Chapter 3: Interrogated by the Water Tribe

AN: Look at that! A somewhat consistent upload! I'm hoping to get better at writing with this story, but still don't think the writing is too good. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this third installment :)

Chapter Reviews:

Chapter 1 Reviews:

aliyaallen3635- I'm so happy to hear that you are enjoying this story! The Kataang arc with this story is going to be extremely unique and have it's ups and downs, but I think it will be a great adventure :)

HiddenTreasure13- Yes! I think the mature themes will be fun to add a little bit of "twist" to the show. Something that a kids show can't really touch on! Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

michaela.s14- Glad to hear that you're curious about this! Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

wormylol2- Thank you for the encouragement! Glad you find this concept cool! Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

JDisk98- My man! Thanks for the review! Definitely was a heartwrenching beginning, but Aang's backstory is very much that way! Thanks for the review and reading :)

Chapter 2 Responses:

aliyaallen3635- Thank you for such a kind response. It was extremely heartwarming and touching, and made me feel so good when you said you enjoyed my writing. As for the story, there's lots of adventures ahead for those two! I'm trying to write Sokka in a similar style to the show but add my own small twist on the character in this version, hope you enjoy it!


The walk from Aang's igloo to the community hall was by far the most uncomfortable thing he'd ever experienced. An awkward tension hung thick between Katara and the warrior beside her. Moments ago, Katara had been offering him comfort, gazing into his eyes, telling him she would always be there for him. It had been the first spark of hope Aang had felt since arriving in the South Pole. Now, she wouldn't even meet his gaze. Her head remained low, eyes fixed on the ground as she nervously clutched her arm.

The warrior, whose name Aang had already forgotten despite Katara shouting it just moments earlier, was even more perplexing. Marching ahead with rigid determination, he alternated between glaring at both of them. Aang couldn't fathom why this guy was so angry with him, though he didn't care much either way. He was too numb to care. For all he knew, they could be walking him to a death sentence, and it wouldn't stir any emotion in him.

As they reached the entrance to the community hall, Katara and the warrior stopped in front of each other, exchanging a silent look. With a reluctant nod from the warrior, Katara walked inside. The moment she disappeared, the warrior turned on Aang, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him against the wall.

Aang's eyes widened in shock, his heart racing as he tried to wriggle free. "Hey, what's your problem?" he exclaimed, his voice sharp with frustration. He was exhausted—mentally, emotionally, and physically. He just wanted to be left alone.

The warrior glared at him, his face inches from Aang's, seething. "Keep your eyes off her. I don't want any funny business between you two."

Aang blinked, then almost smirked as realization dawned on him. This guy must be Katara's jealous boyfriend. "Don't worry," Aang replied flatly, rolling his eyes. "I have no interest in your girlfriend."

What he didn't expect was the warrior's disgusted reaction. "GIRLFRIEND?" he yelled, letting go of Aang and stumbling back, pretending to gag. "She's not my girlfriend! That's my sister!"

For the first time since the comet, Aang stifled a laugh. The warrior's ridiculous reaction provided a fleeting moment of relief from the weight of everything. But as quickly as the laugh came, it vanished, and Aang straightened up. "Oh... sorry about that. You were just really defensive, that's all." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "You have my word, I won't mess with your sister, uh…"

The warrior crossed his arms, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Sokka," he muttered irritably. "My name's Sokka."

"Right. Sokka." Aang winced slightly at how awkward things had become, both of them now just staring at each other in silence. "I'm supposed to be speaking with your father, right?" he finally asked, hoping to end the uncomfortable exchange.

Sokka glared at him for another moment before letting out a sigh and gesturing toward the door. "Yeah. Go on in."

As Aang stepped inside, he was immediately overwhelmed by the vastness of the room. A large table dominated the center, surrounded by twelve chairs. Men of the Southern Water Tribe, dressed in traditional gear, filled the seats, their eyes locking onto Aang the moment he entered. He shifted uncomfortably under their intense gazes. Scanning the room, he spotted Katara sitting alone in a corner, the only girl present. Sokka took the last empty seat at the table, joining the other men.

A deep, commanding voice from the head of the table pulled Aang's attention. "You must be Aang," the voice boomed.

Aang followed the voice to its source and saw a man whose attire clearly marked him as someone of authority. This must be the Chieftain—Katara and Sokka's father. Taking a cue from Gyatso's teachings, Aang respectfully bowed in the Air Nomad style. "Yes, sir. I'm Aang. It's an honor to meet all of you."

The Chieftain gestured to an empty seat next to Aang. "Please, sit. We look forward to hearing from you." As Aang sat down, the Chieftain continued, "I'm Hakoda, Chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe. I believe you've already met my son and daughter, Sokka and Katara."

Aang nodded. "Yes, sir. It was a pleasure meeting both of them." A brief silence fell over the room, prompting Aang to fill it. "Katara, especially... she took great care of me. I never got the chance to properly thank her." He glanced toward the corner where Katara sat. Though her head was still down, Aang thought he saw her let out a small gasp and maybe even the hint of a smile.

