Chapter 14: The Water Scroll
Location: Earth Kingdom
It's been six days since the Winter Solstice and the meeting with Avatar Roku and the winged lion spirit. Aang couldn't stop pacing around on Appa's saddle while Ricky was taking in control of flying Appa. Ricky could feel Aang's worried state just by the constant pacing and heavy breathing, which was getting pretty annoying.
"Aang, can you please stop? You need to calm down." Ricky pleaded.
"How can I?" Aang says, "I have an entire year to master all four elements before the comet arrives! And I haven't mastered water yet!"
Ricky knew that was true, but he can't help but how in the world is he involved in all this. He needed answers about the prophecy and he's going to get it one way or another.
"Well, I can teach you," Katara suggests.
Aang turns around to look at her.
"Really?"
"Yeah." she nods, "And to make it better, Ricky can teach you how to bend fire."
Ricky scratches his head, "Yeah, but even I need training too. But I can teach you the basics."
Aang smiles widely, thinking that it might work.
"Yeah, but where are we going to teach Aang to waterbend? Find a puddle for you to splash in?" Sokka jokes.
The Gaang stood in front of a giant waterfall and a river, as Aang and Katara smile and Sokka frowns.
"Nice puddle" Sokka murmurs.
Sari looks at him with a smug grin. Momo begins to fly over the river with Aang begins to take off his shirt and begins to run to the river.
"Don't start without me buddy!" Aang yells happily.
"Don't forget why we're here." Katara reminds.
Aang stops and sweatdrops. "Oh yeah, right." He walks up and puts his shirt back on.
"I'll let Kat go first, I'm going to get some firewood," Ricky says.
"I'll come with you." Sari spoke, "It's my turn to get wood anyways."
Ricky didn't say anything and begins to walk towards the woods.
"So, now you guys get to play in the water and Mr. Blue Dragon and Sari go get firewood. What am I suppose to do?" Sokka complains.
"You get to scrub Appa's feet," Aang answers.
Sokka looks at Appa with a disgusted look on his face. Appa lies down and begins to expose his belly. Sokka groans as he grabs a branch and begins scrubbing Appa's toes.
"Yeah don't get too comfortable. You're going to me next," he mumbled.
"Okay Aang now before we can go and do some waterbending, we need to do some basics," Katara explains stretching her hand out back and forth creating small waves on the shore, "This took me about two months to learn this move. Now don't get too frustrated if you don't get it right."
Aang stretches his and begins to copy Katara's movement.
"The key is in the wrist," Katara says.
"Like this?" Aang asks.
Katara nods "Almost, but with practice, I can guarantee you will—"
"Look, I'm waterbending!" Aang interuppted.
Katara watches dumbfounded to see Aang was easily pushing and pulling the water. Only larger.
"Wow Aang, congratulations." she compliments. "Now, this one is tricky. I like to call it streaming the water."
Katara begins moving her arms as the water begins to rise and begin to move around Katara. She continues to move her arms trying to keep the water from falling.
"It's not as easy as it looks, but I'm sure you—" Katara looks at Aang who is bending the water with ease, making her frown slightly.
"That looks right, but the over-the-head is unnecessary."
Aang sweatdrops. "Sorry, I just got excited. C'mon keep on going!"
"Well, there is one move I know." she says sadly, "I haven't mastered it yet, it's trying to create a giant wave."
Katara begins to stretch her arm, struggling to move the water to rise from the lake but fail to do so as it plops back down.
"So, like this?" Aang raises his hands upwards and the wave the went above him and Katara and begin to quickly descend towards Sokka and Appa.
"Aang!" Sokka yells as the wave made contact with Sokka being overthrown by the water. Aang smiles widely at Katara, totally oblivious at Katara's angry expression.
"Okay, what's next?" Aang asks cheerfully.
Katara glares at him angrily at his quick success. "I think that's enough training for today."
Ricky and Sari return with some firewood to see Sokka in the water and Katara glaring at the happy airbender.
"Uh, did something happened here?" Ricky asks, "Our stuff is now in the river."
He points out seeing heir bags floating in the river.
"Well, Aang's training caused all this." Sokka complains, "It was bad enough when you're an airbender." He sunk back into the water.
Aang rubs his heads and chuckling, "Sorry about that."
