Chapter one: Decision
Sokka looked up at the stars. It seems that in the weeks passed since Suki left him for Haru, all that Sokka did was looked at the stars. Of course, he could not blame her. Haru was a bender and he felt about as useful as an artic sloth. He could not bend and while he was decent with a sword, he was still outclassed by the magnificent grace that Suki used to her martial art. That was not even the worst of it. His girlfriend left him and now he was al alone. Aang had Katara and Toph had Zuko (although Toph and Zuko's relationship was completely plutonic) they all had someone, except for him.
Sokka sat quietly with his feet hanging over the ledge of the cliff pondering the reason for his recent abandonment. After several weeks he think he finally knew the answer. "I acted like a child," Sokka thought, "it is no wnder why she left me, I would have done the same. For years all I did was prance about saying how I was a man but yet I seemed to have missed a few lessons along the way. Even the gang treats me as a child. Its always 'poor Sokka are you alright' and having to be rescued by a thirteen year old boy. I cannot do anything for myself. I deserve to be alone."
Sokka continued to sit there in the lonely blackness of self misery until the first few rays of warm sun crept the way in over the horizon. Sokka chuckled silently to himself, "To think there was a time when I thought I would not be ok staying up al night without sleep and now I do it almost nightly."
"Are you alright?" asked his sister as she slowly walked towards him as if afraid he might send flames out from his glare," You stayed up all night again didn't you. You know you cannot go on doing this every night, it is not healthy."
"I am fine Katara," Sokka replied.
"No, you are not," Katara snapped, "I know you are upset that Suki has left you but things like that just happen. If she could not stick with you while you help Aang th…then she is not the right person for you."
"Stop Katara, stop before you embarrass youself." Sokka regretted it just as the words left his mouth." Sorry, I did not mean that to come out the way it did. But, you and I both know that is not the reason why she left and I cannot blame her for her decision. It was the right one."
"Sokka," Katara said as she watched watched her brother walk back to his tent. She could not help but to feel sorry for him. There was no girl back at the Southern Water Tribe waiting for him because there was no one even remotely his age, his first girlfriend (who he loved very much) turned into the moon, and now this thing with Suki. Sokka seems doomed to only know heartbreak."No," she thought, "there is someone for everyone, he just has not found the right girl." As she watched Sokka duck into his tent, she finally found the courage to follow him.
When Katara reached the camp, everyone seemed to stir to life at the same moment. Soon the camp was cleaned up and packed and they were once again on Appa'a back. Sokka just spent most of his time sitting on the far edge of the saddle away from everyone else. Sokka's eyes stared off into the blue sky and white clouds. Surprisingly, this seemed to be the only thing that calmed his aching heart anymore.
"It's time to talk Snoozles," Toph said blatently, "I know you liked Suki and all but it time you stopped acting like a whimp."
"Toph!" exclaimed Katara.
"Quiet Katara," cam a man's voice from here right. Katara turned to look at Zuko. "Toph has a point. Granted," he held up his hand to stop her from replying," I cannot say I know what Sokka is feeling but the only way to get over his pain is to let it go. I am frankly starting to believe he is just acting childish right now having dragged this out for too long. Like a kid crying to get what he wants."
"Childish….." murmured Sokka.
"Maybe you could find a hobby or something to get your mind off things and stop this charade," Toph said.
"Come on guys leave Sokka alone," Aang replied, " He has to work this out on his own in his own time."
"Thank you Aang," said Katara as if that settled the matter.
"All I am saying is Sokka's mooping around maybe bad for moral in the long run," Toph retorted.
"Katara it is ok," Sokka spoke for the first time in this argument, "Toph and Zuko are right. It is time something is done. I will see what I can do."
"That is all that I ask," Toph said seeming satisfied.
The gang flew for a few more hours until they came to a small island still belonging to the fire nation. Aang had Appa land next to a small grove of trees that were filled with plum apples. Overall the view they had was majestic. Pink, blue, and orange flowers filled the meadow. A small creek flowed nearby in its struggle to fill a small pond with water that was located just few hundred feet from where they landed. A small outcropping of rocks would prove to be useful for firebending and overall everyone in the gang flet a sense of peace….except for Sokka. To Sokka it was just another place in the world where he could not find peace. They gang does not even want me around anymore" thought Sokka as he jumped down from Appa.
The gang began to set up camp beneath the beautiful trees. Sokka set his a little deeper in the grove away from everybody. This has been Sokka's rutean as of late. He felt that he did not want to make the rest of the gang suffer in his misery so nobody questioned this action. Soon camp was set up and Aang was off training with Katara in the small pond. Sokka started to gather food for the evening feeling that this was the only useful job that he would be able to. He gathered nuts and fruit while Zuko was off fishing in the creek. It was not long until darkness had fallen and dinner was cooking over the fire.
Sokka watched as merriment seemed to overwhelm the camp. Laughter was abundant, smiles were on everyone's faces. Sokka did not know what the gang was talking about. He was just looking at everyone and in turn reminded himself of what they could do. Aang, easy enough, he was the avatar, he could control all for elements. Zuko had his jerkbending, Katara had here waterbending, and Toph had her earthbending. What could he do? What could he possibly contribute to this little gang of theirs? Zuko was here now so they did not need him to read a map or go hunting? Those were about the only things he was good at. Granted, he was a better than average swordsman but even that skill did not even come close to the abilities of the benders. Zuko and Toph were right. His presence only brought the gang down, in a fight he was someone who they would have to worry about, someone else to take care of.
So why did he come on this mission? At first it was because he felt guilty. He banished Aang from the southern water tribe without knowing who he really was. Even after that, Aang still came back and surrendered himself to Zuko to save his village. Back then Aang needed him, Katara needed him. Back when it was just the three of them off to save the world. Back then he had a small part in this adventure but now he felt more like someone watching from a distance but still being able to get hurt. Was he suicidal? No, but then why was he still here? Sokka could not answer that question. But he finaly knew what he needed to do to answer that question.
Sokka's mind started to drift back to to conversation when he heard Katara talking.
"The best part was," Katara chuckled, "he tried to get the first fishhook out with a second fishhook."
The mood around the campfire erupted in laughter. "Hey," Sokka said defensively, "at the time it seemed like a perfectly viable solution to the problem." This just made everyone laugh even harder.
"I see someone feels better," Katara stated in between giggles.
"Yeah, I have finally decided that I cannot mope around here forever"
"Good Sokka I am soo proud of you."
"Um…thanks Katara."
" So what are you gonna do Snoozles?" Toph asked.
"I haven't decided what to do," Sokka lied,"I just said I don't need to mope around here anymore."
"Well I guess that is a start but is just seems to half way, it does not make sense."
"Don't listen to her Sokka," Katara snapped, "you just take your time they cannot ask anymore from you."
"Okay, I think I am just gonna go to sleep."
"Goodnight Sokka," everybody said.
"Night."
All Sokka could think of on his way back to the tent was about his sister. I hope she will not hate me. He thought just before he entered the tent. Sokka did not go to sleep but sat cross legged on the mat waiting for everyone to go to sleep.