Chief Hakoda's smile was filled with pride. "Yes, my daughter is one of our Tribe's greatest treasures. She's the finest waterbender the North or South has ever seen, and she's also an exceptional healer." Aang quickly noticed that while the Chieftain spoke with pride, many of the other men at the table exchanged uncomfortable glances, some even showing clear signs of disdain.

Hakoda turned his attention back to Aang. "Now, Aang," he continued, "the reason we've called you here is because we have some concerns." Aang furrowed his brow, unsure of what the Chieftain meant. "You made quite an impression when you arrived here, and my daughter informed me that you've been repeating the same claims you made that night."

Aang's gaze drifted toward Katara, who sat in the corner, eyes downcast in shame. A wave of betrayal hit him. He had trusted her, shared the truth about his people, and now she had told everyone? His cheeks flushed with anger and hurt, and he stared at the ground, fighting back the tears. He knew what they were going to ask him, and he wasn't ready. For a brief moment, he considered bolting for the door, which no one was guarding.

"Aang, are you alright?" Hakoda's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Uh, yeah. I guess so," Aang stammered, nervously scratching the back of his neck, desperately searching for a way out of the situation.

Hakoda's expression softened with concern, though a hint of skepticism lingered. "I'm sorry to be so direct, Aang, but we need answers. When you arrived, you said they were all gone. Who exactly are 'they'?"

Aang's throat tightened, the horrific memories of the Great Comet flooding back: the sight of Monk Pasang and Monk Tashi, Gyatso, and the devastation of the Southern Air Temple. He could feel every eye in the room on him, the weight of their stares unbearable. His voice barely above a whisper, Aang finally spoke. "My people."

One of the men seated near Aang slammed his fist on the table, irritation flashing across his face. "Speak up, boy! We can't hear you!" he barked, turning to Hakoda. "Chieftain, I told you this boy is wasting our time. We should—"

"Silence, Ronar." Hakoda raised his hand, cutting off the man's complaint. "Let the boy finish. He deserves our respect. Now, Aang, who are these people you speak of?"

Aang's gaze flickered to the door once more, his every instinct screaming at him to run. But where would he even go? Desperate for the sense of home he no longer had, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and forced the words out. "The Air Nomads from the Southern Air Temple. The monks."

The room fell into tense silence.

Hakoda's voice broke the quiet, calm but probing. "When you say they're gone, Aang… what exactly do you mean?"

Aang's hands trembled as he forced the painful truth out. "They were murdered, sir."

Ronar scoffed, throwing his hands up in disbelief. "This is nonsense! Who would attack the Air Nomads? And what, you're saying the entire temple was wiped out?" His tone was dripping with doubt, and Aang felt his anger rising.

"How dare you dismiss my story like it's some joke!" Aang shot to his feet, his voice shaking with fury as he got in Ronar's face. But the older man remained unfazed, sneering back.

"Tell me, boy. If what you're saying is true, who did it? The Air Nomads are the most powerful benders. No one could take them down," Ronar scoffed, crossing his arms.

"The Fire Nation!" Aang snapped, his voice growing louder with each word. "They attacked us during the Great Comet and killed everyone!"

Another man across the table snorted, amused. "The Fire Nation? Please. We just met with Fire Lord Sozin not too long ago. He's far too old to start a war now."

Ronar jumped back in, his voice dripping with disdain. "See? I told you. The boy's full of tall tales. Probably just some prank the monks put him up to, hoping for attention."

Aang's fists clenched, the pain of his loss now blending with a searing rage. They were mocking his people, laughing at the deaths of his family. "Don't you ever talk about my people like that again," he growled, his eyes blazing with fury.

"ENOUGH!" Hakoda's voice thundered through the room, silencing the argument instantly. Aang, Ronar, and the others turned toward the Chieftain, falling quiet under his commanding presence. "Aang, sit down. There are more questions that need answering." Hakoda's voice was now cold and authoritative. Reluctantly, Aang sat back down, fuming.

Hakoda's tone softened again, though it was clear this conversation was far from over. "Now, Aang, if your story is true—if the Fire Nation attacked the Southern Air Temple and killed your people—how is it that you survived?"

Aang's stomach twisted into knots. He couldn't tell them the truth. He wasn't ready to admit it, not even to himself. He searched for the only answer that wasn't a lie. "My mentor, Gyatso… he sacrificed himself so I could escape." The words caught in his throat, each one harder to say than the last.

"I see," Hakoda murmured, his voice now tinged with a hint of understanding. The room grew even quieter, every man seated around the table processing the weight of Aang's story. If this boy was telling the truth, then the implications were staggering. War could be on the horizon.

Hakoda leaned forward, locking eyes with the young airbender. "One final question, Aang." Aang braced himself, praying for this interrogation to end. "Why would your mentor sacrifice himself for you? What made you more important than anyone else at the temple?"