Sari sighs and places the firewood down. "Well good thing we found portland so we can get some food and supplies we can get."
Everyone nods and begins to walk towards their friends. Sokka got out of the lake and begin to squeeze the water off of his shirt. Ricky notices Katara's expression and gave him concern.
"Is everything okay Kat?" he asks.
"I'm fine." she lied.
Ricky didn't say anything as his friends walk past him and the Kyoshi Warrior and he put the firewood down and follow them to the port.
The Gaang begins walking in the alleyway with Sokka carrying a sack filled with food and supplies.
"Okay guys, we only have three coppers left from King Bumi. So spend it wisely," Sokka informed.
"Uh, make that two", Aang says as he pulls out a whistle in a shape of a bison. "I can't help it."
He blows in the whistle, but it didn't make any sound.
"Guess it doesn't work," Sokka said.
Aang begins to blow the whistle again and no sound came from it, but it only causes Momo to screech and hide behind Sokka.
"See, even Momo hates it."
Ricky looks at the whistle for a moment, "I think that's an animal whistle."
"What's the difference?" Sokka raises his eyebrow.
"They're designed to make only animals can hear, usually with dogs."
Katara looks at Aang with a sympathetic smile. "No offense Aang, but I'll handle the money."
Aang didn't argue and gave the money to Katara. The Gaang continue to walk until they hear a person yelling standing in front of a ship.
"Fire Nation! Earth Nation! Water Nation! It doesn't matter as long as you've got the money we got items you won't find!" He says and spots the Gaang. "You there! You look like a traveling crew, care to have some curious?"
"Sure, what's a curio?" Aang asks.
"I don't know, but we have them," The man answers and walks into the boat.
The Gaang follows the man to see all sorts of strange collectibles on the shelves. Ricky looks at one of them to see a jade turtle frog-like creature, not sure what it was until he heard footsteps coming to the doorway. From the darkness reveal to be a pirate with a parrot with some lizard appearance on it, looks at Momo with bemusement.
"That's a fine-looking lemur ya' got there," The pirate says, "I bet it'll give me a hefty sum if you're interested."
"Momo is not for sale," Aang says as he grabs Momo.
Katara continues to look until she saw a stack of scrolls sitting on one and another. She grabs one and saw it had the Water Tribe symbol stamp on it, she opens it and saw that it was a waterbending scroll.
"Aang check this out!" Katara calls out, Aang walks forward to see the scroll. "Look at these moves! Where did you get it?"
"From the North for a... reasonable price," the captain answers. "For free."
"Wait a minute, sea-loving traders, strange items, a reptile-bird pet. You guys are pirates!" Sokka says accusingly.
"We like to see ourselves as high-risk traders," The first mate corrected.
"How much for this?" Katara asks.
The captain looks at Katara, "Sadly I got a buyer from the Earth Kingdom. A nobleman to be exact, unless you have two hundred gold on ya'."
"I know how to deal with these guys," Aang whispers to Katara, "They like to haggle. How about I give you one copper?"
The captain frowns. "It's two hundred gold, I don't like to haggle."
"Okay then, how about two coppers then?" Aang asks again, this time the captain wasn't having any of it.
"It's not funny the second time boy," the captain said lowly.
"Aang, can we go now?" Katara asks worriedly.
Aang looks at her suspiciously. "Sure, we'll be off now."
"Good. Oh, show them out," the captain said.
Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Sari begin to walk away but notice Ricky wasn't moving.
"What's the matter?" Aang asks.
Ricky picks up an item that Aang never saw before, it was a small wooden item with some metal in it. Ricky pulled something off of theater and it revealed to be a small knife.
"Where did you get this?" Ricky ask.
The captain looks at the brunette boy and the pocket knife.
"What, that old thing? It's nothing but a pathetic looking knife." The captain said.
"How much?"
The captain looks at his eyebrow raise. "You're kidding me, right? You can take it, I don't even bother with it."
Ricky nods and puts it in his pocket. "Thanks."
The captain waves his hand dismissively as he enters the darkroom. Ricky walks towards his friends and begins to walk ahead of them.
"So what was the big deal there Katara?" Aang asks.
"Yeah, I was looking at the boomerang aisle," Sokka complain.
