Sorry If I kept you guys waiting too long. My time is very limited between college and working door dash almost every day so that I can provide money for my family. Covid isn't going away anytime soon and I gotta keep my priorities straight. Maybe when the semester is over I will be able to post more chapters sooner.
If you guys didn't hear, there is a massive protests by farmers in India because the government passed a bill that would favor corporations. Making the rich richer and poor poorer. As someone that is Punjabi and have had farmers in my family I can't stand seeing such injustice. I want to spread awareness so that is why I'm bring it up. I don't want to ask any of you guys for anything other than support for the farmers fighting for their livelihood.
After a few days of traveling, Aang and the girls finally made it to Ba Sing Se just as the sun was starting to set. The citizens looked up at the sky to see the sky bison roaming over the city and cheered at the Avatar's arrival. They did this every time Aang came back to the city and he still wasn't used to this much praise. It was likely that he never would. Appa landed in front of the Jasmine Dragon tea shop where Iroh stood outside to greet his new guests.
"Welcome back my young friends" Iroh greeted them. The teenagers climbed down from Appa's saddle and greeted him back.
"Hope you got some nice tea ready for us Iroh" Toph said as she hugged him. She had a soft spot for him. Suki and Aang respectfully bowed to him.
"I'll get some tea ready for you kids. For now why don't you all just bring your belongings into your rooms." Iroh insisted.
"How's the tea shop business going Iroh?" Suki asked.
"Oh its going wonderful. So many customers come by to try my tea so I'm kept very busy. Fortunately I will have new employees I've recently hired to help me serve the influx of customers I have" Iroh grinned.
"Thanks for hosting us Iroh. I hope we're not imposing on you" said Aang.
"I'm happy to give my friends a place to stay." Iroh replied as he placed his hand on Aang's shoulder, "I just hope you're good at playing Pai Sho"
"It's been a while since I played but I don't mind taking on the Dragon of the West in a match" Aang smirked.
"I look forward to it" Iroh chuckled.
Aang took took the saddle off Appa, he lead him to the stable to rest while Suki and Toph brought their stuff to their rooms. As Aang came back to the entrance of the tea shop, he heard a familiar squeaky voice call out to him.
"Aang!"
He turned around to see a tan girl with twin pigtails wearing a pink and green kimono. The girl walked up closer to him and Aang instantly recognized her.
"Meng!" He smiled. He gave her a hug, surprising her but she was happy to return the hug.
"It's so good to see you Aang. I was wondering if I would ever see you again" Meng spoke as they broke off their hug. From what Aang could see, Meng had grown but was still shorter than him and still had the same cute smile he remembered.
"I'm glad to see you again. What brings you to Ba Sing Se?"
"Aunt Wu asked me to deliver some herbs to the owner of the Jasmine Dragon Tea shop. She insisted that I do it so that I can travel and see the world outside of my home village." Meng explained.
"Well you're at the right place. My friends and I just arrived and I could go for some tea right now. Want to have a drink with me?"
"Sure!"
The pair walked into the tea shop. Meng gave Iroh the herbs Aunt Wu had asked her to deliver which Iroh was grateful for. He set Aang and Meng at a table near the window, giving them a good view of the Ba Sing Se. Iroh had already taken their orders and went to work on making their teas.
"So other than ending the war, what have you been up to Aang?" Meng asked.
"Well I've been traveling the world with Momo and Appa. I still have my avatar duties to fulfill and now that we live in a world without war, I'm needed now a lot more than I was expecting"
"Guess an Avatar's work is never done" Meng stated
"Yeah but I still make sure to make time to relax and have fun whenever I can" Aang replied.
"I head rumors that you've been traveling alone. Thought you would at least have your friends with you" Meng wondered.
"I…needed some time alone" Aang hesitated. Meng noticed the hesitation. Iroh came back to their table and brought them their tea. They thanked him as he walked off to get orders from customers.
"Did something happen?" Meng asked.
"You can say that I guess…" Aang faltered. He looked out the window as he thought about whether or not he should tell her. Meng studied his face, looking for anything from his expression that could tell her anything and she found something.
