Disclaimer: (I'm only doing this once, so listen up. It's such a hassle doing this in every chapter.) I don't own Avatar: The Last Air Bender. So don't sue.
This is my first Avatar fic, so be nice.
Burden
I
The quiet before the storm.
No words can describe the pure beauty of the city of Gansu on that day. The sun which shone down, and cast its autumn glow upon the intricate maze of fine Earth Nation architecture, belied the stinging chill in the air. The sound of decorative chimes swaying with the breeze soothed the senses; and the distant laughter of children beckoned a warm feeling of security. Even when entering the busiest area of the market, the chatting was but a low hum, no louder than that of a cicada on an autumn evening, as though the inhabitants feared to disturb Mother Nature.
Unfortunately, a sudden sound rung out, clashing with nature's sweet harmony.
"So hungry!"
"Sokka!" said Katara, shooting her brother an admonishing glare. "Can you be any louder?"
"Sorry!" Sokka pouted. "I was just trying to talk over the growling of my stomach! You wouldn't happen to know when the last time we ate was, would you?"
Inclining his head slightly, Aang smiled. "Sorry, Sokka. But food isn't why we're here."
"Then why are we here?"
"We're here," reminded Katara, coldly, "because that vagabond told us an earth-bending master lived in these parts. You know this is the perfect opportunity for Aang to learn earth-bending!"
Sokka took on an irritated expression, crossed his arms. "And why, exactly, should we listen to some bum, huh? For all we know, he could be some kinda spy for the Fire Nation, luring us down here as some sort of trap for Zuko to try and capture Aang again!"
Before Sokka had realized it, Aang and Katara had frozen in their tracks. They stared, vacantly, in silent awe at the possibility in Sokka's words. The thought hadn't even crossed their mind that all of this could be a trap, but it seemed so eerily possible.
"Guys?" Sokka turned to the others, noticing they were no longer in stride beside him. "W-why'd you stop?"
"Oh my gosh, Aang," Katara said softly, "what if Sokka's right?"
Aang spoke calmly, but his heart pounded with distant fear. "W-well, we won't know unless we keep going. I mean,"— he started forward again, stiffly— "if we leave now, we could be missing out on an opportunity, right?"
Katara sighed with evident anxiety, forced a smile, then nodded. "Yeah . . . you're right."
"Are you sure? He had a blue arrow on his head?"
"Yep," replied the old vagabond, shooting the interrogators an innocent, toothless smile. It faded, however, after a moment, with faint confusion. ". . . Or maybe it was green."
"Never mind the color!" shouted the hotheaded boy. "An arrow! Did he have an arrow tattooed on his forehead!"
Good gods, the elderly were so difficult! thought Zuko bitterly. And to think, it wouldn't be long until Uncle Iroh was as bewildered and lost as this old geezer.
"Yes," said the man, "yes, I believe so."— Thoughtfully he scratched his head— . "Such strange things youngsters do nowadays. Tattoos! Goodness gracious! Back in my day, we—,"
"I don't need a history lesson!" spat Zuko. "C'mon, Uncle!"
"Where are we going?"
"To the Avatar, of course!"
"Not so fast, Prince Zuko," reproached Iroh. "We do not know how long ago the Avatar headed for Gansu."
"It was about a day or so ago," the man interrupted. "If things went well, I would guess he's made it there by now."
"Let's go, Uncle!"
After bowing humbly to the wanderer, Iroh turned and rushed to follow his nephew.
Nothing would distract Zuko now. Now that he knew of the Avatar's location.
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