Ch 1: Will you go penguin sledding with me?
One year and half has passed since the end of the war and it was sixteen of Winter's Gate (December), in seven days Katara would be sixteen years old. And, although, it should be a happy day, the day that the loving waterbender would reach full adulthood, there was one person that hated that day with all his heart. Unfortunately that person was one of the ones that doesn't have the right to have that kind of feelings towards that day. I mean, It would be really weird to cry with all your being on your girlfriend's birthday. So Aang has to hide those feelings and tears and show a smile every time someone shows up. Though Aang is sick of that, he's sick of hiding those feelings he wants to feel the same as the love of his life, so he stood the whole month thinking in a way to create new good memories and only one thing was big enough to replace the shame of betraying his people. And he was ready for it, he knew from that very night that she accepted his love that he wanted to do this. And when Solum attacked them, when he promised himself that he would protect his girl forever, whatever the cost. So he woke up early, even earlier than normal, and immediately got up, he wrote a letter and placed it on her cupboard. He looked at her one more time and, with a smile, kissed her forehead making her smile also. He got out to the icy streets of the Southern Water Tribe Town and took a deep breath, consuming the early morning typical scent. He looked at the sky, the sun was rising giving the sky an orange, red and pink, almost purple, beautiful color to the sky, today was a good day to travel. Aang quickly ran at Hakoda's iglu and knocked on the door repeatedly making the man appear after a little time. "Aang?"
…
Katara woke up an hour later. She looked at the side of her bed to find it empty, she thought for a little and started to look around for a, maybe, meditating airbender, though all she found was an empty room. She then shook her head, and got out of her bed. A crack was heard when she stretched her back before petting a sleeping Huí on the edge of the bed. The cat stretched himself and opened his eyes to his master and friend making her smile and pet him once more. She then went to her cupboard to grab her comb but something got her attention first. She grabbed the folded paper and sat on her bed to start reading it with Huí looking at it curiously.
"My Angel, I received an important message from Kyoshi Island, one that I must attend to. Don't worry, I must be there the day before the party. But If I don't, my present is beneath the bed. DON'T open it before the party, or I will be very, very, VERY sad.
Only yours, Aang.
Oh yeah, forgot to say. Love you very much."
Katara laughed a little and shook her head in amusement at this sappy letter before putting it down and going to see under the bed, there was, indeed, a box, but she couldn't just open it, so she simply ignored it for now. She got up, made a full body ice mirror and analyzed herself in the mirror. Katara had grown a jaw dropping woman, her face didn't change much for she still was young, though her curves just developed more. Her hands went to her breasts and butt while she wondered if Aang liked them. For her, they were so sloppy and weird, though that was simply an illusion caused by her humility, they were everything but sloppy and weird. She then placed a hand on her uncovered belly and promised herself that she would create some muscle, She then grabbed her comb and started to fix her messy, long hair. She put on a heavy parka and went to the kitchen. Though, for her surprise, she wasn't alone. The fireplace was lit and sited in a nearby chair was Toph picking her nose while a very excited Suki was looking in direction to Katara's room, as if she was waiting for her.
"What's up Sugar Queen." Toph greeted earning a curious look from the waterbender. Toph also had become a beautiful young woman, she had grown a little bur her petite form never left. Her hair had grown too and her face had completely lost her baby fat. "Good day for a birthday party, isn't it?"
"Toph, that's a week from now." Suki corrected, earning the attention from Katara. Suki also had grown into a beautiful woman. Her red hair has grown to fer shoulders and her skin started to form some freckles. Katara noticed that her eyes were practically glowing, and she sighed already knowing the motive, so, before anyone could speak she raised her hand while the other went to the pitch of her nose.
"First, Suki, you shouldn't be with Aang or something? There was something on Kyoshi Island."
"Yeah, Aang spoke with me before he departed. It's nothing mandatory. Was only a building that caught fire. Actually I don't think they need Aang's help, it's just because he is The Avatar. You know what I'm saying."
"Okay, second. Toph." She turned her head to the bored girl. "When did you arrive?"
"Just before Aang got out. And that's a very good way to say hello to your friend that you haven't seen for two months."
"Sorry Toph. It's good to see you." Katara apologized shyly before being grabbed on the shoulders by her brother's girlfriend. Katara looked at her excited eyes and sighed. "No Suki, we're NOT going to make a giant party, and we're NOT letting everyone around the town know about it."
"Why?" Suki asked sadly with her puppy eyes making Katara sigh again.
"Cuz it's just a birthday, Suki."
"Not just every birthday, Katara. It's the day that you make sixteen, the day that you become a full adult, the day that you turn into marrying age. For the love of the Spirits, Katara. You're one of the saviors of the world AND the Avatar's girlfriend, Everyone around the world should know." Hearing this made Katara give Suki a death glare.
"Don't you even think."
"I won't do anything without your permission." The red haired girl said, releasing her friend's shoulders. "But you should do it."
The waterbender sighed again. "Look, I'm no one yet. It doesn't matter that I'm with Aang until I marry him and if I knew that all this crap would happen, I would never choose that day to leave the village."
"You don't mean that." Toph finally spoke making Katara sigh again and lower her head.
"Yeah, you're right, I'm sorry. It's just the stress talking." She took a deep breath and looked at the two girls again. "Look, all I wanted was a small thing. A date with Aang or maybe but MAYBE a small party for close friends and family."
"That's why we messaged Zuko! " Suki said excitedly. "He must be on his way now."
"Really, he's coming? Even with all his Fire Lord duties?"
"Yeah, he said he needed a vacation after what happened with Mai."
"Yeah. He deserves it. Though next time you want to invite someone, ask me first." The woman smiled and nodded.
