Hi! First of, I don't own HP or A:tla!
In this chapter I've mixed two chapters simply because I don't think they do much more than acting as filler and story setting.
Also the second part might be a bit angsty but I think you all know why. It's an emotional episode! Though since most of us know it, I will be skipping Aang's and Zuko's story-time. If you don't know them, what are you doing here? Go watch it and come back here afterwards!
I wanted to introduce a little bit of what I want Hari's bending to be like, since I didn't want him to be a regular airbender. They have so many constraints and rules and we know Hari likes his freedom and is not scared of doing what's needed.
So without further ado, I bid you good reading and à la prochaine
Chapter 12
A storm was raging. It was one of the worst ones in a long time. The wind was howling like owl wolves on the hunt and the rain fell like arrows, making it impossible to see even an arm's reach in front of you.
Hidden up on a mountainside, high above a small harbor town was a cave. If you looked closely you'd be able to see a light that came from a small bonfire.
Around the bonfire sat four young people together with a skybison and a flying lemur. They needed this break, even if it was forced by the spirits of nature, causing this terror of a storm.
Aang was sitting with a cover feeling down. The storm had brought back memories he wanted to forget. It took a bit prodding from his friends but he told them of how he ended up in the iceberg and everything that led to it, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Let's take a couple of steps back, a bit prior for you see, they've had a crazy week and lost a bit of faith in humanity along the way.
It all started when they arrived at the Great Divide.
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The Great Divide, the largest canyon in the world.
The name was pretty self-explanatory but it was a sight to behold. Like an ancient giant, had tried to split the land apart with a sword, the giant canyon carved through the land.
It reminded Hari of the Grand Canyon he had seen on the telly when he was still with the Dursleys, just without the rivers running through.
They had set up camp and had planned to stay for the night when suddenly out of nowhere a guy ran up to them, rudely shoving Sokka to the side.
"If you're looking for the canyon guide, I was here first!" He spat.
They took a look at him. He seemed well dressed in clean white and cream-colored clothes.
"Ooh, a canyon guide? Sounds informative." Katara said as she put her hand together.
The guy scoffed at them. "Believe me, he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender, and the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help, and he's taking my tribe across next!" He crossed his arms and turned his face to the side, nose in the sky.
"Calm down," Sokka said, "we know you're next."
The guy looked at Sokka like he was an annoying bug, definitely giving off some strong Malfoyan vibes. "You wouldn't be so calm if the Fire Nation destroyed your home and forced you to flee! My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se."
"You're a refugee!" Katara said.
"Tell me something I don't know." He sarcastically snarked at her.
"Hogwarts castle has 142 staircases." Hari said without missing a beat.
The others looked at him, his friends used to his quips but the guy looked at him like he just realized he was there, which probably wasn't too far from the truth.
"Did you know that?" Hari asked innocently.
It took a couple of seconds before the guy reacted. "What?"
"Did you know that Hogwarts castle has 142 staircases?" Hari asked once more.
"Of-of course! Us from the Gan Jin tribe are very well read and knowledgeable!" He stuttered, striking a pose, fists on his hips, nose in the sky.
The gang was shaking their heads, even Momo was shaking his.
"Hey, is that your tribe?" Aang asked as he pointed behind them as a group of people clad in skins were walking towards them.
"It most certainly is not!" he scoffed. "That's the Zhang tribe, a bunch of low-life thieves. They've been the enemies of my tribe for a hundred years!" He turned towards the arriving group. "Hey, Zhangs! I'm saving a spot for my tribe so don't even think about stealing it!"
A broad-shouldered woman, seemingly the leader of the Zhangs, stepped forward.
"Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their camp site?" She said in a mocking tone.
The Gan Jin Guy puffed his chest. "Yes, but they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot."
The Zhang leader looked him up and down. "I didn't know the canyon guide took reservations."
"Ha, of course you didn't! That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang. So unorganized and ill-prepared for a journey." The Gan Jin Guy said as he did his pose once more as the Zhang tribe started to yell at him. He looked at Sokka, "You see? Uncivilized. You young people, you'll soon find out that some tribes are better than others."
