A short Sokka fic written for a contest. It didn't win, but I liked the piece anyway, so I thought I would post it here. Just a quick insight into his character and his determination to be a true warrior.
Enjoy!
Sokka always wanted to be a warrior.
When he was four, he hid behind various plants and rocks and watched as the men trained for a war they had been assured a part in. A fire burned within his body as he watched weapons clang against one another, heard fierce screams lick the sky. He wanted it, wanted it so much.
When he was six, he spent his days searching for wood, good, strong wood. If his father thought him too young for true weapons, he would make his own. Katara helped him build snowmen to battle with, laughing as she used her finger to trace menacing frowns on their faces. He would slice them into little mushy bits as she watched from the sidelines, cheering and screaming for more.
When he was eight, his father presented him with his very own boomerang, despite Mother's objections. He practically lived outside after that, practicing with it every free moment, his only wish to progress to a point where he was just as good as the men. He worked even when a violent blizzard was raging and ended up coming down with the most horrible cold.
When he was ten, his father left. He and the other men had to aid the Earth Kingdom; it was their duty and their honor. Thick lines creased the man's forehead as he asked his only son to watch over the women as best he could, and to protect their little village. He stored those words deep within his heart, and the next day, immediately went to work on a grand snow fort, praying that the firebenders wouldn't come before he had finished it.
When he was twelve, his world ended for the first time. He failed his people, his village. He let the enemy in. Mother wouldn't let him fight, made him promise to stay with Katara. She hugged both of them one before disappearing into an onslaught of powerful flames and cries of agony forever. Katara gasped for air between sobs, her tears dampening his shirt. And still, he couldn't help feeling as though it was all his fault. He was weak. He had to change that, for the sake of his people.
When he was fourteen, he traded wooden weapons for real ones when Gram-Gram wasn't looking. He struggled to become a better fighter, even though he found the task much harder now that there was no one to imitate. Instead, he tried to find a style all his own, even though Katara ridiculed him about his 'funny dances'. Nonetheless, he swore that he would make his father proud. He would prove that he could protect his village, no matter what it took.
Today, things are different. Today, he is not only trying to aid his village, but the entire world as well. Today, the enemies aren't harmless snowmen, but ruthless firebenders, the opponent that fills his every nightmare. Today, the danger is vibrant, real.
He wouldn't have it any other way.
After all, Sokka always wanted to be a warrior.
Please don't gripe me out about the order of events. I'm aware of the fact that I screwed it up. >>
Reviews are always appreciated!