"I will never understand your obsession with boomerangs." Sari shook her head.
"I just want to get out of there is all," Katara says.
And without any warning, the pirates burst out of the ship.
"Hey, you! Get back here!" Oh yells.
Ricky turns around to see them coming straight towards them. "Guys, we better run!" He yelled.
They all nodded and begin running. They continue running, Katara look and saw a puddle and begin to freeze the water as one of the pirates step into one. They continue to run until Aang spots a wagon filled with cabbage, he jumps through the wagon before twirling around and swipes the air with his staff, sending the wagon flying towards the pirates and hits them. Destroying the wagon.
"MY CABBAGES!" the sale man yells from the distance.
Ricky looks left and right to see the pirates closing in on him. He begins to run even faster than he has ever before and he is very thankful that what he lacks in strength, he gains in speed. Though he hasn't run this fast unless his life depends on it and in this case, it is. He finally found his friends and begin to run at full speed without taking a breath, almost seeming to be a bit ahead of them. They ran into the alleyway until they hit a dead-end, turning around to see they were cornered by the pirates.
"Now, who wants to be the first to taste the steel of my blade?" Oh spoke.
"No thank you", Aang said. "Guys, grab on!" He blasts a large gust of wind at the pirates, sending them backward. Aang begins to run towards them with Sokka and Sari following the pursuit.
"Aang! I thought we were running away from them" Sari asks loudly.
"Just hang on!" he yells.
Sokka and Sari jump onto the airbender's glider and the three took off. Ricky grabs Katara by the wrist and begins running.
"Get on my back!" he yells.
Katara jumps onto his back looking worriedly as she sees the pirates beginning to get up.
"Do you know what you're doing?!" she worriedly asks.
"Nope!" he responds as he jumps into the air and begins to blast his azure flames, taking the two off into the air. The two continue screaming as they begin to fly right past their friends. Aang looks into bewilderment, while Sokka and Sari's jaws drop.
"What the-" Sokka yells confusingly.
The three finally lands safely only to see Ricky and Katara falling towards the ground. Aang begins to twirl around push the wind upward to prevent the two from falling head-on. Ricky was the first one to crash-land, safely, but having Katara landing onto his back.
"Ow. That is the last time I'm doing that." Ricky wince.
Katara begins to get off of firebender and begins to wipe the dirt off her dress. Aang lifted Ricky from the ground.
"You know, I use to look up to pirates. But now after that, those guys were just awful." Aang said.
"What you'd expect from them?" Ricky rhetorically asks.
"I know," Katara says mischievously, "That's why I took this!"
She grabs something from her dress to reveal the waterbending scroll. Everyone's eyes widen and their jaws drop in complete shock.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Sokka yells angrily, "Do you know how much trouble we are in now?! Just to learn new ways to splish-splash in the water?!"
"These are real waterbending Sokka", Katara corrected, "Do you know how crucial this is?"
"Whatever" Sokka scoffs and begins to walk away.
"Katara, I have to agree with Sokka", Sari spoke. "Stealing is a high-offense crime to anyone. It can cause serious punishment to us."
"As long as we're out of sight from those pirates, we have nothing to worry about," Katara says confidently.
Sari sighs before walking away, leaving Katara alone with Aang following her to the river. Ricky looks at Katara with worried glances and speaking to no one in particular.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Zuko and Iroh begin to walk in the marketplace, Zuko was not in a good mood as of now. Why was is he in a bad mood you may ask? It's because his uncle lost his lotus tile and he drags him to help him search for a new one. He has to find the Avatar without wasting any minute of it, but this was far than annoying. It was downright aggravating for him.
"I check all the shops and they have not one lotus tile", Iroh says sadly.
"Well, congratulations uncle! You just wasted everyone's time." Zuko growls.
"On the contrary Zuko, like I always said: the only thing better than finding something you are looking for is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!" Iroh smiles.
The crew begins carrying Iroh's new items he got from the stores. Zuko saw one of them playing a tsungi horn walking past by them.
"You bought a tsungi horn?" Zuko questions with a look of disbelief.
"For music night!" Iroh says happily "Now, only if we had some wooden flutes."
