag over her mouth, the punishment for her latest escape attempt.
Zuko scowled deeply as he climbed back into the saddle behind her, this time leaning back as far as he could without falling off and still allowed him to keep his arm around her waist. He was getting sick and tired of her tossing herself from the saddle then shouting insults at him after he caught her again. He ignored the amused looks on his uncle's and June's face as the bounty woman cracked her whip again, sending the shirshu lunging forward again.
Zuko leaned forward until his mouth was near the white-haired girl's ear and he hissed, "Next time, I let the beast paralyze you."
Xiaodan gave a muffled snarl and whipped her head to the side in an attempt to hit him in the face but Zuko had seen that coming and had already leaned away from her again, a smug smirk on his scarred face.
Aang watched sadly from Appa's head as Bato helped Katara secure her pack while Sokka strapped his own to his back. Katara pursed her lips slightly and walked over to stand in front of Appa, looking up at Aang sadly.
"Good luck." She said and Aang nodded.
"Okay. You too."
The young Airbender watched as she joined Sokka and Bato by the abbey gate then they left. Aang sighed quietly when Mother Superior walked in front of Appa and stared up at Aang with slight disappointment in her old eyes.
"Guess I should be moving on." Aang stated half-heartedly as picked up Appa's reins.
"That would be best." The old nun agreed and Aang tugged on Appa's reins, causing the bison to growl lowly as he plodded out of the abbey gate.
Aang stopped Appa for a moment and watched as Sokka, Katara, and Bato disappeared down the road.
"I'm an idiot, Momo." Aang sighed as he turned Appa in the opposite direction that the three Water Tribe members were going in, towards the beach, and Momo chittered at him in apparent agreement.
The nuns milled around the abbey courtyard, some stirring the large vats of perfume when a sudden rumbling caused them all to look towards the abbey gates. Their eyes widened and they cried out in fright when a massive creature with a dark-haired woman, an old man, a bound-and-gagged white-haired girl, and a teenage boy with a horrible scar on the left side of his face on its back. They watched in terror as the creature began sniffing around then hissed as it faced the gate again.
"We're getting close." The dark-haired woman stated as she whipped the creature and it raced out back out of the abbey into the woods.
The white-haired girl's terrified and angry eyes were the last thing the Mother Superior saw before the creature and its riders disappeared completely.
Bato, Katara, and Sokka walked along the back that cut through the woods. A wolf's howl in the distance caused them to stop and look in the direction it had come from.
"That wolf sounds so sad." Katara commented with a small frown.
"It's probably wounded." Sokka stated but Bato shook his head as turned to face the two siblings standing behind him.
"No," he denied softly, "It's been separated from the pack. I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the Water Tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family and being apart from them was more painful than my wounds."
Sokka looked down sadly as he remembered standing at the edge of the pier in his village, watching as his father's fleet sailed away from him.
"Sokka?" Katara whispered quietly as she looked at her brother's back imploringly.
"We need to go back." The younger warrior stated with a determined expression as he turned to face his sister and Katara, "I wanna see Dad, but, helping Aang is where we're needed the most."
"You're right." Katara agreed with a smile as she moved to stand beside her brother, "Especially since Xia isn't with him."
Bato walked up to the two siblings and put his hands on their shoulders, "Your father will understand and I know he's proud of you."
"Thanks, Bato." Sokka said with a grateful smile up at the older warrior.
"I know where to go from here." Bato said as he pulled the map out and handed it to Sokka, "Take this in case you want to find us. I'll leave a message at the rendezvous point."
Aang sighed as he sat on Appa's head, looking out at the water with the abandoned Water Tribe ship behind him.
"Looks like we're going alone, guys." He murmured to the bison and lemur when a sudden noise grabbed his attention and he looked towards the path where the head nun was racing towards him.
"Avatar!" Mother Superior cried out urgently as she reached him, "You must leave!"
"Okay, I get it." Aang said in annoyed exasperation, "Everybody wants me gone."
"A group of people came to the abbey looking for you." The Mother Superior stated in a panic, seemingly not hearing what Aang had said.
Aang started and he looked at the woman urgently, "Who?"
"A fierce looking woman with a horrible monster and a young man with a scar." The elderly nun said quickly and Aang's eyes narrowed.
"Zuko."
"The beast was using the scent of a necklace to follow you." Mother Superior explained and she looked up at nervously.
"What necklace?" Aang muttered then gasped as his eyes widened, "Katara!"
