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I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Chapter 2
Since I went to bed earlier than usual yesterday and skipped dinner, I slept longer, so I was well rested, and my mind was calmer. After training together yesterday, I saw that Aang is good enough that he can practically defeat three of his teachers at once. Today I decided to give him a well-deserved day off and not force him to train again.
I dressed up in my Fire Nation costume and walked out of the house onto the porch, where the others were already there. They watched as Aang, under Zuko's command, performed exercises.
"Well, I definitely won't touch him today about sparring," I thought, after which a thought came to me, and I went into the kitchen.
After a while, I also sat on the steps, taking a couple of watermelons with me to make cool drinks.
- Be fiercer! Zuko commanded, crossing his arms. – Imagine that you are striking the enemy's heart!
- I'm trying, Zuko! You're not helping! – Aang exclaimed, turning to the prince.
- Now let me hear you roar! – the firebender continued to command, ignoring the airbender's statement.
- It sounded so-so... I said roar! – Zuko repeated sharply.
I now looked up from the sound to see Aang releasing intense fire from his hands and mouth.
"He's becoming a better firebender every day... Maybe Zuko isn't such a bad teacher after all," I thought to myself.
- Who wants a glass of cool watermelon juice? – I suggested, smiling.
- I, I, I! – Aang exclaimed and was about to run up to me, but he was stopped, so I gave the first drink to Sokka, who was also holding out his hands.
- Hey, your lesson isn't over yet! Come back! - Zuko said.
- Come on, Zuko. Just take a break," Suki intervened.
- Fine. If you want to laze around like a bunch of sloth snails all day, then go ahead, - he gave in, releasing Aang, who immediately ran over to me for a drink.
Sokka said something in response, but I didn't pay attention. Aang and I made eye contact as he took the drink, but quickly looked away. I felt myself blush.
The next thing I knew, I was running towards the water.
The sun was shining brightly, the water glistened under its rays. Using my bend to create waves and an ice board underneath me, I started surfing, occasionally glancing at the shore. After some time, the Avatar also appeared on the beach. He looked in my direction but did not approach. Deciding not to dwell on my sad thoughts, I directed all my energy into my activity.
Suddenly there was an explosion. I raised my head and saw someone fly out from the second floor of the house, where smoke was also coming from. I got out of the water as quickly as possible and ran up to Sokka.
- What's happening? – I asked, worried.
- Zuko has gone crazy! – my brother explained. - I made a sand sculpture of Suki, and he destroyed it!... Oh, and he attacked Aang.
I didn't wait and ran to the building. "You're so dead, Zuko," I thought, angry as I remembered my promise to the firebender at the Western Air Temple.
When I arrived at the place, I expected to see a wounded Aang, but just like yesterday, I only saw a defeated Zuko, who was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree trunk. "I almost forgot how Aang defeated us yesterday," I thought. At this time, the Avatar landed behind me.
- Are you okay? – I asked softly, turning to the airbender, to which he nodded. "Zuko, are you crazy?!" – I now turned to the culprit of all this, placing my hands on my hips.
- You yourself said yesterday that we are at the finish line! That you can't relax now! - Zuko stated as he rose from the ground.
- Yes, and it's true! But you could have hurt him! – I said in response, getting irritated.
- Hurt?! Ozai will not play with him and will not spare his strength to kill Aang! Azula was just an amateur compared to the Fire Lord! Ozai will use the full power of Sozin's Comet to enhance his fire bending! If Aang isn't strong enough, he won't win! – Zuko exclaimed.
"Um, Zuko, we kind of decided that I wouldn't fight Ozai during the Comet. I still need to learn fire bending," Aang said.
- Yes, and despite Aang's, let's say, "victory" yesterday during training, he should also work on bending the earth. No offense," Toph added, to which the airbender nodded.
- We have already lost the Earth Kingdom, that is, we have practically lost the war. What could be worse? – I explained.
"You have no idea," Zuko said, lowering his head.
-What do you mean, Zuko? – Suki asked.
"I'm saying it's much worse," he replied. "After the fall of Ba Sing Se, Azula and I returned home to the Land of Fire. We were greeted like heroes. Fire Lord Ozai made me practically his right hand... So, at one of the military meetings they discussed what to do now that Ba Sing Se had fallen, and how we would use the Comet... It was decided that it was worth starting to burn part of the Earth Kingdom in order to suppress future uprising... Military airships will begin their move near the Wulong forest and will go to Ba Sing Se, destroying everything in their path..."
"More than half the population lives there," Suki gasped, as did I.
- H-how am I supposed to defeat Ozai? – Aang asked, in a dejected voice, kneeling down.
