"Hey, bro."
"Hey."
When the Avatar team woke up early to continue their journey, they were surprised by a group of traveling musicians. Naruto found them friendly and fun.
"They seem nice. You look like a wild one," one of the women in the group said as she touched his cheeks and placed a flower necklace around his neck.
"How gross," the Kyubi grumbled internally, wishing he could reduce these weird people, who sang annoying songs about love and peace, to ashes. Those were things he couldn't stand.
"Hey! They're cool," Naruto said. It was the first time he had met such nice and kind people, even if they were a bit strange.
"They'll call you 'Ray of Sunshine'," he added, a bit awkward about the nickname.
He was a shinobi, after all. Who would call a shinobi a 'Ray of Sunshine'?
"Little Ray of Sunshine, the kid who warms us up with his presence," they sang.
"That doesn't even rhyme," Sokka complained, close to losing his patience as the group's leader started strumming his guitar.
"Guys, we need to get going," Sokka said, picking up his bag, ready to leave. But his sister and the monk were captivated by these peaceful musicians.
"Don't fall in love. It'll break your heart."
"Stop singing!"
"Don't worry, buddy, you'll get gray hair," Choung grinned as he and his wife, Lily, strummed their instruments. Sokka scowled, tempted to use his Boomerang.
"We gotta go North to the Pole, and since Katara's busy," Sokka motioned toward his sister, who was having her hair fixed by Lily, he felt he had to be the sensible one. "We should head out now."
"If you're too focused on the destination, you miss the journey," the relaxed hippie guy replied, casually strumming his guitar.
"Sokka's got a point," Naruto chimed in. While he wouldn't mind hanging with these hippies longer, they had to keep moving. "We still gotta cross those Four Claw Mountains to reach the sea. Travelling non-stop for two days is a long haul."
"Shhh, my son, that might not be the best idea," Choung said, scratching his chin. "On the other side of those mountains, there are lots of ships guarding the coast to stop anyone from leaving the continent. But I can give you a tip."
"Nah, we're good," Sokka said, picking up his sister and Aang and hoisting them onto Appa. He signaled Naruto to take the reins. They had the Avatar and a sorcerer; they could handle anything.
~26 minutes later~
"Alright, spill the advice," Sokka, Naruto, Aang, and Katara returned to the river where the hippies were still chilling. Three of them shot stern looks at the older brother.
"Advice?"
"The shortcut!"
"Oh, sure, brother!" Choung stood up with his group, ready to jam. "Many years ago, before-"
"No songs! Just tell us," Sokka's outburst earned him a smack on the back of the head from Katara. Rubbing his head, he sighed under his sister's disapproving stare. "Please."
"Less fun, but okay," Choung shrugged and began strumming his instrument. "There's a passage between the mountains, built long ago by two earthbenders. They were lovers, torn apart by the conflict between their people. It's called the Lovers' Cave."
Sokka and Naruto exchanged a puzzled look at the name.
"Well, we don't have much choice," Sokka conceded, shrugging. Naruto nodded, letting Sokka have the last word. Their course of action was clear.
They trudged through the forest for a while until they reached the renowned cave. The inscription at the entrance, which read 'Those who pass will die,' wasn't very encouraging.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, they say if you go in and get lost, you'll never find your way out," the hippie leader added, leaving the teenagers frustrated.
"Labyrinths aren't my thing," Naruto admitted hesitantly. If he could get lost in his own village, navigating an underground labyrinth seemed daunting.
"Don't worry, little ray of sunshine. Legend says those who believe in love can get out easily." Several eyebrows rose at this unusual requirement for escaping the labyrinth.
"Love?" Naruto glanced at his friends, scratching his head. Love was a big word. "Well, it's hard to say 'I love you' to someone. But, I do care about you guys, even if you're a bit strange."
"Strange?" Offended Sokka pointed at the shinobi, "Says someone with whisker marks on his face and golden hair, look in the dwarf mirror."
"Who are you calling a weird-looking dwarf?!"
"What did you say?!"
"This isn't exactly a love test," Katara remarked, crossing her arms as she watched the two boys wrestle. Naruto had almost twisted Sokka's arms in odd ways.
"Love?" Aang clutched his staff, a twinkle in his eyes as he glanced at Katara. She was the first friend he'd made after emerging from the ice, a sweet, cool, and charming girl. Looking at the cave, he made up his mind. "We can do this."
"Hey?" Naruto released his grip on Sokka's neck, who gasped for breath in relief. He couldn't help but feel Katara's gaze on him, evading his eyes. It was strange. Did he do something wrong?
[ If you want to read advance Chapters then go visit My PAT -REON and support me there.
PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]