Katara and Sokka hurried back down the path towards the abbey, hoping to catch Aang before he left with Appa when Sokka suddenly heard a loud rumbling. The young Water Tribe warrior put his hand up, stopping his sister from walking any further just as a large creature leapt out of the trees behind them, causing both Sokka and Katara to whirl around with wide, fearful eyes.
"So this is your girlfriend." June stated as she looked Katara over while Zuko jumped from the saddle, "No wonder she left, she's way to pretty for you."
Xiaodan gave a muffled shout around her gag as she tried to lean around Iroh to look at the two siblings, joy at seeing them and panic them being caught warring inside her heart.
"Where is he?" Zuko demanded as he stomped towards the siblings and glared at them, "Where is the Avatar."
"We split up." Sokka replied and Xiaodan felt both relief and panic that the siblings would leave her brother alone, "He's long gone."
"How stupid do you think I am?" Zuko growled and his eyes narrowed angrily.
"Pretty stupid." Sokka replied with smirk then he grabbed Katara's arm and yanked her behind him when he started running, "Run!"
Nyla's tongue lashed out, striking both Katara and Sokka at the same time and the two siblings fell to the ground, completely paralyzed.
"Katara! Sokka!" Xiaodan tried to shout around the gag but all that came out was muffled gibberish.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Zuko demanded in irritation as he looked at the two Water Tribe peasants lying on the ground.
June clicked her tongue and nudged Nyla's sides with her heels, urging the shirshu towards the prone Water Tribe siblings. Xiaodan growled lowly around her gag and kicked Zuko in the shoulder as Nyla passed him, causing the banished Fire Nation prince to snarl angrily up at her.
"It's seeking a different scent." June stated as Nyla began to sniff the Water Tribe boy, "Perhaps something that the Avatar held."
Nyla knocked a scroll from Sokka's pack and began sniffing it, then he lifted his head in the direction of abbey, screeching loudly. Zuko smirked and grabbed the two paralyzed teens, tossing them onto the shirshu's back then climbing back into the saddle behind Xiaodan.
"Hey, Xia, nice to see you again." Sokka quipped weakly when he caught sight of the white-haired girl as the shirshu ran back towards the abbey, "We've missed you."
Xiaodan made a noise of sad agreement as she tried to look at the brother and sister not only over her shoulder but Zuko's as well.
The nuns cried out in fright and scattered when the creature crashed through the abbey wooden gates again.
"What's it doing?" Zuko asked in annoyance as Nyla began sniffing the ground and turning in circles, "It's just going in a circle."
Nyla turned in a circle again then lifted his head to follow the blue scent trail just as Aang flew straight towards them. The shirshu stood on his hind legs as Aang flew over him and lashed out with his tongue, missing the Avatar completely as he continued to fall backwards which threw off his rides. Xiaodan grunted when she landed on top of Zuko then grunted again when the prince shoved her off him a moment later.
"Aang!" Katara exclaimed excitedly when she saw the just as June jumped to her feet.
"Up!" the bounty woman barked at her shirshu with a snap of her whip and Nyla rolled to her feet, June jumping back into the saddle a moment later.
Aang landed near the well and turned around, staring at the large creature and its rider as they charged towards him only to have Appa knock them away as he rammed into the shirshu's side. Appa snorted and growled angrily as he stood in front of the downed duo, leaving Aang and Zuko to face each other behind him.
Two others dragged Sokka and Katara to safety leaning them against a far wall while a third helped Xiaodan to her feet and lead her over to the two siblings.
"Thanks!" Xiaodan gasped when the nun removed the gag then the nun began working on the knots keeping the white-haired girl's arms pinned to her sides.
Xiaodan, Katara, and Sokka watched with wide eyes as Zuko and Aang began to fight each other. Zuko sent a blast of fire at the bald boy but Aang dispersed it with his staff, sending his own air blast at the older teen.
Aang used his staff to send another air blast at Zuko but the prince sidestepped and launched his own fire blast which Aang jumped over to avoid. Zuko moved closer, sending a fireball at Aang's head then his feet. Aang tossed his staff into the air and began twirling around Zuko as the prince kicked and punched fire at him but Aang kept dancing around him gracefully. Aang sent an air blast at Zuko's head but the prince ducked easily and sent more fireballs at Aang, then Aang launched an air blast at Zuko at the same time the prince sent his own fire blast at him, creating a large explosion that formed a mushroom cloud around them.