"So… what are we going to do next?" Toph asked.
"We prepare the party." Said Suki earning an annoyed grunt from Katara.
"Did you even heard wha… "
"Yup, but you should know that I don't care. You deserve a proper party and you will get it, wanting or not." The waterbender sighed again while her right hand went to rub her tired eyes.
…
Aang took a deep breath and sighed content making Appa groan annoyed. "Oh come on, Appa. You know I need you for this." The furry beast groaned again "I know, I know. But that's for the best. If I waited much longer she would wake up and I would have to lie to her. You know how awful I am at lying." Another roar was heard. "At least she's better than me." Appa roared again. "Yes, yes okay. Now stay alert you have to land. We're here."
Five minutes later the trio (Momo was also there) had landed just outside a big cave. Aang got out of the saddle, took it out from his giant best friend's back and entered the big cave with Momo on his shoulder. The cave was cold just like any other place in South Pole though this one cave was particular cold. The path was traitorous and the darkness didn't help either, Aang fell multiple times before reaching his destiny but everything was worthy because that place was beautiful. It was… warm, that was strange by itself, but what gathered all the attention was the grass on the ground around a big lake of clean, almost green water. The selling had a big hole where the sunlight would pass and hit directly the water. Aang went to the giant pool and saw his reflex, he quickly started to analyze his face and body. He had grown a few inches since the end of the war, and he decided to grow a beard, though nothing had appeared but a few hairs in his chin and mustache. The young Avatar passed there a hand feeling the itchiness of every single hair. He quickly started to wonder how Katara could kiss such thing without, at least, complaining but his answer came as quickly. "She IS Katara." The answer was just obvious. His mind started to go to other places where the love of his life would be, making his reflex change of form to the very girl, smiling warmly, completely naked. Aang shook his head to take such thoughts away, though he soon enough learned that the reflex was not a fruit of his imagination but a very real thing. He started to blush and tried his very best to focus on her eyes and not in… another place.
"I finally meet you, young Avatar." The reflex said sweetly, the voice was identical to the one it showed.
"Wait what? Katara? You're here? Why are you… naked?" While saying this, Momo got out of the friends shoulder and threw himself to the waterbender but, instead of touching warm skin he landed on cold ice. The lemur quickly ran off the ice scared and hided himself behind Aang's leg. When he finally reached his destiny the ice became water again and the reflex continued, chuckling sweetly.
"No Avatar, I'm not the one you see. I'm simply the reflex of the one you love the most for I don't have a form of my own. My name is Fanshé and I'm the spirit of this clearing."
The Avatar looked away flustered "There is no way of… "He pointed to her chest and thighs still looking away. "...changing that."
This made the spirit chuckle again. "I'm sorry Avatar Aang, but I only reflex the one you love, not what she chooses to wear."
"It's just that it's a little… weird, you know?" Aang said, returning the attention to her eyes.
"You're not the first to say it. "She sighed sadly and looked down. "Alas, I heard far, far worse things." Her eyes returned to his and her sad frown morphed into a serious one."But speaking of the important. I understand that you're here for the aquamarine, am I right?" He nodded making the spirit open its arms and smile warmly once again. "Then come to me, embrace me."
Aang furrowed a brow and with as if saying the most obvious thing in the world said. "Um… no." The spirit's smile just got wider. "You may look like Katara but you're not her. I would never touch another woman like… "He pointed to her whole body. "...that."
Fanshé laughed."You're afraid of betraying your loved one. Worry not, young one. You shall do nothing wrong, There is no other way to finish your mission. And just like your furry companion you couldn't touch me even if you wanted. How can you touch a reflex?" The young man thought for a little and after a long breath nodded and stripped down to his undergarments. "Though, before you go, have this in mind. You shall only finish your task if you have the one you love in mind and if you have no external influence."
"Um… what?"
The spirit sighed. "You must be naked."
"Oh, yeah, right, sorry." He took out his underpants and turned to Momo. "Momo, stay here." The animal sit in place while his friend turned to the opened arms spirit who was smiling once again. "Well, here goes nothing." Aang closed his eyes and took his mind to the beautiful waterbender that he called his. A sweet smile was formed in Aang's face while he opened his eyes, took a deep breath and threw himself at Fanshé. As soon as his face touched the water he blacked out, and he heard an echo coming out of his head.
"The ones who want to be united with his other half must first prove their worth."
…
"So we'll make a big stage where people will dance and sing and… " Suki explained to her bored friend who was looking out the window. One day has passed, and they were both in Katara's iglu sited by a table with papers on it. Katara didn't have a single moment for herself, Suki would be on her tail every moment she could. Was the first time that Katara and Aang had separated for so long since the end of the war, and she surely missed her boyfriend. She couldn't sleep all night and now Suki was boring her with the birthday party crap… what could be better?
"I miss Aang" She sighed deeply.
"He misses you too. And then we'll…"
"Are you sure?" Katara asked sadly, looking at her friend who looked back at her confused. "Why would he go without me then? I could go with him. I could even help him."
"He wanted you to have time to prepare your birthday party."
"He could at least wake me up."
"I'm sure he had his reasons."
Some time of silence appeared and Suki thought that Katara had finished with her stupid questions, though she was very wrong. "Do you think he likes my body?"
"What? What kind of question is that?"
"I mean look at this" She went with her hands to her breasts and started to shake them slightly to prove her point "they are so sloppy and weird and ugly. How could Aang like something like this?"
Suki grunted annoyed. "C'mon Katara, stop that, you're beautiful and you have an amazing body. Aang is crazy 'bout you and, even if your tits were like you say, that they aren't, Aang would still be crazy about you."
"It's not just them, is my butt as well."