"It was because of Katara wasn't it?"
Aang turned his head back to her, surprised at how she was able to deduce it without having said anything to her.
"How did you—"
"When you work as an assistant for a fortune teller, you tend to learn a few things" Meng grinned. She sipped her tea, satisfied that she was able to figure it out. "I guess she didn't return your feelings"
"No she didn't…" Aang replied as he took a sip of his tea. He told her everything that had transpired between him and Katara. Meng hung on every word that he spoke and found herself feelings sorry for Aang. She had already known about his strong feelings for Katara and accepted it after trying a dozen things to get him to notice her. She didn't see what Katara saw in the current fire lord that made her choose him over Aang. Meng had initially felt guilty about calling a Katara a "floozy" when they had left Makapu village, but now she felt that she was correct in saying it. She reached her hand over the table and held Aang's free hand.
"I'm sorry you got your heart broken like that. I can't even begin to imagine how much that must have hurt" she tried to comfort him, squeezing his hand in hers.
"Don't worry. I've gotten better since then so it doesn't hurt so much right now" Aang smiled, squeezing her hand as well.
"You still love her don't you?"
"Yeah…I still do. I thought I was finally able to push my feelings away but when I saw her again back in the fire nation…they just came back" Aang took another sip of his tea, remembering the last time he saw Katara and just how beautiful she was to him.
"So avoiding her for a while only helped a little. Have you ever considered maybe dating other girls?" Meng suggested.
"Dating other girls? I don't know about that." Aang replied.
"Well why not? I'm sure there are plenty of girls that would want to date you."
Aang looked down to the table and saw that Meng was still holding his hand tight in hers.
'Oh no…Don't tell me she still has feelings for me even now. Meng is cute but I still don't see her that way.', Aang pulled his hand back abruptly from Meng, leaving her confused by his action.
"Listen Meng, I think you're great and all but I don't see you that way" Aang spluttered, hoping that he wasn't going to hurt her feelings. Meng took in what he had said and instead of being sad, she laughed. Now it was Aang's turn to be confused. Meng wiped some tears that formed in her eyes from laughing before speaking.
"Don't worry Aang. I've been over you for a while now. In fact I'm actually with someone now" Meng explained.
"Oh really? What's his name?"
"Her name is Siu" Meng answered nervously.
"Oh…Ohhhhhhhh" was all that Aang could say to this new revelation Meng had given him. He was surprised but nonetheless was happy for her. "Well I'm happy to hear that you've found someone"
"You…don't think it's strange that I'm with a girl?" Meng asked nervously.
"Of course not. The air nomads were very accepting of everyone, no matter what their sexual orientation was. As long as you and your partner love each other and are happy together then that's all that should matter." Aang earnestly answered. Meng let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks for saying that. That means a lot to me"
"There is something I would like to know"
"What is it?"
"Does she have big ears?" Aang chuckled.
"Yup! Her hair just covers them pretty well" Meng giggled. The two friends laughed and simultaneously sipped their tea.
"As I was saying before Aang, I'm sure there are plenty of girls that you could date and help you get over Katara" Meng said.
Aang thought back to what June had told him a week after his planned departure from Katara. "There are plenty of other girls out there for you Avatar Aang so I suggest you try not to be too hung up over her". He remembered when he did try to listen to her advice when Kano had kissed him. But even when he kissed her back, Katara still popped up in his mind like a bad memory haunting him.
"Well It's not like I never thought about dating other girls…I just wasn't ready since the last time I tried kissing another girl, I thought of Katara. I wasn't ready to find someone else to be with" Aang said.
"How long ago was that?" Meng wondered.
"Three months after I left my friends." Aang answered as he looked out the window.
"Well maybe you should try it again. You've had plenty of time to yourself anyway so maybe you're ready to put yourself out there" Meng encouraged.
"I don't know Meng…I just don't know if I can just meet anyone that will make me forget about Katara." Aang replied.
"How about a girl you already know? I've heard about your earth bending master, maybe you can try dating her?" Meng suggested. Aang turned away from the window and back to her.