Aang's heart sank, his palms growing sweaty as he realized he had been backed into a corner. What if he told them the truth? Maybe, just maybe, they'd believe him. And if they did, maybe they could help. He took a deep breath, his mind racing, and decided to take the leap.

Gathering every ounce of courage he had, Aang revealed his secret.

"Because I'm the Avatar."


There was a brief, heavy silence after Aang's declaration. Katara sat frozen, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. The boy she had tended to for the last two nights—the Avatar? He had to be joking, right? She'd thought his story was far-fetched at first, but as he shared more details, she'd begun to believe him. Unfortunately, no one else in the room seemed to.

The silence shattered when her father erupted in a deep belly laugh, quickly joined by the rest of the men. Some slapped the table, others bent over, howling at Aang's claim. Katara's heart sank as she saw Aang's face redden with humiliation. Without a word, he stood up and hurried out of the room.

Katara shot to her feet, rushing after him. She knew it was against Water Tribe custom to leave before the Chieftain dismissed a meeting, but she didn't care. All she could think about was Aang. "Katara, wait!" her father called, but she barely hesitated, bursting through the door of the community hall.

Once outside, she frantically searched for him. It took her a moment, but then she spotted Aang attempting to climb a glacier in the distance. "Aang, wait!" she called, sprinting toward him. He didn't respond, clearly struggling with his injuries from the Comet as he tried to pull himself up the icy slope.

Katara caught up and grabbed his robes, yanking him back down. With a final pull, she brought them both crashing to the ground. Breathing hard, she reached out, expecting a hug might help calm him. But Aang pushed her away.

His eyes were red and swollen, his face a mix of anger and pain. "What's wrong with you?" he snapped.

"Me?!" Katara shot back, crossing her arms defensively. "I didn't do anything!"

"I trusted you!" Aang's voice cracked with emotion. "I told you in confidence, thinking you'd keep it to yourself. But no, the whole Tribe has to know! Now they think I'm some liar, making up stories about my people being murdered!" His voice rose as he shouted the last words, fury and despair lacing his tone.

Katara recoiled, her heart breaking as she watched him fight to keep his composure. She stepped closer, her voice soft. "I believe you, Aang. I'm sorry about the others."

For a brief moment, the fire in his eyes dimmed. But just as quickly, he shook his head, sniffling. "Why did you tell them, Katara? I thought I finally had a friend, and you went and betrayed me."

Katara knelt beside him, grabbing his wrist to stop him from pulling away. "Aang, I had to. I believe you, but this isn't just about the Southern Air Temple. If what you're saying is true, this could be the start of a war. The Tribe needed to know. It's too big to keep secret."

Aang stared at her, his eyes still raw with hurt. "I'm sorry," he whispered, voice barely audible. "I'm sorry for getting mad. I just… I don't know who to trust anymore."

"Aang," Katara said gently, allowing for Aang to calm himself slightly. "I told you before, I'm here for you. That doesn't change because you're the Avatar. It doesn't matter what the others think, or how foolish they're being."

A flicker of hope crossed Aang's face. "You believe I'm the Avatar?"

Before Katara could answer, a voice interrupted them. "THERE THEY ARE!" It was her father, and she turned to see him approaching with Sokka and Ronar in tow. She cursed under her breath, stepping protectively in front of Aang.

"Katara," her father began, his tone stern, "you need to let him go. We've decided—Aang has to leave. He's causing too much unrest."

Katara's temper flared. She had held her tongue during the meeting, but this? This was her father. "Are you serious, Dad? Can't any of you think for a second that he might be telling the truth? You're all so focused on yourselves that you can't see the danger we might be in. What if we're next?"

Her father opened his mouth but then closed it, sighing deeply. "Katara, we can't have him spreading panic. He has no proof. He needs to go home."

Aang's voice cut through the tension. "You want proof? Come with me. See the Southern Air Temple for yourselves."

Hakoda just chuckled, shaking his head. "It's time for you to head home, son. This prank has gone on long enough."

"I BELIEVE HIM!" Katara's voice rang out, and all eyes turned to her. She swallowed her fear and stepped forward. "I believe him," she repeated firmly. She placed a hand on Aang's arm. "If you need to go back, I'll go with you. You won't face that alone."

"No way!" Sokka protested immediately. "There's no way I'm letting you go off with that freak."

"Well, I'm going, Sokka. Deal with it."

"CHILDREN!" Hakoda's voice boomed, silencing their bickering. After a long pause, he turned to Ronar. "My daughter's not letting this go. If it'll put this to rest, we'll go see the Southern Air Temple."

"Chief, you can't be serious!" Ronar objected, stomping his foot in frustration. "You're going to let them drag you into their nonsense?"

Hakoda shrugged. "We leave tomorrow."

Aang looked from Hakoda to Katara, still stunned by what had just transpired. He nodded quietly. "We leave in the morning."

As he headed back to his igloo, the reality of what he had just committed to sank in. Going back to the temple—the thought alone made him feel sick. Now, he would have to face it head on. What had he just agreed to?