Hari started to cough, making Katara look at him worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Hari answered, "just threw a bit up in my mouth."
Katara grimached but didn't ask more.
Out of nowhere a large pile of rocks was levitated up and thrown away, revealing a short chubby man in Earth Nation clothes.
"Sorry about the wait, youngsters. Who's ready to cross this here canyon?" The man who obviously was the known guide said.
The Gan Jin guy ran forward with his hand raised and said loudly "Me! I was here first, my party's on their way!"
The guide looked at him and said "I can't guide people who aren't here."
The leader of the Zhang's made a forward wave to her tribe and then moved past the Gan Jin looking smug.
"Guess you guys will have to make the trip tomorrow." She said.
The Gan Jin guy's eye started to develop a twitch until something caught his attention. He looked towards the path and shouted "Wait, here they come!" as a group of finely dressed people walked towards them.
The Zhang leader grimached and turned towards the guide.
"You're not seriously gonna cave into these spoiled Gan Jins? I mean we're refugees too! And we've got sick people that need shelter."
A Gan Jin shouted "We've got old people who are weary from traveling."
It didn't take long before it developed into a massive argument that didn't seem like it would never end with the poor guide stuck in the middle.
"Uhm Aang?" Katara said, "Isn't it, like, the Avatar's duty to settle feuds and make peace?"
"Uh, I guess?" Aang didn't sound so optimistic.
Katara took a step forward and shouted over the noise "Everybody listen up!" Making the arguing die down, "This is the Avatar," she pointed at Aang who shrank a bit at the attention, "and if you give him a chance, I'm sure he can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy."
Aang took a small step forward.
"Uh, you could share the guide and travel together?"
The Gan Jin leader did a pose that made it obvious where the Gan Jin guy got it from.
"Absolutely not! We'd rather be taken by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves!" He said.
The Zhang leader fist tightened so her knuckles went white.
"We wouldn't travel with those pompous fools anyway!" She spat.
This started the whole argument again until…
"SHUT IT!"
It was so loud that everyone covered their ears except for one of the oldest Gan Jins who put a hand to her ear and said "What?"
Everyone looked to where the shout came from, namely Hari.
Hari took a couple of deep breaths and shook his hand.
"That's enough." He said more quietly, but you could still hear the underlying annoyance.
"Mr. Earthbender Guide-man, I believe that the Zhangs, would like to go first," this started some commotion in the Gan Jin Tribe, but it was cut off fast as Hari continued, "SINCE, their leader stated that they rather be, how was it? Oh, yes, taken by the Fire Nation than travel with the… the… I wanna say b-"
An elbow in the side and a whisper from Karata made him go "Zhangs, of course, the Zhangs. Well, I guess that's it. Tata!" He finished with a wave.
"Now listen here, young ma-" The leader of the Gan Jin started, but was once again cut off by Hari.
"No you listen here ya daft git! I don't have time to slag off a gormless muppet and honestly I can't be arsed, so don't get bent out of shape that I take your words literally, since you obviously care so little about your tribe you rather have them suffer capture than taking a stroll with someone who hurt your feelings. Jolly good show old chap."
The two tribes stood in silence until Sokka cleared his throat and said "Basically my good friend here said that he finds it a childish argument between adults who both are in no state to stay behind."
"Yeah," Aang chimed in, "So, you'll travel together but walk separately. It's the world's largest canyon, it's not like you're gonna run out of space."
It took a minute or two before the two leaders finally nodded and turned to the guide.
"Okay, now comes the bad news." The guide said to all of them. "No food allowed in the canyon, it attracts dangerous predators."
This made both tribes yell out in protest.
Gan Jin Leader said in a loud voice "No food?! This is ridiculous."
The guide looked square at both the tribes.
"Oh, you babies can go a day without food? Would you rather be hungry? Or dead!
He made a small jump and when he landed an earth pillar raised under him, towering over everyone.
"We're heading down in ten minutes. All food better be in your gut or in the garbage!"
The gang had finished setting up their tent and fireplace and looked amusedly at how different the two tribes were behaving.
