A/N: It's back. Sorry about the wait.
Chapter 5
Katara wakes to the sound of crunching leaves. She yawns and stretches, feeling for Aang's body, but doesn't feel anything. She frowns, then discards the concern. Probably out meditating, she bitterly thinks to herself.
The thought barely slips through her mind before it can be, ironically, confirmed. Kento steps towards Katara with Aang hanging on his shoulders, and Kim carrying a basket of fresh fruits. Aang's tattoos are glowing, but his body is motionless. Flashes of the blizzard and an evil Zuko carrying Aang across it go through Katara's mind, but she suppresses them.
"What happened to Aang?" Katara asks, controlling the motherly concern in her voice. Kento breaks into a forced smile.
"Oh, he meditated into the spirit world," Kento says, "We're just here protecting his body."
"We brought you breakfast fruits!" Kim says, lightly swinging the basket. Katara's eyes never leave Kento.
"You aren't supposed to move him when he's in the spirit world," Katara explains, trying to be tolerant of his ignorance. Kento's lips point sheepishly. He shrugs his shoulders in the most genuinely aapologetic way he can.
"Oh, heh, sorry," he says, then gently lowers Aang onto the ground, before grinning widely again. Katara blinks irritatedly.
"Why is he even in the spirit world?" She asks, some of the frustration spilling out.
"Well..." Kento and Kim look at each other for a second, then Kim finishes for him:
"Long story. But, long story short, Ken's dad is kind of in the spirit world right now, and Aang volunteered to get him back in exchange for life bending lessons." Kim almost smiles, but remembers to include a final detail: "He went to find Koh, because-"
"Koh?" Katara breaks.
"Because a man who was in the spirit world once told us to look for Koh to ever see his dad's face again." Kim finishes defiantly, before dimming the surrounding light to ease the tension. Katara closes her eyes and tries to control her breathing. Kim and Kento look to each other, hoping they hadn't done some irreversible moral wrong to Katara without knowing it. Katara suddenly breaks into tears, collapsing at Aang's unconscious body. Kim goes to comfort her, but Katara snaps to her feet with a menacing glare.
"Do you know who Koh is?" Katara advances towards them, her voice the slightest bit condescending. "The face-stealer? He steals faces. He probably stole your dad's, Kento. And now Aang might get his stolen." Kento freezes with shock, the palm trees standing suddenly still against the warm breezes. Kim shakes her head in disbelief. "I mean, Aang's survived Koh once, but just one emotional reaction could be the end of him." Katara looks to Kim. "Didn't you guys know that?" Kim shakes her head harder, unable to say anything. Kento blinks and tries to speak,
"Is there any chance my dad could've made it? Or that they'll both make it out?" Katara frowns.
"Sure, there's a chance, but..." She sits down, as does Kento, and they stare at Aang.
"We can't know for sure until he comes back."