Chapter 6
"Aang get up!" The children of the village yelled. Aang groaned and flew his blankets over his head. One of the children shook his shoulder,"But Aang, Master Pakku needed something from you I think." Aang had almost forgotten about Pakku coming back down to the South Pole to marry Katara's grandmother. Or the fact that he had flown across the world the night before."Oh." Aang lifted his head out of bed and rubbed his eye. "Fine." He lifted himself out of bed and started for the new watch tower, where he saw Pakku. The children followed eagerly behind.
"Morning Avatar Aang." Pakku said with out looking at Aang, waterbending small details onto the new watch tower.
"Morning." Aang greeted, then looked up at the tower," Did you build this? It looks incredible." The tower had archs and ridges that decorated up the tower and turned outward at the top.
"Much better than Sokka's." Aang added.
Pakku chuckled,"Yeah, I could tell. A strong supportive tower would of been able to withhold when a child runs into it." He said stepping back, admiring his work.
He whiped his hands,"Now that that's settled." Pakku said, and turned around and lunged a gallon of water at him. Aang quickly blew air out and spun backwards.
"What are you-" He breathed.
"I wanted to see if you have improved since our last visit." Pakku said, spreading ice quickly up to where Aang stood. He melted it with a ball of fire.
"I would like to think so." Aang said, dodging his next attack.
Aang eventually grew tired, and pulled as much earth out of the ground as he could. It was enough to trap Pakku in a pile of rocks. He sighed in relief as the children cheered.
"Good work." Pakku paused,"Except I didn't see any waterbending." He said with a laugh.
Aang let Pakku down, and the two went back to the rest of the village. Katara was talking with her grandmother and father, who had been able to return home now that the war was over. Aang bowed to Hakoda," Hakoda." He greeted respectfully. He looked up to Katara,"Morning Katara."
"Morning." She said smiling brightly.
"Morning Avatar." Hakoda greeted warmingly, and wrapped his arm around Aang's shoulders, which made him lose his balance.
"Morning." Aang said from under him. Katara and her grandmother laughed.
"You two go and get breakfeast, you are probably starved, flying all day." Katara's grandmother shook her head at the thought.
"Alright." Katara said, grabbing Aang's hand and pulling him where she knew the food would be. Aang struggled not to trip as she pulled them towards a small hut with smoke coming out of the top. He could smell bacon frying. Katara pulled them to a stop.
"Oh, my grandmother doesn't know you're a vegetarian." She looked over at him worried.
"Well.. That's okay.. I guess-"
Katara cut him off,"Oh! I remember we have dried sea prunes also!" She smiled and pushed him into the hut.
Aang's stomach churned,"It's okay, I'm not that hungry any way.." He shook the thought of eating dried sea prunes away.
She gave him a weird look,"Okay... But you're missing out." She gave him a smile and picked up a plate.
Aang smiled at her and walked outside and back to his igloo. He sat in the middle of the floor and rubbed his temples. A thought occurred to him, and his eyes widened. Roku,
he thought. He hadn't had a talk with Roku since the war ended. There was no reason to. But, just because he ended a war, doesn't mean the avatar will no longer be of use.
He pressed his fists together, and closed his eyes. Aang balanced all of his energies into one. He had done this many times before, and now had it down to basics.
When his eyes opened again, he was in the sky. He looked down, and noticed he was sitting on a cloud. He remembered jumping into a cloud once, and realizing it was made of water. This means I'm in the spirit world, Aang thought. He looked back up, and saw Roku sitting in front of him, a stern look on his face.
"Roku?" Aang asked.
"Avatar Aang, have you forgotten your duties as avatar?" Roku immediately challenged.
Aang blinked,"What do you-"
"Since the war ended, you haven't given any thought on the state of the world."
Aang stared at him, bewildered. He thought he would congratulate him on ending the war, not give him a lecture. If he would have known he wouldn't of even visited the spirit world.
