"Okay, do you remember the plan this time?" Ayaan stated, giving the trio a narrow look. His patience for their antics in new places had worn completely thin. The glare in his eyes was scathing as they shrunk in on themselves.

His 'responsible big brother mode' had activated once again, only this time they were in a questionable market trying to refill their supplies. There was no way in hell he was going to let them out of his sight this time. Get in, get what they needed, get out. That was all he wanted to happen.

"Spend our money wisely," Sokka said, each of them holding up the allowances he'd given them, "If it can even be called pocket change..."

"Be grateful I even gave you that." Ayaan wasn't taking any type of lip about the matter. He'd since given them the gifts that he'd bought for them back in Omashu, but their money? Nah. No. He had that on him, their allowance completely cut aside from the necessity.

He had given them a good chunk back in Omashu, and they instead decided to joyride a stolen mail cart through a couple of buildings. So, he thought they must not have actually needed that much money, as they refused to use it properly. Thus, the less it was, and less it will stay until he can actually trust them to not do something stupid.

If they could prove they were responsible enough to handle it, then he'd increase it, but until then? They were going to have to make it work.

End of story.

"Repeat the rules I stated."

"Use the whistle if something goes wrong," Aang said. Then he thought of something, "I can blow it really hard, so you don't need to watch us from so close—"

"The two times I've left you all," Ayaan's eyes narrowed. "we were arrested. Literally, both times."

The three gremlins winced when they realized that, yeah, he was right. First, it was Omashu, and then it was the mining village. He'd left to do other things, and they... did stuff that got them arrested and he was dragged into it.

"I am not an idiot who would make that mistake a third time."

"Yes, sir..."

Ayaan pointedly looked toward Katara this time, "What are the other important rules?"

"...Don't do anything that is 'reckless and problem-inducing'." Katara sighed. He'd repeated the line enough to make her ears bleed.

"Aang, what came after that?"

"Business only, no 'looking for fun'?"

"Why did that sound like a question?"

"No looking for fun." He restated quickly, "Definitely no fun this time."

"And Sokka?" Their eyes met, and the eldest could see the determination to prove his worth in his little brother's eyes.

"Don't let them do recklessly fun, problem-inducing activities. I'll do my best to keep them in check if you need to go somewhere."

"Good. Looking out for each other is a top priority," After a stern look at each of them, who were holding their breath once again, Ayaan finally, finally relaxed a bit. "And the last, most important rule?"

At this one, the trouble trio sighed good-naturedly. Of course, this is Ayaan's most important rule for them. "Be safe."

And just like that, they made their way into the market. Aang had on his conical hat just in case he was recognized for his arrows. It wasn't uncommon for foreigners to traverse through a port town such as this one, as they were seen as neutral grounds for marketplaces.

Ayaan kept his hood up, the white fur laces hiding the odd color of his hair. Katara and Sokka didn't have super distinguishing features, so they went more casual. With the money held by their eldest, they finally made their trek into town

Appa and Momo were chilling in the woods not too far off. The magical bison was too noticeable and this area wasn't safe, so with a bit of convincing, the large companion stayed by their river camp. Momo was a free spirit that came and went if he wanted to. If he did, he'd let them know by perching on Ayaan's shoulders.

Ayaan was planning to get more fruits for them to eat. They deserved treats, very often, and lots of pats and fur care. Since most of that stuff was lost, he planned to replace it all here. He highly doubted he'd find it all, though, and his burns tingled unpleasantly being near the place.

If you could ask Appa, he'd tell you he was living his best life thanks to his second human, Ayaan. Aang was wonderful, believe him, he was. They were brothers in spirit, forever together, a bond no one could break. But Ayaan? Ayaan was special. Appa knew it since the moment they met.

This was a good human.

This was a precious human.

With a small growl from Appa, Momo responded with a warble. He and his tiniest companion shared eye contact for a moment before he flew off to follow them. When he couldn't be there, Momo was there.

He and Momo had an agreement, a mutual thing to protect this human, who seemed to be hurting most nights in his sleep. They weren't sure what was hurting him. But, they could sense it when he'd toss and turn, waking after only a few hours in a cold sweat and holding his mouth in an attempt at silence.

For the most part, he was very silent, but with Momo's ears and his own sensitive hearing, the animals could clearly hear the agonizingly silent wails that would escape him.

