Avatar: The Last Airbender

Book 2: Earth

THE COMPANION

Chapter 4: Dinner

At first they thought their eyes were playing tricks on them. They had to blink a few times before they realized that what they were seeing was real. Ananda laughed at their expressions. "I see you like the place no?" She laughed again then started walking forward toward the inn. Everyone else was just frozen in their places.

The inn was absolutely gorgeous. The sunset seemed to make it glow, and it was surrounded by a beautiful garden. All the plants growing in the garden looked like they were on fire! The sight took their breath away. There were so many different colors splashed around and it looked like a beautiful painting of another world. It glowed with magnificence and it was hard to look away. Ananda had to snap them out of their trance by pulling them along.

"I'm sure you'll be here long enough to see it again!" She said with a laugh. "Now, let's go in and get some dinner. Once we're all finished eating, everything will be revealed." She smiled kindly at them, then turned to lead them inside when Aang noticed something on her arm.

"Wait! What's that on your arm?" He asked her.

She looked down at her arm and noticed her sleeve had moved up just enough to get a glimpse of one of her tattoos. She quickly pulled her arm away and fixed her sleeve. "It's nothing!" She told them.

"That's not nothing." Katara stated, and she reached for Ananda's arm. But Ananda shrinked away.

"I told you you'd get your answer's after dinner!" She said rather harshly. Once she realized how rude she had been she immediately regreted it. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that so harshly. But I'll tell you about my mark later. Now we should go inside for dinner. The sooner we eat, the sooner you get your answers." With that, she turned to go.

Katara and Sokka looked at each other, then looked at Aang hoping he knew what the strange marking was, and why it triggered such a strange reaction. "What? I may have strange memories of this girl, but I don't know what the heck those markings are!" Then, he too walked off leaving Katara and Sokka with no choice but to follow.

Katara was in the kitchen helping Ananda with dinner. "So, are you sure you know Aang? I mean, everyone he knows is usually dead by this point. He may not look like it, but he's actually-"

"A hundred and twelve years old. Yes, I know." Ananda cut her off. "But he's definately the Aang I knew. He's an airbender right?"

Katara looked at her surprised. "Yes, but how did you-"

Ananda looked right at her and said, "I know many things Katara. How I know them is one of the answers you'll get after we finish eating."

"Alright then," Katara started, "in that case how about you tell me about your pets. Tiki and Hachi right?"

"Very good Katara. You've been listening." She told her with a smile. "However, they are not my pets. They're only my friends." When she saw Katara's confused look, she smiled and continued. "Animals don't belong to me, just like I don't belong to them. The animals here can come and go as they please. If they choose to stay with me, then they stay. If they choose to go, then they go. There are a lot of them around. You've only met two: Hachi, and Tiki." She finished with a smile.

"That's cool. But, Ananda, how do you get them to listen to you? To trust you?" She asked.

"That's another one of my gifts. Which I will tell you about after dinner." She told her with a laugh. "Now could you go wake up Aang and your brother for me and tell them dinner's almost ready?" She asked Katara very sweetly.

"Sure. Sokka's probably starving and eavesdropping on our conversation anyway." She laughed. Ananda laughed along with her. "Oh! just one more question. How did Aang come up with the nickname Erity for you? It sounds nothing like your name."

At this she smiled, turned to Katara and said, "I'm sure you'll be able to figure that one out for yourself eventually." Then she turned back and grabbed some plates to set out on the table.

"Dinner's out!" Ananda yelled up to everyone.

"They're on their way!" Katara yelled back, then turned to her brother. "Please be nice Sokka. She's an absolute sweetheart."

"She's a strange lady that lives in the middle of nowhere and offered us food, water, and shealter! You don't find that the least bit strange?" Sokka exclaimed.

"Some people are just like that." Aang said in her defense.

"Not during a war they're not." Sokka told him firmly.

"Look, I know you're not the trusting type Sokka, but I know we can trust this girl! She's definately on our side." Aang told him.

"And your basing that off of what? The fact that you had a creepy dream vision of her, and she claims to know you? You're the AVATAR! EVERYONE knows you!" Sokka argued.

"Boys that's ENOUGH!" Katara yelled at them. "Whether this girl is fire nation or not, she's taking care of us! So we are going to go downstairs and enjoy the meal she took a lot of time to make for us!" Her expression was fierce and threatening. The boys looked at her, looked at each other, then got up and headed downstairs, both slightly afraid of what Katara would do to them if they didn't.

When they got down there, Ananda was sitting at the table waiting for them. "Please, take a seat." She told them with a smile. Everyone's mouth was watering at the sight of the food. There were so many different kinds. How she came accross this food, they didn't know.

"I'm sorry if I'm causing trouble between the three of you." She apologized.

"Oh no! You haven't caused any trouble at all!" Katara told her.

"I know you're lying to me Katara. I heard you all fighting upstairs. I'm sorry I'm making it so hard for you to trust me Sokka." She apologized. "But like I said before, you'll get all the answer's you seek after dinner." Then she smiled and continued eating.

"Why can't you just tell us the answers now?" Aang asked her.

"Because it's easier if I show you." And with that, the conversation was ended.

Once everyone was finished eating Ananda decided it was time to show them the truth. "Is everyone finished?"

"Yes." They all answered at the same time.

"Alrighty then. Follow me to the garden. It's there that you will get the answers you seek." With that, she left the room and the trio followed her. All of them both excited and scared to find out the truth.