"You mean Toph?"
"Yeah!" Meng grinned.
The idea of dating Toph was an entirely new concept to him but Aang wasn't sure if he could imagine himself with her. He wouldn't deny that he thought Toph was cute although he would never say it to her because he knew she would punch him for saying that. Aang wasn't sure how he would feel dating someone that wasn't very affectionate and openly picked their toes and nose in public. If anything, Toph was like the sister he never had. A very boyish sister, but a sister nonetheless.
"Toph and I are just friends Meng. I don't like her that way and I'm sure she feels the same way about me." Aang replied.
Meanwhile…
Suki and Toph lumped down on to the couch after unpacking their belongings in their individual rooms. The trip had tired them out immensely and the girls were happy to relax. Suki turned to Toph.
"Hey Toph can I ask you something?"
"What's up honey?" Toph answered, picking her nose. Suki looked away, disgusted.
"You think Aang will ever get over Katara?"
"I can't say for sure honestly. Even after being away from her for so long I could tell he was still head over heels in love with her. That's not something that just goes away easily I guess" Toph replied, flicking a booger from her finger. Suki nodded her head in agreement.
"Maybe we should try to convince him to start dating other girls. Maybe he can be with someone that will make him forget about his feelings for Katara"
"Even if we did who even knows if twinkle-toes will find somebody that will make him forget about his feelings for Sugar queen."
"What about you?"
Toph turned her head towards Suki, "What about me?"
Suki looked back at her, "What if you could make him forget about his feelings for Katara?"
"What are you trying to say Suki?" Toph demanded, narrowing her blind eyes.
"Umm…I guess what I'm trying to say or suggest is maybe you and Aang try to be…you know together"
"Like you and Snoozles?" Toph replied with an annoyed tone in her voice.
"Well yeah"
"Just because me and twinkle-toes are the same age doesn't mean that we would be compatible with each other. I'm not looking to be with someone that's more feminine than I am and besides, he's like a sister to me" Toph explained with a matter-of-fact tone. She felt annoyed that Suki would suggest such a thing to her.
"Don't you mean he's like a brother to you?" Suki inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"I said what I said" Toph simply stated and proceeded to pick her nose again.
Back in the tea shop
"If not Toph then are there any other girls that you find attractive?" Meng asked.
"I mean I know girls that are pretty but I never thought of them that way at all" Aang shrugged, thinking of his other friends. Ty Lee and Mai did come to mind.
'Ty Lee is pretty and has a bubbly, energetic personality. She and I could have fun together doing anything but I don't think she'll be available seeing as she's busy with the Kyoshi Warriors. She seems to like guys like Sokka so she probably doesn't see me in a romantic light. Mai is pretty too especially when she smiles. But her attitudes towards most things are usually negative and I can't imagine myself being with someone like that.' Aang weighed his options. Kano was another choice he considered but he wasn't sure if she would have feelings for him as Aang and not the Avatar. Plus he didn't even know when exactly he would see her again.
"Then I guess you'll just have to meet someone new" Meng asserted. Aang was still uncertain about it.
"I don't know Meng. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that" Aang hesitated.
"You have to give it a shot Aang. Avoiding Katara may have helped but you can't avoid her forever and I'm pretty sure that's not what you want to do. You can't stay hung up on a girl that chose the guy that she literally stopped hating after like a day. I'm honestly surprised that you still have feelings for someone that shallow" Meng retaliated.
"Katara isn't shallow!" Aang retorted, his grasp on his tea cup tightening.
"Katara literally chose Zuko after she stopped hating him. The guy who chased you all over the world. She picked him over you Aang. The guy who loves her for who she is and would die for her."
"There was more to why she wanted to be with Zuko. They had things in common with one another" Aang reiterated. He wished Meng wouldn't say such mean things about Katara.
"And you don't? After everything you guys have been through together, she decided that she had feelings for Zuko. I just can't understand why you aren't angry."
"What reason would I have to be angry? She never belonged to me to begin with. I have no right to be angry with her." Aang replied, annoyed with Meng.
"She led you on Aang!" Meng argued.