Suki raised a brow. "You don't want me to compliment your ass, do you?"
"No of course not… But if Aang did…"
"Aang is too good of a guy to compliment your body like that. Just like you're too good of a girl to compliment his dick."
"Suki!"
"What? It's true, you can't deny it."
"Anyway, you can't compliment something you never saw." Suki's eyes opened wide with surprise and Katara became a little confused. "What?"
"You never saw his dick?" She asked.
"No?"
"So you're still a virgin?"
"Yes."
"Damn girl. What have you done this last year? I think even Toph lost it."
"Well, I'm not Toph." She said folding her arms.
"No, you're a woman with an actual boyfriend. What do you think I do with your broth…"
"Suki! For the love of the Spirits, I don't want to know my brother's sex life! And we don't do it because of Aang. He won't do it until he's sixteen. Something about monk code or something."
"Well, that sucks. And when is his birthday anyway?"
"I don't know, he never told us. We even tried to make him a surprise party on a random day. But he said that was just a day like any other and that we shouldn't celebrate it."
"Yeah I remember that. He seemed sad when he said that, didn't he?"
"Yeah, I think so."
…
Aang woke up slowly and, where he thought would be water, there was breathable air. He slowly got up with his head hurting slightly, he looked up and saw a thin sheet of ice where Fanshé should be. He then started to look around and found the place he was very curious. It was made by black and white, old bricks, it had some torches to illuminate the place and a wooden door that leaded to somewhere. He walked to the brown door and opened it revealing two persons with their hands on the back. One was a man dressed in white smiling warmly. He had raven black eyes and his hair was white as snow. The man should be on his thirties just like the woman on his side. She was dressed in black while her eyes were white and her long hair was ebony black, her skin was a little tanned what remembered a lot a Water Tribe woman. She was also smiling but not as sweetly as the male. "Hello young Avatar." They both said in unison. "It's good to finally meet you." The woman said, making the man chuckle sweetly.
"Since you've been born we knew that you would end up here someday. We congratulate you."
"Great, more Spirits that know me but I don't know them."
The par laughed. "Yes and no, Avatar Aang." The man said.
"We were humans just like you, but the spirits gave us the privilege of being part of them for our deeds." The woman finished.
"And who are you exactly?" Aang asked confused.
"We are the first soul-mates. Good…" The man explained.
"...and Evil. Black…"Now the woman.
"...and White. Men..."
"...and Women. We are Yin…"
"...and Yang. The lovers who never met..."
"...yet always knew each other." They both bowed to the, now, jaw dropped young man. "It's an honor to finally meet an Avatar in person." They said again in unison.
Aang's mouth shut and turning into a confused frown. "Wait, "finally meet an Avatar"? What Hakoda said is that practically all men from here pass through this. Actually, he never said that I would meet Yin and Yang in person… or in spirit, I don't know anymore."
The couple smiled while Yang requested. "Define "here"."
"Here, in the South Pole."
They laughed and Yin continued. "What gives you the idea that you're still in the South Pole?"
"Well I…" he pointed to the door even more confused "...I came from a cave that… Well, I WAS in the South Pole."
"You are not in the South Pole anymore, Avatar Aang." Yang explained.
"You are in our plane, now." Completed Yin.
"And why am I here exactly?"
"For the very reason you entered that cave." Yin said.
"I can't see any aquamarine here. Hell, I don't see anything but bricks."
The older man chuckled sweetly. "How come are you familiarized with soul-mates?"
"I know the basics. They are two pieces of the same whole and there is just one couple in a lifetime."
"Well, that's half wrong." Yang said.
"Yes, we are two pieces of the same, but the part that there is only one in a lifetime is wrong."
"All of them, and I mean all, have their second part. Sokka has, Suki has, Toph has. Everyone you know or not has their soul-mate."
"Though just a few of them can really find the right person. Take your example, you had to wait one hundred years to find your second half."
"So me and Katara…?"
"Yes you and Katara are soul-mates." Yang said smiling warmly.
"Two pieces of one whole." Yin, also smiling, grabbed her husband's hand leaned her head to his shoulder. "Just like us."
Aang had his eyes and mouth opened with both surprise and happiness. "Wow." he chuckled haply "That's… that's awesome."
Yang chuckled. "Yes Avatar Aang, awesome is a good way to put it."
"Now, to the important." Yin said, releasing her other half. "We know why you're here. And, although you surely heard about the path, it will be different of the most."
"You are special. You found your soul-mate. And, although, that's a good thing, an amazing thing nor then less, you must prove your value to marry her."
"You see, the marriage between soul-mates is a sacred matrimony. It's practically impossible to separate you two."
"Alas, there are exceptions. And those are especially… bloody. Practically all the times that two soul-mates separate, or for treason or a very psychopath act, they end up both dead." Yang explained sadly.
"Then, so that this doesn't happen that often, you'll make a sequence of tests to prove your worth and faithfulness to your love."
Aang nodded determinant. "Okay, but shouldn't Katara do it too?"
Yin and Yang smiled. "Yes, but she must accept first, don't you think?" The male asked making him blush a little.
"Okay then, what must I do?"
"First of all." Said the female. "Dress yourself." Saying this she took her hands off her back revealing the same robes Aang was wearing. Aang got surprised, but then he remembered that he was naked. He looked down to his manhood and, seeing that it was truly uncovered he put his hands hiding it while he was blushing even.
"Th…thank you." He said while grabbing the robes, making the couple laugh while he got away and closed the door between them for some privacy.
Five minutes later Aang was ready to continue with his trial. He walked at the door and before he could open the door he heard his new friends talking. "You think he'll get it?" Yang asked unsure.