"You're not alone, Aang," I said, sitting down next to him and putting my hand on his shoulder. - We will all help you.
"Sweetness is right, Twinkletoes," agreed the blind girl. - You are not alone.
- We are the Avatar team; we can cope with any task! Sokka announced, hugging Suki with one arm and raising his stick in the other.
"Thanks, guys," Aang said, smiling.
He rose from his knees, and I hugged him tightly, to which he returned. I felt the flexible muscles under his smooth skin, his arms around my waist. Despite the fact that there was a quarrel and misunderstanding between us, it was obvious that there was still a connection between us that was not so easy to destroy (I really hope so (but because of our last interaction in his room, a treacherous thought entered my head, but I suppressed it.) ). Sokka, Suki, and Toph joined us, but Zuko stood off to the side.
- Zuko, don't stand aside! It's a shared hug, - I said, surprising myself.
He grumbled something, but still came up to us. Our animal friends seemed to feel left out too, so Momo also joined in the hug and Appa landed right on top of us, making us all laugh.
When we finally got out from under it, it was decided to arrange a training session where Toph would play "Ozai", and Aang and I would all attack. A high place was chosen, where the Avatar and the earthbender raised boulders that were coated with flammable resin. Aang lit them and then joined us.
Finally, we started. Me and Zuko moved in one group, Sokka and Suki in another, and Aang separately, preparing to strike at the right moment.
- Hey! Watch out, Toph! – I heard my brother shout.
- I'm not Toph, but Melon Lord! Whahahahaha! – the girl exclaimed, now sending burning boulders at us.
Aang saw this as an opportune moment and attacked the Melon Lord by airbending onto the platform. He swung his hand and... lowered his staff?
-What are you doing, Aang? – Sokka shouted. - Strike!
"I won't do this," he said, after which he turned around and left the battlefield, which is why we looked at each other.
Since Aang was gone, we decided that we could rest and have dinner. Sokka cut off the scarecrow's head himself, and Suki was about to go cook dinner, but I stopped her.
"This is the second time in a row that I haven't cooked breakfast in the morning, let me cook dinner," I asked, wanting to do something.
"Don't worry about it, Katara," Suki replied. – You can rest.
"Let me at least help you then," I said, insisting.
"Okay," the warrior Kyoshi conceded. "I propose to do this: I'll cook dinner, and you can cook something for dessert. I think the team and Aang could use this. "
"I agree," I said, after which Suki walked towards the house, and I wondered what to do while the kitchen was busy.
"I could find Aang and talk to him. I can't open my heart to him right now, but I could soften the blow I dealt on the night of the performance..."
- Are you bored, Sweetness? – Toph asked, interrupting my thoughts.
"Um, in a way," I answered. "Do you want something, Toph?"
"We could have a sparring match," the blind girl suggested.
"I'm not sure I'm in the right mood right now, Toph," I said, getting ready to leave.
"For the second day in a row you have made some stupid excuses, Sweetness," the girl noted. - What's happening?
- N-nothing! – I hastily answered, forgetting that Toph is able to distinguish lies.
"You're lying," she said, grinning. - Tell me.
- I-I... Toph, let's do it another time... I need to make you dessert! – I also hastily said, after which I quickly turned around and left the conqueror of the earth.
Deciding to hide from everyone for a while and find some dishes for dessert, I climbed into the attic (it was quite strange that not all the dishes were stored in the kitchen, but some were just lying around upstairs). After rummaging through the mess, I finally found the necessary items, and also came across a picture of Zuko when he was little.
I went downstairs and found everyone sitting in the courtyard with bowls in their hands, but Aang was sitting separately from the others. I ran into the kitchen and put the dishes on the floor so that I could wash them of dirt later.
- Hey! – I attracted the attention of the others. – Look what I found! It's little Zuko! – I smiled, thinking to cheer others up.
"Um... Katara, this is Ozai..." said the firebender.
"Oooooh..." I muttered, lowering my hands.
- Well, we have a picture of a little future monster! – my brother exclaimed.
"But he's still a man..." Aang, who had previously remained silent, spoke up.
- And what do you propose to do with it? Maybe we can show Ozai a picture of him as a child and he will become kind? Zuko asked sarcastically.
- Do you think this will work? - Aang clearly didn't catch the sarcasm.
- No! – Zuko exclaimed.
"Maybe I could glue his hands together so he can't firebend anymore? He would be harmless," the airbender suggested after a while.
To be honest, this was starting to annoy me a little, but I didn't show it.
"This is all pointless, Aang! He will simply be released, and everything will start all over again! He must be killed! " - Zuko stated.
