A/N: Okay, so this is now officially a collaboration of effort between myself and the previously mentioned Cat-Stat-Ave of . Over the course of the past day, she gave me a few photos and I chose one, unfortunately I can't post the link or even the photo from photobucket... can't have everything I suppose. =(
Chapter 2
Speak To Me
With the island now in sight, Aang pulled Appa's reins slightly to the left, this turn Appa knew well at this point in the flight back home, Appa licked his lips as he spotted the the numerous trees, especially grown for the sky bison as a treat. To us they'd taste too sweet to eat, like dipping your tongue in sugar. But to a sky bison, because of their large mouths, the taste dissipates to a very subtle sweetness akin to cherries. The monks had nicknamed them honey fruit for this very reason.
Appa got more excited as they got closer, and sped up a little as they began to descend. Aang wasn't worried however, Appa was always very cautious of his riders, especially his life long companion, for Appa his hunger always came second next to Aang. He'd never let anything happen to him.
Just ten feet before touching down Aang jumped off and glided back to the ground without any effort "Go for it buddy." He told Appa with a laugh know full well what was coming next, Appa flapped his tail one single time hit the ground running to the neatly rowed trees. His large form quaking the ground slightly as Aang just calmly walked over to where Appa was now almost frantic with anticipation, the tree littered with the fruit he'd longed for minutes ago, now just seconds away. The fruits were the same shape, and about half the size of a watermelon, with the dull and washed out green color of a honeydew melon.
Aang threw one underhand towards Appa, who instinctively caught it in his mouth. Aang could see Appa's eyes close as he began to munch on what must have been the best tasting thing ever. Beyond their abilities as airbenders, sky bison have a unique outlook of staying in the moment, enjoying every little experience to it's fullest potential. Airbenders needed this for focus, not thinking about anything but what was in front of them. They had to, their entire methodology of combat revolved around being five steps ahead of your opponent. It's about being where your opponent is about to be every time he turns to face you. Aang mused.
Aang, tired from the day's events decided to just drop right where he stood and lay on the grass. He breathed a sigh and smiled as he forgot his current predicament and imagined what the clouds looked like. A gopher-rabbit was situated to the left; a wolf-bat was chasing it, and a platypus-bear to the right of them. Deciding he'd rest his eyes, he closed them with great relief.
After about a minute he decided to head into the house. Before he did so, Appa walked over to Aang and licked his face in thanks for the melon. "You want another one Appa?" Aang asked rubbing the bison's forehead. Usually Appa only got one melon at the end of each day, so when he heard the airbender's words he roared with approval. "Thought so, but I need a favor." Aang told the sky-bison in a whisper as he picked the ripe fruit off the tree. "Don't tell Katara I have this?" He quickly showed Appa the inside of his right arm, which had bruises all the way up stopping just below the elbow. "Okay?" Appa nodded with a quiet and short growl, signaling he understood.
Suddenly hands cupped his eyes, and he froze in surprise. Knowing full well that it was his wife standing behind him, the smell of her hair catching his nose as it dangled partially over his face. Nothing's wrong Aang, remember that. He told himself.
"Hey sweetie." Aang said smiling, Katara giggled behind him. Wrapping her arms now fully around his torso she hugged him from behind. "How'd the trial go?" Aang turned to face Katara, who aged beautifully, her hair had lightened somewhat from being in the sunlight for so many years, instead of a dark brown, it was now a fair hazelnut color with no white strands as of yet. With all the responsibilities a full time herb and plant nursery and healing position, with patient in different states of mend she had little to no time to visit either the northern or southern water tribes.
She still looked young for 42 however, the few lines in her face she did have were shallow and added character, she had changed her outfit to reflect her water tribe heritage and pay respects to the air nomads, her new garb had the same design as her thin warm weather dress, she wore under her parka, except it was the bright yellow the air nomad monks wore and had long flowing sleeves, and orange at the seam. She had also had no need of the dark blue tights and instead opted to have loose fitting cord woven cloth pants in orange made. The final touch to her new outfit was the sandalwood medallions attached to either end of her hair loopies. Each alternated between carrying the symbol for air and water; symbolizing her union to the man she loved.
"Where's Tenzin?" Aang asked curiously looking around for any sign of their now 12-year-old son.
"With Aunt Suki." Katara beamed with excitement. "So we have the whole house to ourselves for the entire night." She kissed his temple and as he got off the grass and brushed himself off. He now felt guilty, but he stuck to his promises as always. He simply didn't know how to tell her he'd broken his, strangely he knew it wasn't his fault but he couldn't help feeling the way he did. "So I was thinking." The waterbender began seductively. "We could have dinner, go for a swim in the baths." She told him, trailing a finger over the back of his neck.