A second passed, and then he heard Yin as if she was saying the most obvious thing in the world. "Are you kidding? At course, he will! He's crazy about that waterbender! You heard Fanshé!"
"Yeah, maybe you're right… I'm just worried about Zhong."
Aang heard the woman sigh. "Darlin' that was over one hundred years. He's dead by now." Another second. "Yang, look at me." This time passed two. "Zhong is dead, and he won't do anything. And this kid won't turn out to be like him. I have a good feeling about him."
Yang chuckled. "Well, if you say so. Who am I to contradict your female instincts."
She also chuckled. "No one, My Love." No one said nothing more and Aang took his ear from the door and waited a few more minutes before entering the room. When he did, he saw the two spirits kissing each other passionly, Aang smiled and cleared his throat feeling bad for ruining the moment. Yang immediately took his lips from Yin's but, before he could say anything she raised a finger at Aang, silently saying him to wait and, grabbing her lover in the collar, pulled him in a strong kiss. Some seconds later she disbanded the kiss and looked at his raven black eyes directly. "Nothing will happen, okay?" He smiled, nodded and pecked her lips before turning to Aang.
He cleared his throat and said. "My apologies, Avatar Aang. We weren't expecting you so soon." Hearing this Aang raised a hand and smiled warmly at the older man.
"No worries Mister Yang, I'm the same with Katara, I understand."
He was about to thank the young Avatar but his wife was faster. "Mister Yang? Does that mean that I'm being called Lady Yin now?"
"I mean…" Aang responded awkwardly. "If you want."
"Lady Yin and Mister Yang." She said aloud. "Nah, Yin Yang sounds much better, don't you say love?"
He laughed. "What she's saying is that you don't need to use titles on us. Just call us by the name."
"Okay, but only if you call me Aang." The couple smiled and nodded.
"Now, If you kindly followed us." They both turned around and started to walk at another door.
…
Katara grunted annoyed. "Go away, Suki! Leave me alone!" She shouted, grabbing the pillow against her face.
"But Katara it's already noon."
"I - don't - care! I want to Sleep! Call me when Aang arrives!"
Suki rolled her eyes and sighed. "Katara, he's…" In that moment the front door was knocked. "I'll see who it is."
"Yeah, you do that. Just leave me alone." A minute or two passed and Katara was drifting back to sleep when her door opened once again.
"Katara." Suki called, clearly happy. "You have someone who wants to see you."
"It's Aang?"
This made the older girl sigh. "No."
"Then tell him or her to fuck off! I want to be alone!"
"That's a really rude way to say hello to your friend that you don't see for two months." Said a masculine voice that Katara recognized immediately. She looked at it and saw the scarred firebender at her door, smiling warmly at her.
She quickly got up and threw herself at him with open arms. "Zuko!"
He chuckled lightly and hugged her back. "It's good to see you to Katara."
Some minutes as passed, Suki had left and Katara and Zuko went to the kitchen to talk by the fireplace. "...And that's that." Katara said after explaining to her friend what had happened in the last few months. "And you? What's happenin' up there in the Hotlands."
He sighed. "Nothing much. Just like everywhere else. We're trying to rebuild what we destroyed and what was destroyed from us."
"Even after all this time?"
He chuckled falsely." It passed a year and half, Katara. We're lucky if all this shit takes ten years to finish."
"And who did you leave back there? It wasn't…"
"...Zhong, yeah it was him." He interrupted earning a nasty look from Katara.
"Last I checked he was an incompetent."
"He is." Zuko sighed again. "But he's the eldest and most popular between the people. And since uncle Iroh choose to stay in Ba Sing Se... He may be an incompetent and a shit of a person, but he's the best option. Anyway it will be only a month. He can't fuck up that much in that amount of time, can he?... But speaking of another thing. Where's Aang?"
She turned her head to the fire. "Kyoshi Island."
"Doing what?"
"Something about a burned building, I'm not sure. Look I don't want to talk about it, okay?" At that moment she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked at her friend and saw a look that told her that she could tell him everything. She simply sighed and smiled. "Really, it's nothing. It's just the first time we're not together since the war. It's just being a little hard on me."
"I'm sure it's bein' hard on him too." He reassured smiling warmly.
She sighed and nodded before taking his hand on hers. "But I am not important. What about you? How have you been?"
He sighed and faced the sealing. "Would it be crazy to say that I'm a little happy?"
"Yeah, a little." She chuckled.
"I just feel so… free. I mean, Mai was never controller or abusive, but she had her way that… that… I don't know how to explain. I just feel free."
"So you're happy that you broke up?"
"It shattered my heart, you know? Seeing her face when I told her that I wanted to break up. I never saw her like that." Zuko sighed and rubbed his chin with his hand. "But or was that or was living unhappy… Well… I hope she can forgive me one day"
"She will. Mai don't seem the kind of person to hold grudges… well, not counting Azula, of course. Speaking of which how…" At that moment the door was knocked. Katara sighed and yelled. "What is it now Suki?" The door opened slowly opened and, to her surprise, Suki wasn't there but a girl that she never saw in her life. She was very beautiful, green eyes, raven black, wild hair tied to a ponytail and light tanned skin. She just took in her head shyly and asked the waterbender.
"I'm sorry, but is Zuko here? Your friend Suki said that I could find him here."
"Yeah Jin, I'm here." He said smiling a little. "You can enter, Katara is cool." She took a little time, but she entered shyly and grabbed the firebender's arm as if she was trying to hide herself behind it. She was dressed in Fire Nation colors, but she was clearly from the Earth Kingdom. Katara gave Zuko a look that he knew too well. It had a mixture of anger, disgust and a little, but very little, a bit of happiness. He sighed and turned to the newcomer girl. "I'm sorry Jin, but could you get out for a bit? I and Katara are talking and…"
She looked at Katara and saw that nasty look being directed at them, she gulped in dry and nodded before getting out from the door. As soon the door closed the voice of Katara could be heard shouting at him. "WHAT THE FUCK, ZUKO!? YOU JUST BROKE UP WITH MAI!"