The Zhang tribe quickly took out their food and shoved it into their mouths, while the Gan Jin tribe ate slowly with chopsticks, holding plates and sitting on blankets.
"Follow me!" The guide shouted as the two tribes grumbling went after him down a path on the canyon wall.
"Finally! So happy I fixed that." Sokka said as he stretched and sat down by the fire poking at it with a stick.
The others chuckled, knowing Sokka's humor.
"Yeah," Katara hummed, "but I am a bit worried. They seemed like they really didn't like each other. I wonder if it'll be okay."
"Don't worry, Katara." Sokka said in a nonchalant voice as he waved his hand above his head. "I mean, what's the"
A cold chill went down Hari's back.
"worst"
His head snapped up.
"that could"
He took a quick breath to shout at Sokka but no sound came out since a part of him knew he was too late.
"happen?"
The only sound that came from Hari as he breathed out through gritted teeth was "you idiot".
"What did I do?" Sokka asked, feeling offended, but then the screaming and shouting started.
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Aang, Katara and Sokka felt like they knew each other pretty well and since Hari joined they also felt like they knew him too, but once in a while something he would do would surprise them. Quite often it would be funny, like something he would do or words he would use. He would seem laid back but just like with the leader of the Gan Jin, sometimes, something would change him, just like what happened with Haru.
One moment, Hari had called Sokka an idiot and the next moment they heard someone scream and then there was only a dust cloud where Hari once was. It was hanging in the air, bending upward and towards the canyon.
They scurried over to Appa, climbed into his saddle as a huge boom sounded.
Aang took Appas reins and shouted "yip yip" and flew into the canyon.
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When Hari heard the screaming he just reacted.
He had shot up into the air, twisted and steered into The Great Divide towards the commotion.
As he descended he saw a huge thing that looked like a mix between a cockroach and a crocodile, shaking one of the refugees in its jaw.
Hari sped up, stretched his arms in front of him and opened his palms. He made a circular motion with his hand and repeated the action trice before he pulled his arms close, creating a huge bubble of condensed air in front of himself.
As he was near the ground he spun once, kicking the unseen buble into the ground making it explode outwards before landing in the crater left behind.
As he landed close to the creature, the shockwave threw it to the side, also dropping the refugee in its jaw, but unfortunately also most of the other people who had gathered around to try and save their tribe member.
The creature quickly scurried away as Hari climbed out of the crater and what he saw made him smack his hand into his face.
Appa landed next to him and his friends jumped down to join him.
"Is everyone okay?" Sokka shouted.
"A bit worse for wear but otherwise okay." Said the guide who was laying on his back, his hand raised and thumb up."
As the guide slowly got up he saw what made Hari hit himself. All around, where the people were getting up as well was food spread around the canyon floor.
"What in the? You morons! I told you before we went down here! I asked you whether you'd rather be hungry or dead, and I guess this is your choice!"
As the groups started to argue and point fingers at each other Aang had had enough.
"ENOUGH!" He shouted, his tattoos shining and his airbending making the walls of the canyon shake as the sound carried beyond The Great Divide.
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Out at sea an old fisherman was wondering if he should spend a bit more time out there on the open water. He knew it was about time to head home, but out here it was so quiet and peaceful. He guessed it wouldn't hurt anyone if he spent a bit more time here. His daughter and 'future' son-in-law were coming to visit and he didn't really care much for the young man. Young wiseguy thinking he was good enough for his daughter.
"ENOUGH" boomed a voice from above.
That afternoon his family wondered about his change. He had never helped as much or been as polite to his daughter's choice in partner but they decided not to look an ostrich horse in the beak.
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"Your childish fights are putting everyone in danger!" Aang shouted. "I don't understand it! What can possibly be so impor-"
A crunching sound cut him off as people turned and saw the Gan Jin guy they first met trying to take a bite out of a pie. Noticing that everyone is looking at him he tries to hide it behind his back, slowly moving sideways till he's hidden behind a rock.
Aang's tattoos slowly dimmed down to their natural blue.
"Was that an egg custard tart? No, you know what? I'm done. I'm done!" Aang threw his hands in the air and walked towards Appa, who grunted at them.