Aang had as of a few months ago, at the behest of Katara, bended out a large portion earth and turned the thirty-two foot diameter crater into a sauna, which was heated perpetually by a large crack where heat regularly escaped for the earth's center, which conveniently was the result of Aang creating Air Temple Island in the first place. The end result was an outdoor heated bath, the perimeter of which was created from innumerable pillars of earth interconnecting. They were still rough and jutted up towards the sky in a non-uniform pattern, almost how the tide comes onto a beach unevenly when sliding along the sand. And the structure was just deep enough for someone of Aang or Katara's age to stand, which worked wonderfully when they played waterball tag.
Or in the case of Aang, who needed to train regularly to keep in shape and not be atrophied by age, one could swim laps from one end to the other. Aang would regularly choose to meditate underwater, as it eased the transfer between this world and the spirit world.
Aang reluctantly declined as he told her he needed to send word to Toph by messenger hawk to see if she needed anything during her time in RPD's triage unit after the trial, as they had no time for pleasantries when recapturing Yakone. "I'll be ten minutes at the most, go get changed, I'll be in to help with dinner." Katara walked away with a smile, slightly disappointed but thankfully not suspicious.
Aang waited ten minutes then when he was sure his wife was out of earshot he opened his glider and flew to the east wing of the mansion. Making tiny aircushions under his feet to make his landing totally silent.
Luckily one of Zuko's last teachings to the avatar was the blue spirit's unnatural infiltration and stealth techniques along with a few misdirection tactics. It was during this teaching with Aang and noticing how amazingly efficient Zuko's own techniques were when augmented with airbending.
When he arrived at the back entrance of the east wing, he stood for a moment and remembered Zuko's primary teaching to apply to every technique. Move as though you do not move, as if your surroundings move around you but you stay still. Aang took in three short breaths as he closed his eyes he remembered his teacher's words, then focused on his task. Suddenly, from this seemingly peaceful position, his mind moved in slow motion.
Quickly, Aang gently blew open the latch on the shutters that led into the Healer's Sanctum. He flew through the window headfirst and blew a short puff of air to slow his decent to the floor, he twirled in mid air to slow himself even further landing perfectly on one palm with his legs spread for balance, he stayed this way for a couple seconds and listened. When he was sure Katara had heard nothing, Aang kicked his feet to one side and stood up straight feet together. From here he crouched and walked so his feet didn't have so far to travel to the floor when taking a step.
Finding the Jin Bei root he needed for the worst of the bruising that had now spread from his arm to his shoulder and to the nape of his neck.
Suddenly he heard a noise at the door, a scratching like… claws! Oh no. Momo this is not a good time. Aang thought suddenly, Katara had closed the door to the Sanctum, which also happened to be where Momo spent most of his time sleeping as he enjoyed the smell of the various species of moss and tree bark that permeated the room. "Momo? Did I shut the door again on you? I'm sorry, let me dry my hands and I'll get that for you." Aang had mere seconds to exit the room; there wasn't enough time to go out the way he came in, no chance.
His eyes began searching the room for a possible solution. Then he found it, His personal patient exam table, the cloth had fallen off to one side and the underneath was a storage bin for towels and blankets and the like. Quickly diving underneath and curling so his body was hidden by the lopsided linen sheet, He waited as the doorknob turned, and the door swung open gently and Momo wobbled in on four legs, the years had turned his hedonistic attitude about snacks tragically against him, Momo now had baby fat in his cheeks and while his legs were somewhat muscular his belly looked like had been digesting a grapefruit for the last twenty eight years.
He could still fly, but just barely a couple feet off the ground and only for seconds at a time. The lemur scurried into the room and instantly Aang regretted choosing this spot for hiding. There was Momo staring in confusion at his human companion laid motionless in the place where the lemur usually slept. "What's wrong Momo, is something there?" Katara cooed at the lemur.
Katara turned and tapped her foot in irritation. "Aang didn't remake the exam table before we left yesterday "Avatar or not, that man is still as stubborn as Toph about the weirdest things." Katara began to walk toward the table. Aang held his breathe, and thought of nothing else but not making any noise. That was before he realized something was pulling at him near his waist… Momo was pulling at Aang's robe.
A/N: I'll update as soon as I can, as I go back to work on sunday. But I'll try and get the next chapter done when I'm able.