"Katara, calm down." Zuko tried, putting his hands in front of him.
"Calm down!? CALM DOWN!? ZUKO, YOU'RE A SHIT OF A PERSON! IMAGINE IF MAI KNEW! WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE'LL DO!?"
"Katara, this is not what you think."
"Oh yeah!? Then you're not with another girl ONE MONTH after breaking with your girlfriend of a year!?"
"For the love of the spirits Katara, we aren't together! She's just a friend!"
She threw her hand up incredibly and faced the fire. "Yes and I'm the Earth King. At least lie properly. A girl from the Earth Kingdom that I never saw in my life comes here with you dressed in a Fire Nation dress, and she is" She made quotes with her fingers ""just a friend"." Zuko was about to speak again but his friend was faster. "Look, I don't care. You do what the fuck you want to do, I'm not your mother to forbid you of anything. All I want is sleep. I'm tired as hell and I didn't sleep well this night… nor the last. So if you could get out for today, I'll be very happy."
He sighed and got up from his chair. "Yes, I have to give a tour to Jin anyway. It was good to see you again Katara."
"Same here." She said before getting up and going to her room. She closed the door and landed on the bed, one minute later she was snoring quietly.
While that Zuko put out the fire and got out to see a sad Jin. "I'm sorry 'bout that" She apologized sadly, making him chuckle.
"Don't worry. She'll understand that you're not my girlfriend… But what happened back there? I never saw you so shy."
She smiled sweetly. "I never stood before a savior of the world."
"Ouch. So what am I? A joke?"
She laughed. "I already met you before you saved the world and turned Fire Lord. Or at least I met Lee, I miss him, by the way. Good guy."
"Ha ha. You're very funny, aren't you?"
"You know me."
"And if Aang was there?" He teased.
"Probably I would fade." She said honestly making laugh, soon enough she was laughing either.
…
Aang was awake when he heard the door being knocked. He sighed. "Yeah?"
"It's me, Aang." The dressed in black woman said entering the room. "Did you sleep well?"
"Horribly."
She smiled. "It's normal. You'll learn to be without her."
"I hope not." He said before getting out of his bed. "So… what can I do for you?"
"It's time." The young man nodded and grabbed the robes to dress himself while the woman continued. "You'll have three tests, all of them testing your faithfulness to Katara. If you pass them you'll be given the components to the necklace, if not… you'll be forbidden to marry anyone forever. Resuming, you don't want to lose." She opened the door that leaded to the exit and, to his surprise, the small corridor wasn't there but a room with a million women all exactly like Katara.
A "What the…!?" escaped Aang's lips, and Yang appeared behind him.
"That's your first test Aang, these are all copies of Katara, but all of them has an imperfection but one, one of them is exactly like the original. Your job is to find her."
"That's easy, none."
The couple looked at each other confused before returning him the eyes alongside with a "What?".
"None of them is my Katara. She's special in her own way and not even the most powerful magic could copy her, because it's not just her, but also what she passed through. Her scars and deeds. There's no way to copy My Angel."
They again looked at each other before. "Well, that's the right answer." Said Yang a little taken back.
"But we weren't expecting to you to take so little time. This… this never happened before."
"Well, take me to the next test then."
"That's the thing Aang, we can't." Yang said.
"Why not?"
"We can't explain, Aang." This time Yin. "Just know that is extremely important that you stay here a few days. We can only take you to the next task tomorrow."
"But I have to get out of here the faster I can. I must be back to Katara before her party and I have to feed Appa and Momo."
"You don't have to worry about your animals, they are being feed by us." Continued Yin.
"About the time, that's totally up to you. If you want to get out of here fast, you have to resolve the tasks fast."
"How can I finish a task if you don't give it to me?"
"I'm sorry Aang." Yang apologized.
"That's all we can do."
…
Suki just entered in Katara's house she was about to shout her name when she heard a loud sniff coming from Katara's room. She became curious, so she left the papers on the table near the fire place and walked through the corridor to the door. At each step she made the, now, continuous sniffing got louder and, soon enough she started to hear a soft cry. As soon Suki got what the sniffing was about, she opened the door rapidly to find a crying Katara on her bed petting Huí on the head who was looking at his friend worriedly. "Katara?" The waterbender shot her head up revealing red, fussy eyes. Suki immediately went to hug her friend who hugged her back and started to cry on her shoulder. Some minutes later Katara stopped crying and Suki asked. "What's going on Katara?"
"I… I don't know. I-I just feel s-sad and lonely." She said between some sobs.
"Oh, you just miss Aang."
"That bastard." She said, obvious anger in her voice and face. "He left me for another one." Suki became confused and the sadness of Katara's returned alongside the tears. "And I can't blame him. I'm horrible. He deserves better than me… I hope he's happy with her."
"Hey, hey, hey. Katara calm down. He is trying to…" Suki quickly shut her mouth, afraid that she would ruin the surprise to her friend.
"He's trying what?"
Suki sighed and, in one second, invented a good lie. "He's trying to find the perfect gift for you."
"What?"
"He left without saying nothing because he wants to give you a good gift. He's awful at lying, so he left before you could wake up because if you found him, you would ask, and if you asked he probably would say everything and ruining the surprise. At least it was to be a surprise but… well."
"He's trying to find me the perfect gift?" She asked incredibly making Suki nod. "No, my gift is beneath the bed, that's an excuse he told you to disappear forever."