"Look," Katara said out loud, "Right now it doesn't matter what happened before. You all have a common goal here! I'm not saying forgive and forget, but what good does this fighting do? You nearly got killed! You don't need to be best friends but you need to be able to work together!"
She felt a huge hand on her shoulder and looked to find the guide standing by her side.
"She's right! Either you all leave all the food here, follow me and follow my directions or I will leave you here." He said. "And you better make up your mind quickly. All this food's gonna attract a lot of canyon crawlers!"
And as it sometimes happens, the fear of death can either push people together or tear them apart. The leader of the Zhangs walked up to the leader of the Gan Jin.
"I guess we can try to leave the past behind for now, for the survival of our tribes."
"I agree." The Gan Jin leader answered as they bowed to each other.
"Let's go!" The guide shouted as they started their journey through the canyon and not a moment too soon as the sound of scurrying filled the air.
"Let's get out of there." Sokka said as they ran to Appa.
As they landed and started to prepare the camp for the night Hari leaned back against Appa and looked over at Aang at the fire.
"It's been a while since I saw the glowing. I don't remember seeing it since I met you guys at the Southern Air Temple. Oh, and Aang?"
Aang looked over his shoulder at Hari.
"Think fast!" Hari shouted as something came flying at Aang.
Aang, trying to catch whatever it was, fumbled at nearly dropping it, caught it proper and breathed out. Looking down at the projectile he saw an egg custard tart.
He gave Hari a big watery smile as he slowly started to enjoy his dessert.
Chuckling at the sight, Hari looked at the others as he unfolded a cloth showing some of the food that had been dropped earlier.
"Well, they weren't going to eat it and it was a shame to leave it all behind. Now let's eat before it goes bad."
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"I know we're running out of food and spices, but it's a bit hard to get when we're out of money too." Hari said, shaking an empty coin bag.
They were walking on the pier in a small harbor town.
"Out of food and out of money. Now what are we supposed to do?" Sokka complained, head down and arms swinging from side to side with his steps.
"You could get a job, smart guy." Katara said as she poked him in the ribs with her elbow making him twitch.
As they walked they heard a commotion ahead. An older man and an equally old woman were in a heated discussion.
"We shouldn't go out there! Please, the fish can wait. There's going to be a terrible storm." The old woman pleaded with what seemed like was her husband.
"You're crazy!" He countered, "It's a nice day." He gestured to the sky with both arms. "No clouds, no winds, no nothing. So quit your nagging, woman!"
Aang was starting to look at the sky with worry. He had had problems with sleep lately, nightmares plagued him filled with people he knew and knows, depending on him and Aang failing at being there for them and he woke up at night feeling guilt and shame.
He hadn't told the others, but talks about a storm brought his memory back to the dreams and to when he left everyone and everything behind with Appa. "Maybe we should find some shelter?" He asked.
"Are you kidding?" Sokka asked, "Shelter from what?" As he copied the old fisherman, pointing at the sky with both arms.
"My joints say there's going to be a storm! A bad one." She said.
Our four friends looked at each other and commonly stated "Intuinstinct!" and grinned.
"Well, it's your joints against my brain." The fisherman continued.
"Then I hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish, 'cause I ain't comin'."
"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double what you get!"
Sokka was about to run up and volunteer, but something held him back. Gran Gran used to be able to tell the weather, something about an old back tooth that would hurt if a snowstorm was coming, and after the whole 'intuinstinct' thing he wasn't willing to go for it.
"Hey old guy!" Sokka shouted as he walked up to the old couple. "You should listen to her, you know."
"What? Who are you? Stay out of it boy."
A crack was heard and Katara looked at Hari who was stretching his neck, his shoulders slightly stiff. She remembered something like that happening before. Something about being called 'boy' set Hari off.
"Uhm… It's just…" Sokka started, fumbling with his words, "I walked past someone who was talking about that they had heard from a guy who received a notice that a storm was seen and heading this way." He crossed his fingers behind his back and hoped that the old guy would fall for it.
"And why should I trust you?"