Iroh looks around and saw a pirate ship just a couple blocks away. "Ooh, that looks promising." Iroh begins to walk towards the ship with Zuko hanging his head in defeat as he begins to follow him. The two begin to wander around the ship, not noticing the captain and the first mate talking.
"We lost the Water Tribe girl and the bald monk and the Fire Nation kid she's traveling with cap'n," Oh says.
This caught Zuko's attention. "This monk and the kid, did one of them have an arrow tattoo and one of them can bend blue fire?"
Katara begins looking at the water scroll, wondering which move she should try first. She spots one waterbending move that shows the bender using the water like a whip.
"I wanna try this one and it's all yours Aang," she says, giving Aang the scroll. She looks at the scroll and begins to try and whip the water, but it seems to backfire and hits her hand. Sokka laughs at her, glaring at him.
"What's so funny?" she growls.
"You deserve that" he simply answers and turns to Aang, "She's duping you pal. She just wants to train herself."
"Even that was true Sokka, just give her a break. Even she needs practice" Ricky says without looking at him, carving out a long stick with his new pocket knife.
"Thank you, Ricky." Katara thank and begin to do it again. Only this time she accidentally whips Momo.
"Ugh! Why can't I get it right?!"
"You'll get it," Aang says with a smile only getting a glare from her, "You just need to shift your weight."
He begins to bend the water whip perfectly.
"See? The way to do this is—"
"Oh for the love of the Spirits, shut your airhole Aang! Why don't you just throw it away if you're so gifted?!" Katara yells angrily.
"Katara!" Ricky yells.
Every one stood still to hear the two yelling. It wasn't long till Katara realize what she just said.
"Aang, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. Look, just take the scroll, I don't want it anymore" Katara apologize.
"That's alright" Aang accepts.
"What about Momo? He's also the victim here." Sokka says sarcastically.
"I'm sorry Momo. I didn't mean to hurt you like that." Katara apologizes while petting the flying lemur.
"And what about me?" Sokka raises his eyebrow.
"No more apologies!" Katara says sternly.
Ricky sighs and got up from his seat. "Look, it's getting late. Why not we just get some rest."
Everyone nods and the Gaang begin to set up their sleeping bags as the sun begins to set.
Nightfall has already set and everyone was already asleep in their sleeping bags. All except for Katara. She quietly snuck next to Aang and quietly took the waterbending scroll and begin to walk quietly to the river. She begins to do the water whip multiple times but failing to do so only to curse underneath her breath.
"Come on Katara, just shift your weight." she talks to herself quietly. But she didn't expect a large pair of hands grab her shoulders and gag her mouth. She looks to see the pirates from before have finally caught her. She didn't know how this happen only to see Zuko walking towards her.
"I can help you," he said.
He signals the pirates to the beam pole and they begin to tie her down and remove the gag.
"Now tell me where he is and I won't hurt you and your brother," Zuko says.
"Go drown in the water!" Katara hisses.
"You don't understand. I need him to return something that is lost to me, my honor, and perhaps I can return something you hold so dearly." Zuko heads out something from his hand. Katara recognizes it as her mother's necklace.
"My mother's necklace! How did you get it?!"
"I didn't steal it if that's what you're thinking" the prince explains "Now, tell me where he is."
"Over my dead body!"
The captain growls at the stalling and walks towards the burnt scar prince.
"Enough of this nonsense! Give us the scroll boy!" the captain threatens.
"I know how much this scroll is worth" Zuko grimly says as he raises it and snaps his fingers as a small flame was dangling below the scroll causing the pirates to gasp. "I thought so. You'll get that scroll once I have that boy."
"Fine." The captain murmurs and begins to walk into the forest.
Unbeknownst to them, Sari was watching from the distance, seeing what she just witness and begins her trek back to the camp.
Sokka woke up from his slumber and begin to stretch his arms and look around only to notice that Katara was missing.
"Katara?" he calls out to have no response.
He looks around the bags, only to notice the waterbending scroll was also missing.
"I knew it."
"What is it?" Aang asks groggily with Ricky rubbing his eyes.
"Katara took the scroll!" he says angrily "She's gone to obsess with that stupid thing!"
"She probably hasn't gotten too far," Ricky says tiredly "She's probably at the river trying to do that water whip thing."