"No, it's true. If you open that box it's gonna be empty." Katara looked at her eyes before cleaning her tears and going to find the box. Suki quickly grabbed her hand. "Nah-ah, you won't open that box until the party, you read what Aang…"
"I don't care what Aang wrote! I'm going to open that box to see if it's truly empty, you're wanting or not!" Saying this she started to search for the box the bed. When she finally touched something, she pulled it revealing the so famous wooden box. She opened slowly and gasped before starting crying and laughing.
"W-What?" Suki asked afraid of having to reveal the truth.
"It's… It's empty!" Katara said happily, showing her friend the box.
"What!? I mean… see?"
Katara was smiling when she raised her hand showing a paper. "This was inside, maybe it's a-a letter from Aang!" Katara unfolded the paper revealing his handwrite. Katara smiled even more, cleaned her tears and nose and started to read aloud.
"Ha, you sneaky beast! I knew you would open it before the party, so I hid the gift somewhere else. If I'm wrong then I'm truly sorry, I'll give it to you when I arrive.
Love you very much. (See? This time I didn't forget.)
Only yours, Aang."
She started to laugh while giving the letter to her friend who read it curious. This was not in the plan. "He loves me!" Katara said, laughing me. "He didn't leave me for another one! He really loves me!"
Suki chuckled and handed the letter to its rightful owner. "That was even in question? Katara, he's crazy about you. He would never leave you for another one."
"I'm so stupid." She laughed. "Why would I think something like that. Aang is too good to be unfaithful."
"Yeah, Katara. If he wanted to be with another girl, which he doesn't, he would break up with you first, which he won't."
Katara laughed again, nodded and hugged the letter deeply before turning her eyes to the friend. "So, you want my help with something?"
Suki smiled and nodded with her eyes shining.
…
Another day passed and Aang didn't sleep all night, he had cried and cried but not a single minute of sleeping. He knew that his torture was over, or at least half over, when Yang entered his room. Aang quickly cleaned the tears and sited up on his bed. "What's up Yang?" He said doing his best to hide his sad voice.
The older man looked at him and saw the red eyes, so he came closer to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You've been crying." Was more a statement than a question. Aang nodded, his head facing the ground. "It's normal Aang, you'll… "
"Yeah, yeah. "You'll learn to live without her." I know. It's just… I don't want to live without her. I'm doing this so that I don't have to learn how to live without her." Silence. Too much silence. Aang, weirding the lack of answer, looked older man who had a pensive face.
"I'm gonna tell you a story." He finally said, sitting next to the young Avatar. "One month after me and Yin met, when we were still human, I had to make a trip, a trip that Yin couldn't go. I stayed away from her for one year."
"One year!?" Aang asked incredibly.
"Yes. There wasn't a single day that I didn't miss her, the thing that pushed me to continue with this life was the hope to see her one day." Aang immediately felt bad about crying because of a few days. "And you know what? I wouldn't change it for nothing. It was there that I learned that I couldn't live without her and that I really started to see what I really had. Is good for a couple to be apart, to miss each other or, as bad as it sounds, they would be sick of each other and probably be in a toxic relationship."
"What about you and Yin? You are here forever, no?"
"Yes Aang but we are soul-mates and spirits. We only have each other, and we had to learn that will never change. Believe me when I tell you that wasn't easy. In the first few years, we just couldn't see each other without starting some kind of shouting. We had to learn to live with each other and now… well, you saw us."
"Yeah, thanks Yang." Aang thanked smiling making the other also smile.
"No problem Aang, I'm here for that. Are you ready?" Aang nodded and both got up, got out of the room and, entering the same door as the prior day, the next test showed itself. This time there was only one Katara waiting against one big metal door. When she saw the two men coming she got out of the door and walked at them. "Finally." She said, but with Yin's voice. "What took you so long?"
"Katara?" Aang asked.
"Sorry Yin" Yang explained, ignoring, but responding Aang. "I had to explain something to him."
"So you explained what this is all about?"
"Nope, that's your job."
She sighed and went to, now, an uncomfortable Aang. "So Aang I…"
Before she continued he stopped her. "Look, this is really, really weird. You couldn't just… change to your own body."
"I'm sorry Aang, but no." He sighed. "This test requires her, and because you want to make the request a surprise for her, I will have to do her job. I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable."
"It's just... Using her body like that is… I just don't like it." Yin smiled.
"And we understand you, you're totally right. But if you want to marry her we have to do this. I'm truly sorry."
He took a deep breath and nodded. "I'll try to not think about it, then." Another deep breath. "What's this all about then?"
"Okay. You see this door? We are going to enter there and all you have to do is to have your eyes on me and nothing else."
"But what's inside?"
"You don't know and if you want to succeed you'll never know. All I ask is that you imagine that I'm the real Katara. "Aang made a face that she knew too well. "I know Aang, but all of this is going to be worth it in the end. Eyes on the prey not on the horizon."
"I'm no hunter!" He sighed and made his best to imagine Katara, the real one, where Yin was. He stood there for, at least, ten minutes until he gave her a sign to continue. She slowly opened the door revealing a dark room. Never taking her look from Aang's eyes she started to walk inside and when she made the sign for him to follow he did. The room was dark but could sense the fire from the torches light where he passed. In the beginning was easy, the only thing that called him was some feminine voices whispering his name sensually. But when he started to feel hands and feet on his body, as if asking for something they hadn't right, the thing started to get really, really hard. There was one hand in specific that almost ruined everything. He started to feel that hand on his shoulder but, at each step he gave, the hand started to lower. It went to his hand, to his outer thigh and was really close to his manhood. He was really close to step away and see who had made such thing, but he heard a feminine voice that echoed in the walls of that dark room. "Just a little more Aang, we're close." Yin said, smiling sweetly Aang closed his eyes for a second and gave a deep breath before redirecting all his attention to the copies of the eyes he had fallen in love. Five minutes later, the light from the other door started to appear and Katara… I mean Yin said. "Just one more minute Aang, you're doing just fine. He nodded and continued until the woman stopped. "Now, stop."