"Aang!" Xiaodan shouted in panic as she watched her brother and Zuko soar through the air in opposite directions and land on two different roofs.
The white-haired girl began to wiggle violently until the partially untied ropes keeping her arms pinned loosened and fell around her feet, leaving only the ropes around her wrists the last of her bonds. The nun from before quickly grabbed Xiaodan's wrists and began undoing the knotted rope with nimble fingers while Xiaodan watched in horror as Iroh helped June regain consciousness from across the courtyard.
The bounty woman jumped to her feet and whipped the still downed shirshu, "Come on! Get up!"
Nyla rolled back to her feet again and Iroh smiled slightly as he watched June jump into the saddle, racing towards Appa. The giant sky bison leapt into the air and Nyla skidded to a halt, lashing out his barbed tongue and striking one of Appa's hind legs, causing the bison to crash to the ground with a crash. June smirked as she looked at the downed bison only for the smirk to be wiped away when Appa's eyes snapped open and he got back to his feet with a growl. June whipped Nyla and the shirshu screeched then charged headlong towards Appa. The bison charged forward as well and the two large beasts collided headfirst into each other, sending June flying from the saddle. The bounty woman twisted in midair and snapped her whip, striking Appa once before she landed on her backside with a grunt. June gasped and rolled away just as Appa spun around and stomped on the ground where June had been a moment before, cracking the ground.
Aang groaned and lifted his head only to gasp when he saw Zuko running straight towards him with his arm pointed to the side with fire streaming from his fingertips which he swung it towards Aang. Aang jumped into the air and flipped over Zuko, landing on the thin beam at the top of the room in the crane stance. Zuko spun around and leapt at him, kicking a blast of fire at the Airbender. Aang jumped into the air again and sent an air blast at Zuko, but the prince dodged and launched another volley of flames at Aang as he landed back on the roof, knocking him onto his back. Aang dispersed the flames by spin his hands and leapt to his feet, sending a powerful gust of air at Zuko and knocking him back into an abbey corner tower. Aang then ran towards Zuko the same way the prince had earlier, a stream of air spiraling from his fingertips as he swung his arm towards the scarred prince.
Zuko looked up in time to leap off the roof and back down to the courtyard and Aang went to follow him but was forced to back up when Nyla jumped onto the roof right in front of him. Appa roared angrily as the shirshu chased Aang across the roof. The bison turned around and slapped his tail against the ground, sending a huge blast of air at Nyla, who barely managed to dodge as the roof was torn right off.
"I'm starting to get some feeling back!" Sokka said excitedly as his hand twitched only for some rubble from the roof to land on him, "Ow."
"Yes!" Xiaodan cheered as the nun managed to undo the last knot and the rope fell to ground, her hands now free and just in time.
The white-haired girl raced forward when she saw Aang jump into the abbey's courtyard stream with Nyla in hot pursuit then he jumped out and the shirshu leapt on to the roof. The female Airbender jumped into the air and landed beside Appa, sending a huge blast of air spiraling from her palms at the same time the sky bison slapped his tail against the ground and sent his own air blast at the shirshu. The two air blasts combined and doubled in strength as it hit the roof where June and Nyla had been, causing it to explode and send up a cloud of dust.
Iroh stood off the side by one of the barrels of perfumes, with some of the perfume already in bottles resting on top of it as he ignored the battle going on behind him. The old man picked up one of the bottles and sniffed it, a sly smile appearing on his face as he slipped the bottle into his sleeve.
Aang panted slightly as he landed in front of the well then lunged behind it when Zuko sent a large fire blast him. Zuko raced forward and began sending three fireballs in rapid succession at the Avatar through the space between the pillars but Aang twirled out of the way of each one. Zuko sent another blast and Aang dodge behind the opposite side of the well, ducking again to avoid the prince's next fireball. As he straightened, Aang caught sight of the blue necklace wrapped around Zuko's extended arm and his eyes narrowed.
"You've got something I want." Aang stated then jumped between the four beams supporting the well covering, his gaze briefly landing on a familiar white-haired figure using Airbending alongside Appa to keep the shirshu occupied, "Two some things in fact."
Zuko growled and launched multiple fire blasts at Aang but the bald boy dodged each one by moving into different positions between the beams. Finally, Zuko punched two of the well's support beams in half then kicked the rest of the covering away. Aang jumped over the broken well covering then landed on the well's edge just as Zuko leapt onto the edge opposite him. The two danced around the well's ledge, sending blasts of air and fire at the each other. Aang sent two air blasts at Zuko then tried to snatch Katara's necklace from Zuko's wrist but missed when the prince pulled his arm back.
