SMST: The Ethereal Path of the Avatar!
Disclaimer: "SM", "R1/2", "ST" and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special note: The change in title reflects the essential nature of the story. "Ether" is the so-called "fifth element", and stands for "balance" amongst the elements earth, wind, fire and water (which is consistent with Eastern and Western mysticism, though under different names and importance). As the Avatar, Aang, the last "Air-Bender", represents that fifth element. Thus, the so-called "ethereal path" is the journey that our heroes are on, thus the need to change the name. Furthermore, the notion will serve as a key aspect of the eventual "Fifth Element" (and related ideas) tie-in at the end of this story as well.
Part 5
"There it is," Aang says, as he points the gleaming towers that sat on top of the mountain. "That's the Southern Air Temple."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sokka says dismissively, as he concentrated on raising a piece of fruit with his mind. He was just glad that Usagi's "Soul Touch" technique—the primer that allows a person access to his or her personal chakra network—didn't make him go crazy…like Ranma said it might do.
"Feel this apple with your mind, Sokka," Usagi says gently. "Let nature flow through you, and into the object of your desire…"
As part of the curriculum that the Saotomes have developed, Ranma will work on the material arts with the boy from the Southern Water Tribe, while Usagi worked on the immaterial arts.
"You're NOT going to do it, Sokka," Katara says, as she dryly. "You're not a bender…of any kind."
"Aw, quiet, Katara!" Sokka yelled. "If Usagi and Ranma says I have potential to learn this…Force, that I'm going to at least try. Can't a big brother get ANY sort of support from his little sister?"
"Well, we did say that it wouldn't be easy," Ranma says, as he leans back on the large saddle that was strapped onto Appa's back. "Heck, it took even ME a while to learn the mental stuff."
"But we also said that it can be done," Usagi says, as she demonstrated her point by raising her own piece of fruit. "It'll take some time."
"So, Aang, what are we going to do at your place?" Goku asked.
"Oh, there's lots of stuff to do," Aang says enthusiastically. "Maybe we can meet Monk Gyatso."
"Who?" Katara asked.
"He was my personal teacher at the temple," Aang says wistfully. "You guys will like him."
"Do you think he and the other monks will be willing to trade techniques?" Ranma asked.
"Well, I don't know, but I'm sure Monk Gyatso will not mind."
"So, will you be able to learn 'air-bending'?" Katara asked.
"It's possible," Ranma says. "Whenever you and Katara 'bend', I notice a spike in your respective chakra networks. If I can understand THAT…I think I can come up with a technique that could work."
"What's a 'chakra network'?"
"A chakra network are eight points of the human body that regulates the body's energy," Sokka says.
Katara looks at her brother as if he grew another head.
"…"
"What? Usagi's been teaching me this stuff, so that I can learn to do this," Sokka says, as he grunted. Slowly, the piece of fruit rose one inch off his palm.
"See? I'm doing it!"
"Wow, a whole INCH," Katara says.
"Ha! Hater."
Goku looked at the temple.
"Aang, I don't see anyone," Goku says, as he peers at the temple with his hand.
Aang squints his eyes.
"Um, maybe the monks are in meditation," Aang says. "Or they could on a pilgrimage."
"Either way, we'll learn what's going on," Ranma says, as he stretched his limbs.
Usagi says nothing, as she stares at the edifice that was the Southern Air Temple. She being more sensitive than her husband Ranma about matters of life, detected something amiss…
"This is it, guys," Aang says, as he hops off of Appa.
"Wow, this place is quiet," Goku says.
"Do they have anything to eat around here?" Sokka asked. "I'm starving."
"Sokka, you just ate a few hours ago," Katara says.
"Well, learning this stuff is makes me hungry."
"Let's just find Monk Gyatso first, and then we can eat," Ranma says. He then turns to his wife. "How are our supplies?"
"Well, considering the fact that we were only planning a day's trip back to Earth, I say we have…a day's supply," Usagi says.
"Great…"
"So does that mean we'll starve?"
"No, it doesn't. And still have more studying to do. So go over THERE."
"Hhhh!" Sokka says, as he sits next to Appa on a bench.
"Moorf!" Appa says.
"You and me both, Appa!"
The rest of the gang searched the immediate grounds, and found nothing. And then, they see a large door.
"Ranma, look how pretty this design is," Usagi says, as she felt the elaborate piping. "Hey, Ranma, doesn't this like organ piping?"
"Yeah, it does," says Ranma. He then turns to Aang.
"Hey, this has to be some sort of elaborate locking mechanism, huh?"
"Yes," Aang says. "You have to be an air-bender to open it up."
Goku raps the door with his extension staff.
BANG! BANG!
"So, are we going to go in?"
"Let it to me," Aang says, as he performs the appropriate bending.
FWOOOSH!
As Ranma examines the action, the sustained burst of air triggers the locking mechanism.
CLACK!
"There," Aang says, as he stops his actions.
Goku taps the door, causing the door to slam inward.
BOOM!
Aang jumped back in surprise. The doors were made from heavy oak that would require more than one person to open it.
"Wow," Katara says.
"S-sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Aang says. "We better see what is going on…"
Meanwhile, Sokka is practicing floating fruit off his palms.
"Why is it that I have to do THIS, while the others have an adventure or something-?"
SNATCH!
Suddenly, some small, furry "thing" snatches the fruit.
"Hey!" Sokka says, as he spots…a flying lemur. It chirped as it ate the fruit.
"Alright!" Sokka says, as he took out his club. "MEAT!"
Sensing doom, the lemur flew into the now opened temple…
"Wow," Katara says, as she sees hundreds of stone statues in place. "Who were they?"
"They're my previous incarnations," Aang says. He then spots one particular statue. This one had long hair, a mustache-less beard and a topknot with an ornament in place.
"This one looks like one of those firebenders," Ranma says.
"This is…Avatar Roku," Aang says.
"How do you know?" Goku asked.
"I…I just do," Aang says.
"Where is that thing?" says a familiar voice.
Ranma turns towards Sokka.
"What are you doing here?" Ranma asked.
"Getting something to eat- THERE it is!"
Everyone turns to see a flying lemur skulking about, before heading back out to avoid the company of people.
"Come back here!" Sokka yelled. "You're my dinner-"
GRAB!
"Let's not embarrass ourselves further, okay?" Ranma says.
"That's…that's a lemur!" Aang says, as he ran outside after the creature.
"Wait up!" Katara says.
"Me, too!" Goku says, as his new friend.
Meanwhile, Usagi looks at the Roku statue. She then touches it…
FLASH!
All at once, images began to pour into her mind…ending with the man behind the statue saying one word:
"Azula…"
FLASH!
"Whoa," Usagi says, as she staggers backwards.
"Usagi, are you okay?" Ranma says, as he holds up his wife for support.
"I…I guess so," Usagi says. "I…I touched this Roku statue, and a bunch of images flowed into my head. It'll take me days, if not weeks, to sort the images out."
Ranma looks at the Roku statue.
"Anything else?"
"I-"
Suddenly, Ranma and Usagi's respective senses seem to explode, as the eyes of every statue light up.
"Pops! Ma-!"
"Goku!" Usagi says with concern.
Ranma nods his head, and, with Usagi in tow, heads to the source of the disturbance.
Tbc.