- Come on, Aang! I don't think the Universe will be against this! You are still the Avatar! She will forgive you! – Sokka added.
- You do not understand! – Aang exclaimed, rising from his seat and standing in front of us. - I can't just go around killing people I don't like! That's not what Air Nomads do! - he said, raising his voice.
"You have to kill him, Aang," - Suki intervened. - There is no other way.
- I won't kill him! - Aang shouted. "I won't discuss this anymore unless you can think of another way!" – he shouted, and then ran away from us.
- Aang! Don't walk away from this! – I exclaimed, intending to go after him, but the firebender put his hand on my shoulder, stopping me.
"Give him time," Zuko said, to which I nodded, although I doubted it.
"I'll take a walk," I said, and then headed towards the evening shore.
I went to the water and undressed. The soft and warm sand felt pleasant on my feet, soothing me physically, and the red light of the sunset soothed my soul. Even though I didn't have a good feeling about the Fire Nation, the sunsets here were certainly beautiful. With a slight movement of my wrist, I lifted the sphere of water, after which I began to slowly and easily stretch the water along my body.
I don't know how long I was bending over, but at some point, I heard Sokka's voice: "Katara, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Sokka," I answered without stopping my movements.
"Katara…" he sighed.
"I'm tired, Sokka," I said irritably, turning to him. - What do you want?
"I know what's wrong, Katara," he explained, smiling at me with a knowing smile, ignoring my harshness.
- W-what? What are you talking about? – I tried to pretend not to understand.
- Toph said you've been acting strange these two days. These two days after the performance," he explained, coming up to me and sitting down on the sand next to me. "She doesn't show it, but she's worried, like the rest of us."
- We? – I asked, also sitting down on the sand.
"Yes, we are," Sokka nodded. "We see that you and Aang are a little out of sorts."
- Why do you think Aang is crazy? – I asked.
-Have you seen him at least once in these two days conquer the air just for fun? – he asked, to which I shook my head negatively. - None of us saw it. He's not in the mood after the performance, just like you. I conclude that something happened between you at the performance.
"Wow, Sokka, I didn't think..." I started, but he interrupted me.
- I'm speaking now, Katara. Just listen, okay?
Part of me wanted to lash out at him for bossing me around, but I suppressed that part. I didn't want to spoil my relationship with my brother either, despite the fact that he is sometimes annoying.
"I'm listening, Sokka," I agreed, after which he continued.
- Thank you. So, something happened between you two... I don't know what it was, but I guess it's none of my business, right? – he asked, smiling sadly, but continuing to look at the setting sun.
I was again surprised in this short period of time that Sokka was so, so... a big brother this evening.
"I'm not sure I can tell you this, I'm sorry," I answered, looking down at my hands, which were squeezing and unclenching the sand.
"It's okay, Katara, I understand..." he said softly. "All I want to tell you is don't waste the time you have..."
"I don't understand, Sokka," I said, looking at my brother.
"I mean, life doesn't last forever, Katara. You can make plans for the future without paying enough attention to the present. Nobody knows what could happen tomorrow... Tomorrow, perhaps, your loved one will die, and you never told him those cherished words..."
Finally, I understood what Sokka was talking about. He indirectly touched on the topic of himself and Yue. After all, she died shortly after we met...
"Sokka..." I whispered softly, touching his hand.
"Don't waste your time, Katara... Otherwise, you will regret this for the rest of your life..." he said, clearly holding back tears.
Seeing this, I myself felt my eyes filling with tears, and I hugged my brother tightly, to which he responded.
"Thank you... thank you for opening my eyes, Sokka," I whispered to him, shedding a few tears.
"I'm here for you, little sister...I'm here for you..." he whispered back, stroking my back.
After a while we pulled away.
"I'm sorry for Yue, Sokka..." I said, smiling sadly. "But don't let that stop you from being with Suki, she's great."
"I know, sis, I know," he smiled back, after which he stood up and helped me get up too. "Okay, I think you should go and rest."
"Yes, perhaps," I agreed, picking up my clothes. - Thank you…
"You're welcome, Katara," he replied, and then began to walk away. - Good night.
"Good night, Sokka," I said.
I stood there for a while looking at the ocean, after which I turned around and walked towards the house.
"Tomorrow I will fix everything, Aang, I promise..." I thought as I fell asleep in my bed.
Thanks for your reviews!
KatAangLover: I agree with you on this, I also think Aang acts too perfect sometimes. Yes, he is the Avatar and was raised by monks, but he is still a person who has his own thoughts and feelings. Yes, they will forgive each other, because I love KataAng =).
Thank you for writing about reading comfort.
Thank you, I will try not to disappoint you.