"What?"
"Stop!" He did. "Close your eyes." He again did what was told. When he did, he started to hear a whisper on his ear coming closer and closer. Then he felt a soft hand on his uncovered shoulder that slowly started to move to his cheeks, then another hand on his other cheek. He wanted to open his eyes so badly, thought, somehow, that phrase that Yin said was echoing on his thoughts like anything else. "Eyes on the prey not on the horizon. Eyes on the prey not on the horizon." He soon started to feel the strange hands coming closer and closer and, soon enough he felt a warm, soft breath on his lips coming as close. He was sure that that thing would kiss him when, just like that, that strange feeling disappeared, and he felt lighter than ever when Yin's voice was heard once again. "You can open your eyes again Aang." A smile was obvious in that voice, and he needed no more proof of the owner when he opened his eyes. She was in her own body once again, smiling at him. The room was lit and the iron door was opened showing a smiling Yang, walking at him with his hands on the back.
"Congratulations Aang. You completed the last task."
"Wait what? There was three."
"The third task was you're very staying here." Said Yin.
"That's why we had to wait the day to give you this last task. To see how you would react to the absence of your laved one."
"You demonstrated what everyone in love would do. So, in the light of your stay here and the tasks you completed successfully…"
"...we judge you worthy of marrying your soul-mate." Saying this Yang revealed what he had behind his back to the young Avatar, a small, wooden box. When he opened it showed a big aquamarine stone, some little diamonds and sapphires, beautiful dark blue and grey choker and tools so that he could work with the stone.
"But should be I to mine that."
"We know Aang." Said Yin. " And normally you would, but if you want to find the place you want and be with Katara in time for her party you must part now."
"How did you…"
"You talk when you're sleeping." Chuckled Yang. Aang stood confused before simply shrug it off and hug his new two friends.
"Thank you."
They both laughed. "No worries Aang. You deserve to be with her." This time the woman.
"Yeah now go, or you won't be there in time." Aang gave a step back and Yang passed him the box. "Now go to your room, when you enter through that door you'll find a similar lake to the one you saw in the cave. Throw yourself there without cloths and you should be back there." Aang nodded and started to run at his room, though he stopped midway, turned to the couple and bowed to them with a smile.
"It was an honor to meet you Yin Yang."
They smiled and also bowed. "The honor is ours Avatar Aang." They both said unison before he could continue his way. "Good kid." Said Yin.
"Yeah, shame that he won't get what deserves." The man responded sadly.
"I hope he, at least, can save her.
"He will. Even if it takes his own life to do it."
She sighed. "That's what worries me."
While this little conversation was happening, Aang, extremely excited to see the love of his life once again, he burst the door open, indeed revealing the beautiful lake. He quickly undressed his robe and threw himself to the lake with his head. The moment his head touched the water he blacked for a second before waking gasping for air in that very same cave this little adventure begun. The moment the airbender gave a living sign his small flying friend wet flying at his face to hug it and start licking it. Aang, still confused of what happened, took his friend out his face and started to look around for something. "Could it be? " He asked himself over and over. "Could it only be a dream?" His question was answered when he felt his hand touch something cold. He looked at the cold object to find the very same box he was carrying what it seemed on minute ago. He smiled, grabbed the box and quickly got up before starting to run to the exit of the cave. "Come Momo!"
...
Two days passed since the rough wake up of Aang, it was twenty one of Winter's gate, Katara's birthday. Aang just arrived the small town. He placed Appa in the stable that was construed especially for him, and he simply fell from his feet sleeping soundly, Momo did the same, though Aang had to ruin all their fun when he woke Appa up. "No, Appa. I still need you." The furry beast grunted irritably. "I know Appa, but please. I have to do this. Please Appa, just this once." Appa was about to decline but Aang made his lost puppy face making him roll his eyes and grunt again. Aang hugged his nose happily. "Thanks buddy, I'll make up to you, I swear." Aang quickly ran to Katara's iglu and entered it as quietly as he could. He entered his and Katara's room and smiled, finally seeing that face he missed so much, so peaceful. It was real hard fight, but he finally gathered the courage to wake her up. "Katara." He called sweetly. "Katara." Her eyes shot open, though her mind wasn't completely clear.
"I swear Suki, I'm gonna kill you today, it's bad enough waking me early but waking me at this time of the night."
Aang chuckled. "Kinda that it's not Suki, Katara."
"Yeah, you don't have her voice. But who would wake me up at this hour?"
"Hmmm, let me think… maybe your boyfriend."
"My… boyfriend?"
"Aang."
When she heard that name, a something triggered in her mind, waking her up completely. "Aang!?... AANG!" She shouted, throwing herself at him. "You're here, you're finally here! I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, My Angel." He said, realizing a happy, revealed tear. She finally looked at his eyes and took his face into a deep and passionate kiss. Five minutes later they disbanded the kiss for breath and Katara released him from the hug and lied down on the bed before patting his side of it.
"I'm sorry Aang, I want to learn all you made in that trip of yours but now I want to sleep so, lay down and…"
"No Katara, don't, I need you."
"Aang, it's deep night." She said incredibly.
"I know, My Angel, but I really need you for something. You're gonna like… I hope."
"What?"
"Just trust me Katara." He pleaded earning a sigh.
"It can't be done tomorrow?" He shook his head and she sighed again. "Okay, let's go."
