Book II: Earth

Chapter II: The Swamp

Part III: The Avatar's Parents

Kuzon and the others later said their goodbyes to the swampbenders and went on their own.

Lhasang smiled back as Duu and the others waved goodbye. "I liked those guys. They seem like good company."

Aang held his hand in hers and smiled. "Indeed."

Kuzon then began hearing what seemed like his mothers voice in his head. My son. We have finally found you. He widened his eyes and stopped in his tracks.

Katara, noticing this, squeezed his hand for support. "Something wrong?"

Kuzon turned to her a bit worried. "I..thought I heard my mother's voice for a moment.

Katara sighed in relief, grateful that the disturbance wasn't related to any sort of dark spirits of any kind. She was begging to grow quite worried about how his connection to the Spirit World was affecting him. She then nodded. "It could be. Mom did visit us last night."

Sokka gasped in shock. "Wait. Are you saying Mom's ghost visited us last night? How come I didn't know this?"

Katara turned to her brother and offered him an apologetic smile. "Sorry brother. You are a heavy sleeper."

Sokka nodded grumbling. Hopefully I'm awake next time it happens. Suddenly, a loud whooshing sound interrupted the group in then tracks. What looked like wisps of light flew past them and crashed into the ground in front of them. The light was so blinding that the four of them had to cover their eyes.

The spirits of Ling, Lin and Mokabi then appeared before them.

Kuzon was the first to look. "It's them…"

Lin smiled at his son. "Kuzon..child…good to see you alive and well."

Mokabi winked at his grandson and grinned crookedly. "Heya kid! How's it hanging?"

Ling smiled warmly at her son. "Hello again little one. I hope you can spare a moment." She then realized her son wasn't alone. "I see you are not traveling alone."

Kuzon, over the shock of seeing the ghost forms of his dead family, simply gave all of them a traditional Fire Nation bow. "Allow me to make the introductions." He then gestured to Aang. "You already know Aang of course."

Aang bowed in respect to the Sho family. "Lin. Ling. Mokabi. A pleasure to see all of you again."

Ling smiled and bowed back. "A pleasure to see you as well Aang."

Kuzon sighed and cleared his throat. He could feel his cheeks getting warm but managed to control his rising level of embarrassment. This, of course, wasn't the normal way a young man would introduce his girlfriend to his parents but considering the circumstances as of late, it would have to do. He then gestured to Katara. "This is Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. She is both my waterbending teacher…and my girlfriend."

Katara turned over to him with a surprised look on her face. He usually stuttered his way through introducing her to people. She supposed that the reasoning was that he would rather keep his composure in front of his family. Regardless, it showed that he was starting to become more comfortable with their budding courtship. She felt warmth enter her heart at his words and clung herself to his right shoulder. She then glanced up at the Sho family with a warm smile. "It's an honor to finally meet you all. Kuzu speaks highly of all of you."

All of them laughed. Mokabi then joked. "Hah. Ah the irony. I never imagined you would find companionship in the arms of a bender from a foreign nation." Kuzon just shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say Grandfather? You find love in the strangest of places?"

Mokabi grinned. "True. Very true my dear boy."

Lin and Ling smiled warmly at the waterbender. Ling then spoke with a wry smile on her face "So..you are the one who charmed her way into my son's heart. I sense great emotion, beauty and raw power inside of you young waterbender. I must admit I'm impressed. My son isn't an easy one to connect with."

Katara giggled and smirked at her future mother-in-law. " Aww why thank you Ling. I'd like to think I can hold my own. I am the prodigy of the Southern Water Tribe after all." She then smirked at Kuzon. "As for Kuzon…It took a little while. He had this wall up around him where it seemed nobody could really get to the real him. He actually used to sulk and eat all by himself during our group meals. It took a lot of patience but I managed to warm my way into his heart."

Lin smiled at her. "You remind me of Ling. The same happened with us.

Sokka rolled his eyes groaning. "You are so mushy sis…"

Katara smirked back at him. "So are you dear brother."

Lin nodded. "Perhaps you can tell us how this came to be." Katara cleared her throat and nodded. She, of course, would leave out certain details but didn't mind saying the truth of most of it. She recounted the story from beginning to end. Sokka even introduced himself and told them of his part in everything. She spoke of the battle in her village along with everything else that happened. The Sho family listened intently and nodded. They were very proud of everything that their boy had accomplished in his short time as the Avatar and even happier that he found an equal partner in the Southern waterbender.

Ling then spoke up. "We thank you and your brother for all you have done for our boy. We are in your debt."

All of them bowed in honor of the Water Tribe siblings.

Sokka chuckled. "Ah it was nothing. He has been a good friend and ally to the Tribe."

Katara smiled proudly. She decided the moment was too good to waste and turned Kuzon around to face her. "Katara? What are you.." She then kissed him right in front of his parents. Kuzon was torn between both embarrassment and bliss.

Mokabi grinned. "Haha. Ah young love never astounds me."

Lin and Ling just gave him a nod.

Katara continued, glancing at the boy's parents with a warm smile. "And the world's greatest boyfriend. He gave me a chance to come along with him. To fight by his side. I've never been given that chance before. Not even by our own people. He is devoted and allows me to be free. I don't take any of that for granted." She then took a good look at Ling. The woman looked similar to her own mother. The only differences was that her eyes were golden yellow instead of azulean blue and she was more fair-skinned compared to Kya. The woman also wore her hair in a shoulder-length position. Ling was also dressed in a Fire Nation-style kimono that highlighted the woman's beauty. Ling laughed. "That is because we raised him to believe that everyone, regardless of his or her gender, was born to be free and follow their own path in life. The Fire Nation, believe it or not, is a very patriarchal and staunchly traditionalist society. Men are often put above the women in terms of status." The woman then hissed. "Lin knew I secretly disapproved of such a society and we agreed to teach our son differently."