Zuko lunged forward, punching a fire blast at the young Airbender but Aang jumped up and over him, kicking Zuko between the shoulders and sending him crashing to the ground but not before Aang managed to hook his foot around Katara's necklace. Aang flipped through the air and grabbed the necklace from his foot then dived straight into the well.
"Argh!" Zuko roared as he leapt into the air and sent a powerful fire blast down into well then landed on the rim, a huge geyser of water throwing him into the air a moment later.
Aang flipped out of the well and landed in a crouch, the well water raining down on him as Zuko hit the ground on the other side of the well. The prince growled and lunged to his feet, launching a blast of fire at the Avatar as he moved towards him only to back up quickly when the bison suddenly stomped towards him.
The shirshu's barbed tongue struck his cheek and Appa growled as he tried to keep moving. Xiaodan flipped over Appa's body and sent an air blast at June and Nyla, who jumped out of the way, the shirshu lashing her tongue in the white-haired girl's direction. Xiaodan ducked and rolled across the ground as June snapped her whip, causing Nyla to screech then lash out with his tongue twice in rapid succession, striking Appa's face both times. The bison rumbled lowly and tried to move forward again, but the shirshu's toxins were too much and he fell onto his side with a loud crash.
"Appa!" Xiaodan shouted then whirled around to face June, swinging her leg up and sending a crescent of air at the woman and her mount.
June's lip curled into a snarl as Nyla leapt to the side, dodging the blast then lashed out with her tongue but missed when the female Airbender jumped into the air. Xiaodan continued to twist, duck, and dance away as June snapped her whip and Nyla chased after the white-haired girl, trying to hit her with his barbed tongue.
Mother Superior hurried out of one of a large hole in one of the abbey's buildings and waved a vial of perfume under Sokka and Katara's noses, causing Sokka to gag and Katara to straighten up, the paralyze gone.
"That thing sees with its nose." Sokka stated as he rubbed his wrist and watched as Xiaodan danced around the shirshu and its rider, "Let's give him something to look at."
"The perfume?" Mother Superior questioned and Sokka nodded with a smirk.
A couple of the nuns quickly wheeled out four large pots of the perfume then the nuns and Sokka pushed the pots over, spilling the perfume onto the ground, just as Zuko and the shirshu cornered Aang and Xiaodan.
Xiaodan grabbed Aang and spun him to the side as she used an air shield to disperse the fireball Zuko at launched at her brother. Aang yelped and twirled away when the shirshu's tongue almost struck him a moment later.
"Hey, little brother!" The white-haired girl gasped, ducking when Nyla's tongue lashed above her head and she yanked Aang to the side as Zuko sent another blast at them, "How ya been?"
"I've been better actually!" Aang shouted in reply as he grabbed Xiaodan and the two ducked the shirshu's tongue then twirled away from each other as another fireball struck the wall between them, "How about you!"
Xiaodan opened her mouth to reply with a cheeky comment but only managed to squeal and jump into the air when Nyla's barbed tongue nearly smacked her in the face, hitting the wall behind her instead.
The nuns and Sokka quickly pushed the pots over, spilling the perfume onto the ground around Katara, who began to Waterbend the perfume into the air then she directed it over to where the shirshu and Zuko had Aang and Xiaodan cornered, dumping the perfume all over the creature.
Nyla shook his head rapidly as he perfume began to clog his nose and his 'vision' began to blur together until he couldn't see anything clearly. The panicked shirshu screeched and lashed out randomly with its tongue, hitting Zuko in the chest and knocking him to the ground with a loud gasp of surprise.
June jumped from the saddle and tried to sooth the creature but Nyla was too panicked and he swung his head, lashing out at the bounty woman with his tongue.
"June! No!" Iroh cried out as he hurried forward and caught the now paralyzed woman in his arms, both of them falling to the ground.
Aang and Xiaodan hurried over to where Katara and Sokka were standing by the spilled perfumes pots with the nuns and they all watched as the shirshu began to run around in a circle then crashed head first into more perfume pots. The blinded shirshu screeched and scrambled up the and over the abbey wall, disappearing into the forest beyond.
Aang walked over and picked up the staff and wiped his brow, smiling when Katara and Sokka stood next him with smiles on their faces.