"Thank you, My Angel." Aang said before pecking her lips, a peck that was long enough to be called a deep kiss. A minute later the lips disbanded earning a heartbroken whine from both. She got up and put her shoes before grabbing his hand eagerly, making him smile even more and going to Appa. The moment Aang called his pet's names Katara became soaked with saliva and with a lemur on her face hugging it. She got confused for a second, though the confusion turned to happiness and, soon enough, laughter. "It's good to see you too guys." She said taking the smaller animal from her face.
Aang, also laughing, bent the water from Katara's clothes and body and turned to his biggest friend. "It's time buddy." Now whispering. "Warn me when we're close." Appa nodded while his best friend grabbed Katara by the waist and jumped on his back. They both crawled their way to Appa's head sitting down when they reached it. Aang grabbed the rope tied to the bison's horn and the so famous, almost trademark, phrase. "Yip Yip, buddy." The furry animal jumped and started to bend the air beneath him to fly. It took ten minutes to reach flying high, ten minutes of cold, hard, yet blissful wind hitting on the lover's faces.
"I missed this." Katara sighed when her voice could be heard between the wind.
"Yeah, I thought you would. Why don't do more things like this anymore?"
She sighed again. "No time, I think. We've been here working for the last month. I love it, don't get me wrong but sometimes it just feels that we don't have time for anything else, no time for ourselves."
"Yeah, you're right but…" At that moment Appa groaned. "Really, now?" Again. "Okay then, good job buddy."
"What's up?"
"We're there." Aang said with a smile. He went to the saddle and returned some seconds later with his old headband. "Put around your eyes." This request earned him a confused look. "Trust me." It took a while, but she finally nodded, grabbed the red band and tied it around her eyes. "Thank you My Angel." He said pecking her cheek. A minute later they were landing and Aang was guiding his girlfriend out of Appa." Good, now stay here for a little, okay?" She nodded and Aang went away for five minutes until he grabbed her shoulders by the back and kissed softly her cheek. "You can take it out." He whispered, making her do what was asked. She gasped they were by an open, ice bubble with multiple candles lighting the place beautiful.
"Aang," She started. "it's the iceberg we found you."
"Yes." He said, his hands around her waist softly. "The place where all of this started, the place I met that beautiful waterbender and her brother goofball. The place that I fell in love."
She chuckled and turned around to face him. He had a happy yet pensive smile. "Aang, let's remake the moment I found you." She asked excitedly though her response was pure silence. "Aang?" He took a deep breath and released her before starting to walk at the iceberg. He stopped in midway and started to talk, his back turned to her.
"You know Katara, I would be lying if I said that I saved the world for its people, I mostly saved it for YOU, for YOU to have the life YOU deserve and so that YOU could be happy with the one YOU love." She started to walk at him slowly, confused and a little worried of what was coming. "And when you said you wanted to be my girlfriend, when you accepted my love, when you gave me your love, I couldn't let go the thought that I was being selfish, that I AM being selfish. I'm The Avatar, I belong to the world and you don't deserve a life like that, you deserve someone who you don't have to share with anyone, much less the entire world."
"Aang I…" Katara tried, tears starting to fall.
"I don't deserve you Katara, and I am more than selfish to be with you… and still, you love me just like that. " He said turning to her, he also had tears and, alongside, a sweet smile. "In the night you said that you wanted to stay with me, love me, I never felt so happy yet so bad in my life. And here I am, almost two years later crying with you. What I'm trying to say is… if I learned one thing from the time I passed with you, is that I can't live without you, call me selfish if you want, I don't care anymore. There is one part of me that not even the world can have it, that only one person in this shitty universe has the right to process it. That person is you Katara, I couldn't live without you even if I wanted. So Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," He kneed in one knee and Katara gasped already knowing what was coming next. "Love of my life, My Angel… Will you go penguin sledding with me?" Requesting this, he took the infamous necklace from one of his pocket and showed it to her, waiting for her answer.
She didn't know what to say nor could say nothing, anyway. She wanted to laugh, cry, shout at him, slap him, hug him, kiss him, make love with him. Her feelings were confused and only confused and the only thing her body could do was release tears of… she didn't know of what. She wanted to respond though the words just didn't get out, hell, she hardly could breathe, much less talk. So, noticing that words would never show her emotions, she decided that actions would. So she slapped him on the face, slapped him hard. She could see the hope in his face turn to confusion and then sadness, and SHE became sad. It wasn't that what she wanted to transmit, so she decided to jump at him and kiss him the stronger she could and, hell, it was the best thing she ever did. All the feelings she was feeling right now, all the confusion, flew away just like that and when she released his lips she just laughed like crazy. "YES!" She shouted a few seconds later. "Yes Aang, I'll penguin sledding with you, I'll marry you, I'll be the woman by your side, the one who will comfort you, shout at you, laugh with you and love you when you more need! It would be the biggest honor you could give me!" With that said she crashed her lips against his again and both of them smiled in the kiss. When they separated the lips and looked at each other's there was one thing besides happiness and love, there was lust, pure lust that neither of them felt before. Katara, feeling a fire like never before, whispered to him. "Take us home, Aang." He just nodded, got up, and grabbed her in bridal position before going to Appa.
(A.N. "Well… here it is. Again, I'm sorry to the ones who liked The True Story, but I was bored and I just couldn't wait to write this. So that you have an idea, I had the "Will you go penguin sledding with me?" chapter idea since the very beginning and I've been dying to write it. So I hoped you liked it, my truly first chapter.
Oh and Ashley. I hope it too.
And that's that. I thank you from heart for all the reviews, favorites and follows aaand… LONG LIVE THE KATANGERS! Damn I missed this.")