It was like he was burning from the inside out before he could realize that he wasn't. Not anymore. And when he did realize it, he would rush off to any source of water to calm down. All of this was without a sound that untrained humans could hear.

After the first time, Appa took the initiative. He would make Ayaan sleep on one of his legs and hold him close. It was something his mama used to do when he was a calf. It was comfortable, and he always slept well like that until he met Aang.

Ayaan didn't complain, in fact, he relished in the feeling of his fur which he'd brushed often. Most nights, this was able to ease his human just the same. Most nights, he would sleep a little longer, a little calmer. His face wouldn't be awash in quiet agony, a dreamless sleep.

Though there were nights when it was really bad, when his form of comfort just wasn't enough to keep the bad away.

All he could do was hold him closer until he eased, which he did with added effort. A rumbling growl, low and soft, would vibrate through him, and the tense Ayaan would relax again. He was pleased when the human would go back to a peaceful rest, and he'd curl up as much as he can around him for security.

What little he could do made him happy, but it didn't take away the worry he held. He didn't want Ayaan to disappear, following the spirits' calls toward the north.

Appa had heard them too, he could always hear them whispering.

They were just as attentive to Ayaan as he was. And it seemed the human could hear them too, as he'd relax in his sleep when the lullaby would sing for him.

It was a song about the moon, the sea, and a son born through their love. A gentle tune on the breeze, filled with longing, warmth, and promises.

When they left on their journey, they asked him to take care of Ayaan until he came home to them. The bison didn't know what that meant, but Appa had planned to do that anyway. In a way, Ayaan was his calf now. He needed to be taken care of.

Appa felt that if he didn't, Ayaan would disappear as everything he knew did. His home wasn't the same, his family was gone, and all that was left of it was Aang, and now, Momo too.

He did not want Ayaan to fade away.

So he'd be there for him every night to help him sleep, and Momo would be with him during the day as support. This was their agreement.

Physically, Ayaan was strong, but mentally, it was like he was a sturdy glass. Sure, It could take some hits, but each time, it breaks a little more, until finally...

No. They wouldn't let it happen. They were going to protect him from that fate they could sense. They couldn't put a name or image to it, but they could feel it every time he gazed at the rivers and oceans with that distant look in his eyes.

They couldn't let Ayaan disappear. They wouldn't, not while they were alive.

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Ayaan welcomed Momo openly, letting him rest in his favorite spot on his shoulder. The lemur purred contently, wrapping his tail around him for security. The young man didn't understand why he felt a bit better, but he wasn't complaining about the comfort.

Hopefully, nothing would happen to destroy this fleeting sense of peace. Right? His irritating scar was wrong, right? He was going to be with them. They wouldn't do something headache-inducing still, right?

Right?

"...Alright. Let's buy what we need first."

"We need rations to last us at least until we get to the next town," Sokka pulled out the map, still marveling at how well-informed it was, "That's a week's travel from here, though there's lots of forest in this area."

"Yes, hunting will be more efficient in these areas. We can add to the rations we can get from here on our way." Ayaan confirmed.

"A change of clothes might be good, too," Katara stated. "Ours are a little... worn out."

She wasn't wrong. Constant training, battling fire nation scrubs, and casual wear and tear by the weather had done a number on their clothing. If not replacements, a way to repair them would be good.

"Is there a place you can sell your wares, Ayaan?" Aang said. He, of course, was appalled by the idea of meat and pelts, but he knew how important money was for their travels. It didn't hurt to have more.

"Most likely," Ayaan, luckily, kept his things on him while they'd trained. A good thing, too, seeing what happened.

After a good two hours or so, they managed to find most of what they were looking for. Ayaan was pleased with the supplies they managed to acquire. This market had a very good variety. They even had a small shop that dealt with training gear and certain weapons.

He'd purchased a decent bow and arrows. While it hadn't been often, he'd been trained on how to use them. He wanted to practice with them since it had been a while.

He was also pleased with how mature his siblings had been, despite everything. They did not wander, plunder, or give in to their troublemaking tendencies with him present.

He'd been able to get everything he needed without worry. They kept close to him and were vigilant. To say he was pleased with their maturity was an understatement.

'Maybe. Just maybe...'

"Alright." He said. "That was the last thing we needed as far as rations and supplies go. You are free to roam the market until sundown to find anything of interest."