"Aang!" Xiaodan exclaimed happily as she raced towards her brother and threw her arms around her brother, embracing him tightly, "Oh, Spirits, I've been so worried about you, little brother!"
Aang laughed happily as he clung tightly to his sister, pressing his face against the side of her neck as he took a moment to bask in the warm, sisterly embrace he had missed for the past few weeks. Katara and Sokka smiled happily as they watched the two Airbenders embrace before Xiaodan pulled away slightly and grabbed the brother and sister by the arms, pulling them into the hug.
"I've missed you all so much!" She stated, hugging them all to her as delighted tears filled her eyes, "So very much…"
Aang smiled and wrapped his arm tighter around Xiaodan's waist while Katara and Sokka hugged her tightly as well, silently expressing that they had missed her a lot too.
"Uncle?" Zuko muttered, looking at his uncle lying next to him with June lying on top of him, "I didn't see you get hit with the tongue."
"Shh…" Iroh shushed him, putting his finger to his lips before putting his hand back down and reclosing his eyes with a blissful smile on his face.
June's eyes snapped open and she glared up at Iroh angrily. Zuko pursed his lips as he glared at the space in front of him, his keen ears picking up the sounds of the Avatar and the Water Tribe peasants leaving along with his the white-haired girl.
'This isn't over…' The scarred prince thought darkly as he mental swore to capture the Avatar and the annoying white-haired Airbending pest and deliver both of them to his father.
"So… Where do we go?" Aang asked as he hung sat cross-legged beside Xiaodan on Appa's head, looking over his shoulder at Sokka and Katara nervously.
"We're getting you to the North Pole." Katara replied with a smile.
"Yeah," Sokka agreed with his own smile, "We've lost too much time as it is."
Aang turned towards the siblings and leaned against the front of the saddle with Xiaodan right beside, more than a little insecure about leaving his side at the moment.
"Don't you want to see you father?" Aang asked and Xiaodan looked at the Water Tribe siblings, having already been filled in on what had happened before she had rejoined them.
"Of course we do, Aang." Sokka responded matter-of-factly, "But, you're our family too, you and Xia. And right now, you need us more."
"And we need you." Katara piped in with an affectionate smile at the two Airbenders, but mostly at Aang.
"I wish I could you a little piece of home, Katara." Aang said as he folded his head on the front of the saddle and rested his chin on his arms while Xiaodan watched in amusement, "Something to remind you…"
"I'll be okay." Katara assured him, though her expression was slightly sad.
"Still, just a little trinket. Maybe something like…" Aang trailed off then held up Katara's necklace with a proud smile on his face, "This?"
Xiaodan watched as Katara's eyes went wide and she took the necklace gently from Aang's hand.
"Aang, how'd you get that?" Katara whispered in shock as she put the necklace on.
Aang smirked at her, "Zuko asked me to be sure I got it to you."
"Aw, that so sweet of Zuko." Katara cooed sarcastically as she batted her eyelashes, "Could you give him a kiss for me when you see him?"
"Sure." Aang agreed with a grin then blushed brightly and started twiddling his thumbs when Katara kissed his cheek.
Xiaodan laughed lightly and rubbed Aang's head affectionately, but her tone was semi-serious, "I'd rather we didn't see that annoying, grouchy Prince of the Firebugs anytime soon, if you don't mind."
"Oh, Xia, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-" Katara started to apologize, having temporarily forgotten just where the white-haired Airbender had been for the past couple of weeks.
Xiaodan waved her hand dismissively, "S'alright, Katara."
"Do you want to talk about?" Aang asked compassionately with a touch of worry as he touched his sister's shoulder gently.
"Yeah, we're all kinda curious about what happened." Sokka piped in then yelped in pain when Katara smacked him upside the head.
"Sokka!"
"What?!" Sokka demanded as he rubbed his head with a pout, "Don't deny it, you're just as curious as I am."
"It's fine." Xiaodan broke in before the two siblings could start to bicker, something she had actually kind of missed, "But I'd rather not talk about it right now, if you don't mind."
"Of course." Aang agreed with a smile as he impulsively hugged Xiaodan around the waist, "You can talk whenever you feel ready, we'll be here."
Xiaodan smiled with sisterly affection at the bald boy as she kissed the top of his head lightly. She was happy to be back with her brother, Sokka, and Katara but she couldn't deny that a part of her would miss Iroh terribly. He reminded her of Monk Gyatso and that had endeared the tea-loving old man to her. And although she would never admit it, a very, very small part of her would miss arguing with the Firebug, simply because he was so easy to rile up.