Before anyone could respond, the three boys were an ambush by the pirates, having nets dropping on Aang and Ricky and being dragged to the ground.
"What?! I'm not good enough to be caught?!" Sokka complains before having a net drop on him and having the same results as the others.
The pirates drag the three boys to Zuko, to see Katara also being tied down like the rest.
"We found the boys, but we can't find the other girl." One of the pirates say.
Ricky looks around to notice that Sari was also missing. He couldn't believe how they didn't notice that she was gone.
"Forget her," Zuko says "She's not important to us."
"Aang, this is my fault," Katara says sadly.
"No, it's not," Aang reassured.
"Yeah, it kind of is" Iroh responds only to get glares from the waterbender.
"Now, give me the boy," Zuko said.
"You give us the scroll" the captain counters.
Ricky rolls his eyes, "I can't believe that they're going to hand over the Avatar over a stupid parchment."
The captain looks at him with curiosity, "What?"
"Don't listen to him!" Zuko warns "He's trying to turn us against each other."
Sokka got an idea from Ricky's murmur.
"Yeah. This bald-head here is the Avatar and I bet he's worth more in the black-market than that silly scroll."
"Shut your mouth peasant!" Zuko growls.
"Yeah, I bet if you turn him into the Fire Lord, I believe he might give you a high reward than anyone has seen. Probably setting you guys for life." Ricky says, catching on Sokka's plan.
"Guys please, stop talking," Aang pleads.
"I'm just saying it's bad business," Sokka shrugs.
The captain was listening to Ricky and Sokka's talk about the Avatar, he looks at the young airbender and begins to go into the depth of how his life could be easier if he turns him into the Fire Lord.
"Keep the scroll. We'll invest once we turned him into the Fire Lord."
Zuko glares at the captain with hatred, clenching his fist.
"You'll pay for breaking the deal with me."
He begins to launch fire at the captain alongside his soldiers, causing the pirates to jump back releasing Ricky, Aang, and Sokka. Ricky burns his bonds and sees some of the soldiers coming towards him, only to see Sari jumping from a tree and lands on the soldiers. Ricky sighs in relief to see that she was safe and sound.
"Thank god you're still here. I was about to wonder where the heck you went," Ricky says.
"I was about to warn you guys, but it seems I'm too late," she responds "Now, let's get the Avatar and you're friends out of here."
Ricky nods and begins to run into the dusty battle caused by the pirates and the Fire Nation soldiers. It wasn't long till the two saw Sokka and Aang running out of the smoke.
"RUN!" Aang yells.
Ricky and Sari follow the two as they reach to the pirate ship with Katara trying to push it.
"Katara, you're alright!" Aang smiles.
"Guys, I need your help to get this ship back into the water," Katara says.
"We gotta need a herd of rhinos to push this thing," Sokka pointed out.
"Or maybe two waterbenders," Ricky suggested. "Do you think you two can do that?"
"I don't see why not," Aang shrugs as the Gaang begins to get on the ship with Momo flying onto Aang's shoulder.
Aang and Katara begin pushing and pulling the water as more and more water finally got the ship to set sail. The boat begins to past by the fight, gladly both of them didn't know the ship passing by them. Ricky saw Iroh and gave him a small wave. Iroh took notice of it and smiles at the young teenager, he couldn't tell how glad he is for the boy is still fine and well.
"You're fighting is blinding you that you haven't noticed the ship is passing by," he said.
"We don't have time for your stupid proverbs, Uncle!" Zuko says angrily.
"That wasn't a proverb," he said pointing at the pirate ship.
The two groups stop fighting only to see the Avatar and his friends were getting away.
"They're stealing my ship!" the captain yells.
Zuko was laughing at the pirate, not noticing that the pirates were stealing his ship. His laughter came to a pause when he saw his ship taking off without him.
"Hey! that's my ship!" Zuko roars.
"Maybe it should be a proverb," Iroh ponders, not acknowledging Zuko's rage.
"Come on Uncle!" Zuko yells at his uncle.
"Sokka, can't this thing go any faster?!" Ricky yells looking to see the Fire Nation ship was gaining on to them.
"Hey, this thing isn't made by the Water Tribe!" Sokka argues.