"No she didn't!" Aang denied.
"Then what do you call all those hugs and kisses she gave you? Whether she meant to or not, Katara was leading you on. You told me that she kissed you back before you and your friends tried to invade the fire nation on the day of the black sun. After all that she just decides that she wants Zuko after just forgiving him for what he had done. She forgot about you after all that and broke your heart. You have a right to be mad!" Meng pounded the table with her fists, nearly spilling her tea cup.
Aang looked away and back out the window. The truth was that a part of him was angry at Katara, but he suppressed those feelings because he didn't believe he had a right to be angry. Katara was her own person and he couldn't force her to be with him. That wasn't how true love worked and he knew it.
"Fine! Maybe I was angry at her but I don't deserve to be. She made her choice and I accepted it. I HAD to accept it" Aang admitted.
"Aang", Meng sighed, "You know Katara better than I do, so I get why you wouldn't want me to say what I've said. But what she did was pretty shallow of her. I'm not saying to stay mad at her your whole life, but just remember that feeling. Remember how you felt when you found out about her and Zuko. You still love her and she doesn't deserve that from you anymore. You need to let go of her."
Aang looked down to his tea cup, still so much of it left to drink.
"Do you really think me dating other girls will actually help me? That I'm even ready to do it?" He asked.
"Yes I do. I believe you should at least give it a shot Aang" Meng answered as she reached out and held Aang's hand. "You're a good guy and you deserve to be with someone that will love you with all of their heart. You'll never know if things will work will work out if you don't try."
Aang looked up to Meng's eyes and saw the concern in them. Meng meant what she said and was only helping him the best way that she could.
'I guess it wouldn't hurt to at least try it. I like meeting new people anyway and maybe I'll find someone new to love.' Aang thought to himself.
He sighed, "I'll do it"
Meng smiled and squeezed his hand, "I just know everything will work out for you in the end"
"Thank you Meng" Aang smiled.
The two friends moved on from the topic of Aang's love life and exchanged stories about what else they had both been up to since the last time they met. An hour passed and it was time for Meng to go back to her room and rest. She was going to go back to her home village and couldn't wait to see Siu again. They both finished their tea and left the Jasmine Dragon. The sky was dark with stars blooming. It looked like Yue was out in full force since the full moon was shining up in the black sky. Meng turned to Aang as they stood outside.
"It was great seeing you again. Try not to get into too much trouble" she teased him and gave him a gentle punch on his arm.
"I'm the Avatar. Trouble finds me wherever I go" Aang chuckled. They wrapped their arms around each other in a tight embrace. Meng rested her chin on his shoulder.
"I hope you find someone that will make you happy. You deserve that much after what you've gone through."
"Thanks. I promise to visit Makapu village when I get a chance. I want to meet the girl that captured your heart." They broke off their hug and grinned at each other.
"I'd like that. See you around Aang"
They bid each other farewell and went their separate ways. Meng to her hotel and Aang to the Iroh's back house where the Toph and Suki were. He walked in on the girls having a snack on the couch. Suki perked up when she saw him.
"You were gone for a while"
"After I took Appa to the stable I ran into an friend from Makapu village" Aang sat down on a chair that was next to the couch and told them about his talk with Meng. The girls both agreed with Meng's sentiments and even told Aang that they would be willing to help with dating. Well Suki said she would help, Toph just agreed to watch Aang mess up and make things awkward.
"Gee thanks Toph" Aang muttered.
"I already taught you how to be head strong with earth bending. I'm sure you can handle talking to some girls, but I'll still laugh at you if you do something stupid" Toph smirked.
"Ignore her Aang. I'm sure you'll do just fine." Suki put her hand on his shoulder, "I'll help you with whatever you need."
"Thank you Suki. I really appreciate it"
Aang wasn't sure what he would be expecting but he was ready for it. Maybe now he could finally get over Katara and find someone new to love. Only time would tell.
Hope you all liked this chapter. As always be sure to leave a review to let me know what you think of the chapter. They keep me motivated to do more writing which I love to do and I hope to give you all even more stories.