This caught the three by surprise. "I thought you were going to watch us?" Aang asked.

"I am." Ayaan didn't elaborate. "I won't dictate what you purchase, though. Do what you want with what you have."

It only took a moment for them to realize what was happening.

Their good behavior for the past few weeks had been seen by Ayaan. Their maturity during his shopping was a test. And this was yet another one. He was silently asking them a very simple question: Can you be trusted with something like this?

It was the first step to earning back their lost points with him.

"Yes!" Sokka fist-bumped the air.

"Alright!" Katara cheered.

"WOOHOO!" Aang might have leaped just a liiiiiittle too high.

"Don't get too excited. You all aren't out of the red yet."

"Urk..." Ouch, blunt delivery by Ayaan, received. They had to be smart about their choices here. If they made a misstep, he was never going to give them leeway again.

It was hard enough earning that back this time, imagine having to do it again. Hell, hell on earth, it would be the end.

So, with a nod, they each went to different stalls they'd seen with their allowance. It was not a big allowance by any means, they were still on tight restraint, but it was something and they weren't going to take it.

Sokka was a weapons enthusiast, he bought a dagger he'd seen that caught his eye. Aang bough a bison whistle, which he was ecstatic about. The others, however, were a bit skeptical since it did not seem to work at all. Though Ayaan said that the sound irritated him a little.

What sound? They didn't hear anything.

And Katara? Well, she didn't find much that she wanted. What she truly wanted... was her necklace back. Of course, there were pretty jewels and trinkets she could have gotten, but none of them felt right in the slightest.

That's when she spotted a suspicious boat. They'd been almost everywhere else, so why not check it out?

Seeing them go in there made Ayaan's scar flare up in irritation. Something wasn't right. Something was up. "Ugh..."

"What's wrong?" Sokka noticed his discomfort immediately. "Are you hurt somewhere?"

"No." He said, his hand ghosting across his cheek, "Just... a feeling."

"Your scar...?" Sokka saw his eyes look away, but he nodded nonetheless. The sight made him a bit joyful, it meant that even reluctantly, Ayaan was trying his best to be more open about what he was feeling. He reached into his pouch and pulled out some salve. "Here, let me."

"It's okay. I'm─"

"Please?"

"Alright..." They found a quiet place where Ayaan could sit, removing his hood. With practiced movements, Sokka applied the cooling solution, the effect instant as Ayaan sighed, relieved of irritation.

"Better?" Sokka knew that, while Ayaan could put it on himself, it wasn't as easy as letting someone else do it for him. As he could see the burn better, he could apply the medicine more accurately. Though with Ayaan's years of practice, he was able to do it efficiently enough on his own.

"Yeah. Thanks." Sokka beamed, happy to have been helpful. Ayaan ruffled his hair as he took note of the setting sun, quickly standing and replacing his hood, "Let's get our siblings. It's time to leave. They went into this boat."

"Okay." Right now, Sokka felt like Super Sokka. Headpats from Ayaan were the best silent praise!

Ayaan felt a little iffy as they made their way toward the boat. They were only gone for a few moments, and his irritation was taken care of by Sokka. But he still felt something extremely off about this place.

This time, he was going to trust it. They were on their way inside...

Only for Katara to storm out of the boat store with a confused Aang in tow. She seemed a little angsty, a little jumpy, and eager to just go.

"Come on, let's get to camp." She hurriedly said, "Nothing else to buy, let's leave."

"What's going on?" Sokka, with his new dagger tucked away, asked, "Why are you being weirder than usual?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She huffed before rolling her eyes, "I'm not. I'm just ready to leave. Couldn't find anything I wanted." She explained.

Ayaan's eyes narrowed.

"Come on, let's get out of he—"

"What are you hiding?" Ayaan interrupted.

"Nothing!" One could see a trickle of sweat roll down her temple, "Let's just—"

"Hey, you! Get back here!" One of the suspicious vendors came out from the boat, positively fuming as he stared down the two who had just exited their shop.

Aang, the ever-optimistic, didn't seem to catch the deadly atmosphere as he greeted him, "Oh? Look who's come to their senses!"

Immediately, the vendors take out their weapons and charge for them, revealing themselves as pirates. Ayaan counters them with his spear, cutting them off as he silently tells the others to leave.

"I don't think these pirates are here to trade with us...!" Katara rasps out, obeying her brother's silent orders.