"Hey, Xia?" Sokka's voice broke Xiaodan's train of thought and she turned to look at him curiously, "Where are your Air Nomad clothes?"
Xiaodan looked down at herself and realized with a start that she was still in the outfit Iroh and Zuko had bought her, the Earth Kingdom clothes that were in Fire Nation colors.
"Er… Probably back on Firebug's ship…"
The three looked at her strangely but Xiaodan just shrugged her shoulders and twirled her finger around her temple in the universal sign for insanity. Sokka, Katara, and Aang shared a look then shrugged, deciding to let it go.
Author's Note: Long chapter is freaking long! Seriously 23¼ pages, not including the author's notes. Anyhooties, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and is happy that Xia has been—at least temporarily—reunited with the GAang. Anyhooties again, next chapter takes place during Season 1 Episode 16: The Deserter and it will be posted on Tuesday, so stay tuned for that!
PS - OH MY GOD 101 REVIEWS! –spazzes out– You guys are awesome, completely and totally freaking awesome! Seriously my mind is blown, I really only expected this story to get maybe 45-50 but it's doubled that and I'm just like spazzing out like that guy from Kyoshi Island that always starts foaming at the mouth whenever Aang is on the island, you know expect for the foaming at the mouth part. I haven't gone that rabid. Anyhooties, I just wanted to thank all you guys for being such amazing readers and reviewers, seriously never would have done it without you guys!
Special THANKS to everyone that faved and/or alerted! You guys are awesome and I lurves you!
SPECIAL MENTIONS!
Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape: Probably around the middle of Season 2, where Azula took Zuko's place as the main antagonist of the series. Anyhooties, I hope you liked this chapter!
Angel2u: Maybe, I hope you liked this chapter!
Claret Tho: That's what I was thinking about doing, because I really can't see Xia just leaving Iroh when he's injured even if Zuko is there to help him. I mean Iroh is sorta like a father-figure to her and he was nice when Zuko captured her in the beginning so she'd probably want to repay him. Anyhooties, I hope you like this chapter!
Dream lighting: Er, it was a joke. I wasn't actually going to have Iroh play matchmaker, though he might help Zuko out a bit when the stubborn dork realizes his feeling but other than that, Iroh is no Patti Stanger. Anyhooties, I hope you liked this chapter!
LadyAmazon: Haha, they're great aren't they? My sister and I came up with them when we first started watching the series. We'd always end up yelling various things like that at the TV whenever Zuko did something stupid. XD
I hope Xia and Aang's reunion was sort of a surprise, though I'm not really sure it was. Anyhooties, I hope you like this chapter!
Molly Grace 16: Thanks, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I was thinking about that but it's hard for me to think of a good way for her to be kidnapped by Zuko at the end of The Siege of the North Part 2 since technically Zuko gets his butt knocked unconscious by Katara after he kidnaps Aang's body and I honestly can't see him capturing Xiaodan when he manages to escape from the GAang the goes and beats the crap outta Zhao. I really think having Xia join Zuko and Iroh near the end of the Chase might be the best idea, since I really can't see Xia just leaving and not bothering to help Iroh after he was injured, especially because he was so kind to her when she was captured by Zuko. Also, can you clarify what you meant by it being cliché? If you gave me some examples, I could try an avoid being cliché. Plus, there are some pretty intense parts with Zuko in the episodes after the Chase that I think Xia would do well in. Eh, I still haven't really decided yet, I'll probably write two different chapters for each idea and see which I like better. Anyhooties, I hope you liked this chapter!
88dragon06: Thanks, I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Haha, the matchmaking Iroh bit was my sister's idea, she thought it would be hilarious. That's okay, I've actually gone back to my elementary school days and have taken some alternative cursing inspiration from that, since you know 2nd grades back in the day call be assholes and all those lovely 'adult' curses like they do today. Anyhooties, it's okay, I think I'll be indecisive about the whole thing until I actually get up to that point then I'll just write whatever comes to me when I watch those episodes. Anyhooties, I hope you like this chapter!
Vicky Lexi Bennett: Haha, I'm glad you like the story so much! I hope you like this chapter too!
DreamNumber3: Huh, I didn't even think about that. I'll have to give it a try and see how it flows. Thanks for the idea. :) I hope you like this chapter!