Aang walked up next to Sokka. "I think you should listen. Look at the sky in the horisont. It's getting pretty dark and the clouds are moving fast."
The lady nodded sagely along his words. "The boy with the tattoos has some sense. You should listen to him!"
The fisherman looked more closely at Aang, making Aang smile a bit anxiously and rub the back of his neck.
"Boy with tattoos, huh?" The fisherman said. "Airbender tattoos... Well, I'll be a hog monkey's uncle. You're the Avatar, ain't ya?"
"That's right." Katara said as she stood next to Aang smiling at him, making Aang smile back at her.
"Well, don't be so smiley about it! The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years! You turned your back on the world!" The fisherman said loudly, spitting into the harbor.
"Don't yell at him!" Katara said angrily. "Aang would never turn his back on anyone."
"Oh, he wouldn't, huh? Then I guess I must have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering."
Aang's eyes widened and his face filled with guilt. His dreams came to the forefront of his mind and his shoulders tensed.
"Aang is one of the bravest people I know! He's done nothing but help people and save lives since I met him." Katara countered.
Aang was slowly beginning to back away. He didn't get far when his back hit someone. He slowly looked up and saw Hari, who put a hand on his shoulder.
"Stand behind me and don't go anywhere." Hari told him.
Aang went behind Hari and hid.
"That's right! Hide behind others!" The fisherman shouted at Aang and then he was out like a light.
Everyone blinked. It had happened so fast that they didn't register what had happened until what happened happened as it did.
Hari was standing above the unconscious fisherman rubbing his knuckles.
"Don't worry missus, he wont go fishing today." He said with a smile on his face.
He was suddenly grabbed by the arm by Katara who started to pull him along.
"I'm so sorry about this, I think we better go, have a nice day and I'm so sorry." She said in one breath.
The old lady frowned until she cracked a smile. "It's okay, he needed to cool his head." She said but they were already gone, flying away on Appa.
It didn't take long for them to find a cave on the cliff face above the town.
It started to rain as they entered the cave, the entrance having just enough space for Appa to squeeze inside. Luckily it was very spacious once you got inside.
They started to set up camp immediately since it was starting to get colder, and it didn't take long for them to set everything up and get a fire going where they all sat down.
"I'm sorry." Aang said.
"It's okay." Katara said as she smiled at him. "That fisherman was way out of line."
"Actually, he wasn't." Aang mumbled as he looked into the fire.
"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.
Aang's head dropped to his chest
"I don't want to talk about it."
Aang felt a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay Aang. Whatever it is, we're here for you, okay little brother." Hari said to him as he patted Aang's shoulder. "Talk to us."
The weather took for the worse as the wind gathered in strength and the rain fell like a hammer.
"Well, it's kind of a long story." Aang said as he took a steadying breath and looked into the fire. "I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar. I was playing with some other kids just outside the South Wall. I was trying to teach them how to do the air scooter…"
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"I never saw Gyatso again. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in your arms after you found me in the iceberg." Aang finished his story.
"You ran away." Katara was looking at Aang with sympathy.
"And then the Fire Nation attacked our temple. My people needed me and I wasn't there to help." Aang put his head in his hands.
"You don't know what would have-" Sokka tried but he was interrupted by Aang.
"The world needed me and I wasn't there to help!"
"Aang-" Katara started.
"The fisherman was right! I did turn my back on the world!"
"You're being too hard on yourself, even if you did run away. I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed, you would have been killed along with all the other airbenders."
"You don't know that!" Aang shouted as he stood.
"No we don't Aang, we don't know that." Hari's voice was even and quiet.
Aang looked at him, tears were forming in his eyes.
"But you don't know either what could have happened. You couldn't know. But I'll tell you what. I think you made the right choice."
"What?" Aang looked at Hari like he'd grown a second head.
"You were and you still are a child and children should never fight adult's battles." Hari's voice was filled with conviction as he looked at the fire.
"I'm proud that you ran away. You did the smart thing. Yes, you're the avatar but putting the balance on the shoulders of a child because they didn't want to fight their own battles. You should've been 16 before they told you, so you'd have time to grow, come to terms with some things in the world and experienced childhood. Aang, both our childhoods were taken away from us, you were just smart enough to run."