"You think, huh?" Ayaan drawled, making Sokka look at him. "What an observation."

"I thought I was the sarcasm guy?"

Punching another guy in the face, Ayaan deadpans at him.

"Oh. Yeah. We're related. Got you."

"Ayaan, we need to get out of here!" Katara states, and while his ire with her grows, knowing she did something, he agrees with her.

"Go." He parries another blade and viciously kicks one of the pirates in the face, "I'll meet up with you."

Reluctantly, they listen to his order splitting off as he held the majority of the pirates with his monstrous skills.

What the fuck did Katara do that got them into this mess?

While they had talent as warriors, Ayaan was a beast in his element. All of them seemed to gradually understand that, wisely backing off not to get their ass beat.

All of them but one, who sniff at the air with a sudden, primal delight. "This smell...! I know this smell...You... It's you..."

"What the...?" Ayaan felt on edge by that comment, as well as disgusted.

"Sanho?" Even the pirates were taken aback, never seeing their comrade act like this before.

Meanwhile, the trio takes detours through the busy street, freezing puddles they find on the way to trip up their pursuers. In the flux of people it was hard to catch them, but the pirates knew the routes much better than they did.

"Let's cut them off!" One of them said, making some others split off in a different direction.

Soon, they were indeed cut off in both directions. Normally, others would be panicking, and believe them, they were. But the trio had an accomplished Airbender on their side to get them out, with a seemingly impossible third option.

The air, obviously.

With a smoother take-off than it would have been without Ayaan's rigorous training, the trio escapes the clutches of the pirates, seeing Ayaan in the distance doing the same.

"Oh, one of them gonna-" They got rammed by the blunt edge of Ayaan's spear. Poor mans went flying, skidding across the rocky, dirt road. What's worse? He almost caught himself... Only to slip on ice and end up in a split he clearly wasn't flexible enough for.

"Ow."

"He's gonna feel that in the morning..."

"Look at how far he went," Sokka amends, "He's gonna feel that forever."

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With Ayaan, he was taking a different route, having attracted most of the pirates' attention away from his siblings. Escaping? A simple task for him. As this was a port town, there was plenty of water, and with the storm the place recently must have had, there were puddles.

'Perfect.'

"Argh!" Biting cold halted one of the pirates, and he looked down only to find ice creeping up his ankles. The trap was so cold it felt like fire across his skin, making him halt at both the firmness of the trap and his own agony.

If Ayaan isn't completely incapacitating them with his spear and fists, he was leaving them to suffer his masterful traps of ice.

He was sure that he'd gotten away when he was confronted with one of the few left, and something in him instinctively became alert.

Spear met Scimitar in a vicious clash, one defensive, the other crazed, bloodthirsty.

The pirate, his face wholly covered aside from his murky black eyes, sniffed the air as if something simply wonderful had permeated it. "This scent... the scent of a spirit... Delicious spirit, powerful spirit..."

"What...?" Ayaan's hackles rose significantly more, and something in him seized. In a lapse of judgment, he used as much strength as he could to push the pirate away. Despite that, his assailant expertly landed, but not without Ayaan cutting him.

A piece of his clothing fell away, revealing his forearm to the world.

An angular triskele was tattooed on his skin.

Ayaan was already gone before the pirate could recover, but it didn't matter. He let out a delighted, psychotic laugh at what he'd just discovered. The small injury on his arm, the cut from the spear, healing at a visible rate.

"I found one I found one I found one IfoundoneIfoundoneIfoundone..." He mumbled repeatedly, trembling all over from a rush of something no one could place. On his hidden face was a disgusting smile thankfully no one was able to see. A giddy, crazy laughter that was hoarse and vile ripped from him.

Ayaan, far away from the scene, could still feel the utter discomfort rippling through him. Something foul in the pit of his stomach made him want to vomit and rage all at once. It was a pure, unadulterated disgust that ran through his very blood.

Those eyes... twisted, dark, and wrapped in a pleasure that made him want to retch, they left him feeling something he hated.

Ayaan was shaken. He'd never been this displaced by an enemy's presence before. The wrongness he felt left him feeling physically ill, as if this person shouldn't even exist. He needed to get rid of it, and it was a sin to let exist.

The people that Yon and The Phantom Unit warned him about... one of them was here.

'That man... was one of those Asrani.'

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