Katara nodded with a smile, grateful for the lessons Kuzon's parents had taught him. She halfway expected that the Fire Nation was also patriarchal. It made sense since the two nations weren't that different from one another. "I see. Well I am glad." She then sighed with a bit of guilt. "When he woke up out of the iceberg…you were there with him Ling. I saw as he tried to save your life. Sokka and I…tried to resuscitate you but your spirit had already passed on. That was another thing we bonded on. I lost my mother to a Fire Nation raid many years ago. I was still wary about Fire Nationals because of the war but I felt..sympathy for him. It was like…through our trauma…we could understand one another in a way no one else could. I..guess that is where things started. I wanted to be there with him." The waterbender then blushed awkwardly and smiled at Kuzon's mother. It was a sight to see the normally confident and wise-cracking waterbender suddenly get so bashful.

Kuzon, himself blushing rather furiously, walked over to the waterbender and held her hand to steady her.

Katara, grateful for the support, leaned into him as if her life depended on it.

Ling smiled. "I see." She then turned to Kuzon. "Now my dear son. I'm sure you know our customs correct?"

Kuzon met his mother with a nervous look in his eyes and bowed his head in honor. "Yes…Mother."

Ling clasped her hands together. "Wonderful! Then I want you to take this next duty as a matter of family honor!" She then floated over to him and hugged him. "When this war ends and your destiny is complete…you must marry Katara officially. The wedding may be in either the Southern Water Tribe or the Fire Nation. I do not care what location you two pick."

Kuzon nodded again. "Of course."

Ling then caressed his face with a hand. "You must invite Katara's family from the South and present them with three gifts of grand value. Such is the way of a proper Fire Nation wedding. You will also need a ring of some kind. You may use the one I gave you or you may choose to have a jeweler make one."

Katara's eyes widened and she let out a gasp. "Wait! I'm getting married and I'm going to get a ring?" She then squealed and held onto Kuzon tighter.

Ling chuckled at the girl's excitement and continued on. "Your father and I will all be there. I expect you to be in proper clothing in accordance with our traditions. I also want grandchildren. Is that clear?"

Kuzon nodded dutifully. "Yes Mother. It shall be done."

The ghost woman then kissed her son on the forehead. "Good. I am proud of you my dear boy. I always will be." She then hugged Katara. The girl was taken aback at first but hugged her future-mother in-law back.

Well well. Looks like this went better than expected. I'm getting married to the Avatar after this stupid war is over. Granted I know that is a long way from now but it gives me something to live for! I refuse to let my future husband die!

"Be well Katara. I wish you both a happy life together. Keep him safe."

Katara smiled through tears. "I will. I promise."

Mokabi then glanced over at Lhasang. "And who might you be? I don't recognize you."

Lhasang stepped forward and bowed traditionally. "My name is Lhasang. I hail from the Air Refugees. I am Kuzon's friend. He saved me and the remaining airbenders from dying in a Fire Nation prison. I wanted to do something to help."

Mokabi grinned. "It is good to see my boy is traveling with such wonderful company! Good to see the Nomads still kicking."

Lin then hugged both Kuzon and Katara. "I wish the both of you the best of lives together! I can think of no better partner for my son!"

Kuzon nodded. "Thank you Father." He felt tears of relief fall down his cheeks.

Katara grinned and hugged him back. "Thank you! Your support means the world to me! I..admit I was a little afraid of what you two would think of me being that I am from the Water Tribes."

Ling answered calmly. "We do not care about your roots Katara. We only care that our son is happy." She then sighed and pulled away. "Before we go…there is a place in the palace city you all must go to. It is an ancient building that our family once owned. In it..houses secrets to an ancient firebending technique that only our family knows. You will need it to face the Fire Lord and end him for good. It is tall like the Sage Temples and projects a beam of light so strong it pierces the heavens themselves."

Kuzon gave his mother a nod. "We will find it somehow."

Ling nodded and smiled. "Good good. We will go so you all can continue your journey." She then gave him one last kiss on the forehead. "I love you little flame. Take strength in that always."

Kuzon bit his lip and sighed frustratingly. He was beyond grateful that the Spirit World allowed him to still be in communication with those he had lost. It was always somewhat bittersweet however as the time they all had together was limited at best. "Of..course. I love you too Mother." Lin then hugged his son one last time. "Make us proud son." The two of them began floating away up into the Spirit World. Kuzon got one last glance at his late grandfather. The old man tipped his hat at his grandson and winked. "Knock some Fire skulls for me won't ya kid?" He then began floating up into the Spirit World.

Kuzon, wiping away the tears in his eyes, just gave his grandfather a bow. "Of course."

The spirits of his departed family then dissipated into the breeze. The others glanced at the Avatar with great worry.

Katara gently interlooped her arm around his and squeezed his right hand. "Will you be alright? I'm here for you if you need to talk. We all are."

Kuzon took a deep breath in order to steel his emotions and keep them in check. He then turned to her and shook his head. "I'll be fine. Let's just get out of here. I've had about enough of this swamp for a lifetime." There was a hint of bitterness and anger in his tone.

Katara nodded in understanding. It's probably difficult for him seeing his family like that. Granted I'm sure he is thankful that he can still communicate with them all but communicating with your dead loved ones does..take its toll on you. I have to say I have mixed feelings seeing my mother in her spirit form as well. I know that that is probably the best I'm ever going to get now but it doesn't make the yearning any easier.

Aang sighed with a sad smile. "Right behind you brother." He then took Lhasang's hand and walked behind.

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