"But I'm the A-"
"Avatar, yes I know, and I was the bloody Boy-Who-Lived! Both children of prophecy, both being used by the world around us. As I understand the Avatar is meant to keep balance and peace, not to wage war. You're a defender, not an attacker. Yes, we might need to defeat the Fire Nation. Yes, it might bring peace. Yes, you're the Avatar, but first and foremost, you are Aang, you're my little brother."
Aang jumped straight through the fire into Hari's chest and hugged him for dear life.
"But I abandoned everyone." Aang cried.
"No Aang. They abandoned you first. And trust us Aang. We won't."
Katara went over and joined the hug, looking over at Sokka who huffed and mumbled something about how less manly it was, but he joined anyway.
"Thanks guys. I'll try not to dwell on the past. I have you and I'm here now. I'm going to make the most out of it." Aang smiled.
It didn't take long for him to fall asleep. Hari lifted him and glided up and put him softly on Appas tail where he rolled over and slept soundly.
"Hari went back to the fire where the siblings were sitting.
"Boy-Who-Lived?" Sokka asked. "I guess there's a lot more to your story than what we already know."
"And Hari will tell us when he wants to." Katara said, giving her brother a look.
Sokka held up his hands in defense. "Just wondering, sis, just wondering."
It seemed like the worst of the storm had passed but the rain was still falling heavily.
"Actually, I think I might go training." Hari said with a smile.
"What?!" The siblings shouted, but were quickly shushed by Hari, who looked over to see if they woke up Aang. Aang sturred a bit in his sleep but didn't wake up.
"Where are you going in this weather?" Katara asked.
"And why would anyone go out there?" Sokka chimed in.
"I'm wondering about something." Hari shrugged at them, his smile not fading.
"Well, I'm going to sleep." Sokka stretched and walked over to his sleeping bag. "Just thinking about going out there is enough to make me shiver." And he did, his ponytail standing on end.
Hari smiled as he walked over to the entrance to the cave and out ledge. There was enough space to move around and it was flat enough so he wouldn't stumble. The rain was still heavy enough that his clothes got soaked within seconds.
He took off his wrap-shirt and threw it into the cave without looking, nearly hitting Katara who he hadn't seen as she went over to look, safe and dry within the mouth of the cave.
Hari closed his eyes, took a deep breath and pushed palms out and away with his hands he slowly breathed out. Once more, and once more, slowly letting go.
He hadn't been practicing whenever he could, but he had wanted to, to faster and easier connect to the rivers within where Mul was waiting.
"Hi papa!" He heard a hiss from within, "I missed you! Are you ready? Remember, no energy!"
Hari smiled as he absently nodded as we bended his knees, putting one foot forward while staying low and lifted one hand up, palm facing himself and the other laying open and flat as his elbow.
"I'm ready, Mul." He breathed out in a slow hiss and then they moved.
Eyes closed, slow steps and focused movements became more fluid and faster as he moved around the rocky outcrop. Arms going from wide arches to precise strikes in a constant flow, twisting and turning.
"Now slowly, let only a little water run in the river, let a little energy go, like fangs! Don't stretch them out to bite, but feeling them."
Not stopping in his motions Hari slowly let a bit energy lose and suddenly he was struggling to hold back the river of energy within, for a moment losing his posture and missing a step, but quickly getting back on track and into the rhythm. He could feel the difference how power running through his body as his movements now pushed at the raindrops with pulses of air.
If he had been looking he would have been able to see how his strikes began to be visible in the rain, like invisible knives cutting through the falling curtain.
Katara was watching with wide eyes. She'd never seen something like this, but some of the movements reminded her of waterbending, though what Aang and her did seemed like kids learning to walk compared to what Hari was showing, and Aang was supposed to be an airbending master since he had his tattoos.
She stood transfixed as it seemed like some of the rain landed on something around Hari, something invisible that seemed to move with him, mirroring him like a deadly dance. The more Hari seemed to get lost in the movement, the more clear it seemed to become, a being made of air.