Roku sighed,''I'm sorry I got so upset with you. But, you haven't given any thought to the future of the next avatars."
Aang was confused. The next avatars? Why would I worry about them? I've already created a care free world for everybody.. Aang tried thinking of reasons Roku would bring the following avatars up.
"You see, Aang. You are the last of your kind. When you die, the next avatar will be a water bender, then earth, then fire, and then, what next?" Roku asked.
"Ai-" Now Aang saw the problem,"Oh." He whispered.
Roku nodded,"Air. But if the air benders are extinct, how will there be an air bending Avatar? And how will the following avatars learn air bending? The cycle is at sake."
Aang was in deep concentration,"What can I do?" He felt helpless.
"You must rebuild what was destroyed, and repopulate the air nomads." Roku explained.
Aang's eyes widened with shock. He couldn't do it. He was much too young. Aang had never even thought twice about fatherhood. He shook his thoughts away. He was the avatar. Whatever he had to do to keep peace, he would do. He swallowed,"How much time do I have?"
"The world is now at peace, so when ever you are ready. But you must not wait too long, Aang. The world will not always be at peace. I have seen visions of the near future, and your strength will once again be tested. The world will always need somebody to rely on, and that is why the avatar must always be reincarnated."
Aang's eyes sprung open, and he sprung up from his sleeping position. He caught his breath, as if he had just had a nightmare. Aang looked out the window, and saw the sun over head. He closed his eyes and lay back down on the floor mat. Then, his eyes opened again, wait, I don't remember going to sleep.. Aang thought it must have been a dream. He chuckled at himself.
"Just a dream. Of course it was." He nuzzled into his pillow and smiled. But the words of Roku swarmed in his head the rest of the day.
OoOoOoOOoOoOOoOooOoOoOooOoOooOoOoOOoOoOooOoOoOOoOoOooOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOOOoOOoOoOoOoOOoOoOoOooOoOOoOoOoOOoOoOooO
"Gooooooooooooooooood mornin'. " Sokka greeted as he hugged Suki from behind.
She giggled,"Morning.. Well, I should say afternoon. Since you slept in so long."
"A man needs his rest." He said, pointing a playful finger at Suki. Sokka reached both his hands into the air to stretch, then they both drooped to his sides.
Suki looked at him,"What's the matter?" She asked.
He sighed,"I miss Hawky."
Suki chuckled," You just can't separate a boy from his messenger hawk." She teased him.
"No, you can't! ... And it's MAN!" He defended sheepishly. Suki giggled again. She prepared two omlettes for Sokka, and one for herself. Sokka automatically began stuffing his face, and Suki stared at him. Sokka began feeling insecure,"What?" He asked, omlette spilling from his mouth.
She smiled,"I really don't know why you appeal to me so much." She teased him while taking a bite.
Sokka rolled his eyes,"Haha." He said sarcastically.
She patted his head and went back to eating. The couple was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"I'll get it." Suki reassured him and lifted herself from the table. Sokka watched curiously.
Suki opened the door and a short messenger revealed himself," A message for Sokka of the Water Tribe and Warrior Suki, from the royal palace." The messenger bowed his head, and handed Suki a scroll.
"Um.. Thanks.." She said, trying to remain friendly and shut the door. Suki began unraveling the scroll, but Sokka snatched it from her.
"Hey!" Suki said putting her hands on her hips.
"The messenger said it was from the royal palace, which means it's from Zuko. Which means, it's for me." Sokka explained, beginning to skim the letter.
"The messenger also said it was for both of us." Suki said trying to grab the letter, but Sokka dodged her easily.
"Ugh. Fine." Suki pouted and folded her arms, pretending to not care about the letter.
"Uh oh." Sokka said, his shoulders slumping.
"What is it?" Suki asked, suddenly interested,"Is it from Zuko?"
Sokka nodded slowly,"Yes." His voice was dull.
"Well, what is it?" Suki asked, starting to get irritated.
Sokka swallowed and met her stare,"Mai's gone missing."