It wasn't long till the pirates jump onto their ships and begin attacking the Gaang. Aang begins to throw a gust of wind at some of the pirates, while Sari was doing hand-to-hand combat with ease with one of them, and Sokka was having a sword fight with some. Katara was surrounded by two pirates, determined she whip her arms around as she whips one of the pirates successfully for the first time.
"I did it!" she cheered.
"Congratulations!" Aang says giving her a thumbs up.
"Couldn't do it without you."
"Stop congratulating each other and help me!" Sokka yells, trying to hold off some pirates.
Katara and Aang begin to run and begin aiding Sokka. Ricky was throwing everything he got at some of the pirates only to have them dodging his attacks. He spots Oh with a sword in hand and begins to swing at him. Ricky was about to throw another blast of blue fire at him but jump back before a small flame flew out of his fingertips and swinging his arm at him as the stray fire blast hits Oh in the chest. The other pirates continue to gang up on the firebender until a whip made out of water knock the pirates and throwing them out of the ship and into the river.
Ricky turns to see Katara with her arms extended, her expression was filled with excitement and surprise.
"Thanks, Kat. I owe you one," Ricky smiles.
Katara smiles before the two heard a faint rumbling coming from the river. The two look at the river only to see the water ending abruptly only for him to realize they're heading towards a waterfall.
"Guys, we've got a problem!" Ricky points out.
Everyone looks up to see the waterfall. Aang grabs his bison-looking whistle and begins blowing at it, only to have Sokka to look at like he was crazy.
"Are you crazy?! There's no time for whistling practice!"
"Aang, help me stop the water!" Katara calls out.
Aang begins to run up to her and begins to help her pushing and pulling the water having it to stop the ship from going any further to the fall.
"It's working!" Sari yells confidently.
"But we've got a problem" Sokka points out.
They all saw the Fire Nation ship ram into them as both ships begin to fall to the waterfall.
"Everyone, jump!" Ricky yells.
Everyone did as they were told and jump off the ship, only to have Appa flying towards them and catching them, leaving the falling ships behind.
"I knew this whistle would come in handy! Thanks, Appa," Aang says, petting his pet bison.
"Yeah, we owe you one." Sokka agrees.
Ricky plop down onto the saddle from the exhaustion of today.
"Aang, I still want to say I'm sorry for my outburst. I just got so competitive because you were so gifted and I put all of us in danger." Katara apologizes.
"That's okay, I forgive you." Aang accepts the apology.
"Well, at least we don't have to worry about that stupid scroll now," Ricky said.
"Is that so?" Sokka asks sarcastically only to pull the scroll from his shirt.
"The scroll!" Katara says happily.
"Ah, what's the lesson?" Sokka says pulling the scroll away from Katara's reach.
"Stealing is wrong." Katara answers.
Sokka smiles proudly, only to have Ricky snatching it from him with a smug grin on his face.
"Unless it's from pirates," he added.
Everyone laugh at Ricky's joke as they fly down towards t their next location.
Location: Los Angeles, California
It's been five weeks since Ricky's death and it still has everyone down. Susan was holding her smartphone to look at some of the pictures with her and her siblings looking so happy. If only she was there to save him from his demise. She and Nikki were staying at Ms. Benchy's place until their father returns and luckily, and sadly, their father got the news. Nikki was looking out in the window, still not leaving her gaze as the clear day shine on everything. If it was raining, it would be made this atmosphere approbate but only to have the world mocking them. Nikki knew that she to do something about her younger brother's death, but she has no idea what.
"Do you think he's in a better place," Nikki asked.
Susan looks up from her phone and onto her younger sister. She didn't say anything, only thinking about what she just say.
"I don't know", she says plainly, "But I bet he's watching us. Wherever he is."
Nikki chuckles a bit. "Yeah, I bet."
Author's Note: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! 2016 was probably the worst year everyone had to endure, with so many controversialists and stupid people complaining over stupid things. I can safely say that I did not enjoy this year one bit. But if there's anything I did enjoy last year, is probably getting Pokémon Sun (best game ever) and having awesome movies like Rogue One, Doctor Strange, new trailers for Spider-Man Homecoming, Transformers: The Last Knight (thank god that this is the last movie Michael Bay is directing), and now I can take a break for a while.
Until then, LeoPrime13 is out, PEACE!