As Hari made what looked like a snake strike, she realized what it was. It was a snake made of airbending, twisting, moving, blocking and striking. It wasn't solid as some of the rain seemed to go through it but by now it was obvious what it was.
Hari then jumped high in the air as he slowly spun, the snake spinning protectively around him, floating down and landing in the same position he started.
"That was great papa! We'll make a snake out of you yet! Mama will be so pleased!" Mul hissed happily and he could feel it warm his heart.
"Thank you Mul," Hari hissed softly back, "I'm sorry I haven't taken more time to talk with you."
"It's okay papa, everytime you connect with the river within, you're spending time with me! But it makes me happy when we play together!"
Hari smiled as he let the rain cool him down. It wasn't pouring anymore and it seemed like it would stop soon. He turned towards the cave and went inside to find Katara drying his shirt by the fire.
"Hey Katara, thank you so much! You didn't need to do that for me, but seriously, thanks." He said as he sat down next to the fire.
"No problem, least I can do." Katara mumbled as she dried his shirt not looking at him, making sure he wouldn't be able to see her rosy cheeks. When he felt that she had calmed down a bit, she sat down by the fire pulling her knees to her chest.
"So, how was training?" She asked a bit awkwardly, luckily Hari didn't notice.
"It was good. I think I'm soon getting a small breakthrough."
"Really? What kind of breakthrough?" She looked at him, but seeing him sitting there without a shirt on made her turn her head to look at the fire again.
"You see, I only ever learned airbending from either Minnie or Aang, but I'm trying to… learn? Create? Something different. You remember I told you about Beam?" He asked and Katara nodded, "I've started to think of wind as water and currents like rivers, so I've started incorporating waterbending moves and a bit of-"
"Slytherin?" He heard Katara say, his head snapping around to look at her.
"What?"
"Slithering. You know, like a snake." She said while moving her arms in front of her imitating a snake.
Hari chuckled, but then slowly a smirk formed on his lips.
"Were you watching me, Katara?"
Katara sputtered and sat up straight, obviously trying to come up with something, until she deflated.
"Yes… I was curious, I haven't seen that much of your training or bending yet, but it was so cool, how you bended the wind like," she then made motions and whooshing sounds, reminding Hari that sometimes it was obvious that Katara and Sokka were related, making him chuckle.
Katara stopped, her cheeks becoming red, looking deeply into the fire again, trying to forget the small embarrassment blossoming in her chest.
"I haven't heard or seen anything like it. I don't think any airbenders did something like this." She said.
Hari looked up at the tiny cinders floating up from the fire towards the ceiling of the cave. His bending training and thus his bending was different, because he was learning from river spirits. He felt a nip and a tug at his thoughts, making him smile. Okay, A River Spirit he thought and felt a satisfied hum inside. He shook his head in amusement.
Katara noticed him shaking his head with a smile, misunderstanding the reason.
"Not that I know anything about airbending, but it's so different from what Aang does." She quickly said.
"No, Katara, I think you're right. It is different from what Aang does. I was thinking about giving the style a name, but as you might have noticed, I'm not always the best with names." He said, bumping Katara's shoulder with his fist, making her giggle.
"Maybe you can help me?" He asked.
She smiled and nodded. She thought back on what she had seen, the style, the form, the muscl-movement, yes movement.
"It doesn't have to be tonight, we can think about it." Hari said, but Katara didn't hear it.
As the flames danced before her eyes, flickering in and out she thought, words coming to the forefront of her mind. Fast and poised like a snake hunting for prey, while still light and gentle like a feather in the wind.
She mumbled something, thinking out loud getting Hari's attention.
"What?" Hari asked her.
"Feathered Serpent." She said a bit louder.
For a moment no sound was heard other than the snoring of two boys, a lemur and a skybison, plus the crackling fire. So okay, there were sounds, but the rain had stopped, so that's a sound less than from earlier, but for Katara it might as well have been no sounds at all.
Hari was staring at her and she couldn't look away from those green eyes.
"Katara." He finally said, breaking the moment.
"Yes?" She asked, her voice quiet.
"You're a genius!"