Aang
I had been flying for two days, only stopping for Appa to rest. I wanted to get to the air temples as fast as possible. I needed to start rebuilding them . Right now that was my distraction. And I really needed a distraction.
„Okay buddy, are you ready to take off again?" I semi asked Appa while petting his head. He growled and lowered his head. I knew he was tired. I should let him rest for a few more hours. In that way he will have more energy to fly to the air temples and we would get there faster without making too many stops.
We were still in the earth kingdom, but on an island. It looked similar to Kyoshi Island. I started walking towards the town. Momo landed on my shoulder.
„Want to come with me, Momo?" I jokingly said and he did his little growl.
As I got closer I noticed how small the town was. I mean I had seen many towns, but this one was tiny. Maybe it just felt small because I was coming from Ba Sing Se. I shrugged and got closer. There were some people but not nearly as much as in the other towns I was in. I spotted a merchant selling some food. My stomach started to ache. I hadn't had a hot meal since Ba Sing Se.
„Excuse me, do you have some vegetarian meals." I asked the merchant as I approached.
„I have lettuce if you want it. Everything else has fish." She was an old lady with dusty clothes.
„Nevermind then." I sighed and wanted to walk away.
„Come on. If you want to grow strong, you need meat. No women wants skin and bones." She said as her voice grew agitated.
„I think I'll be fine. Thanks though." I didn't want to think about women right now.
„You youngsters always have your own opinion on everything. Would it kill you to follow the advise of your elders?" She was starting to get on my nerves.
„I'm vegetarian because of my culture, not because I'm an angsty teen who wants to rebell." I darted my eyes towards her.
„Oh your culture. Everyone respects their culture now. Just eat some meat damn it." She slapped a fish on the counter. I stepped back.
„Leave him alone, Aunt Lau-Dee. Don't force the poor boy to eat your food." This girl came out of nowhere to my defence.
She looked to be around my age and had long dark hair with dark eyes.
„Uh thanks." I Said as we began walking away. She walked along side me.
„Don't worry about it. She is just sensitive when people don't like her food. She takes it personally." I smiled at her.
„Is she really your aunt?" I asked her.
„Yeah, my oldest one. This island is inhabited by my family. Every person you see here is related." She smiled as she looked up at me.
„Oh wow. I thought this island looked kind of small. There aren't many houses and even less people from what I saw." I said looking around the town.
„Yeah. The island used to be filled with people but most of them grew tired of it and left. My family held off and we are the last ones standing." She joked.
„That seems so cool. Everyone here is your family. If you need anything, your family is right here to help you." I may have sounded a bit too excited.
„I guess it does at first. It gets boring after a while. I mean imagine it, You don't meet new people, there is practically no one your age, everyone here knows you. There is no privacy. I have never been outside the island." She bit her lip and sighed.
„You've been here your whole life?" I asked rasing my eyebrows.
„Yep. You're the first boy my age, I've seen in a while. Apart from the boys who do the food deliveries, there really isn't anyone I get to meet. Someone I'm not related to, I mean ." She smiled again.
„Well then, it's nice to meet you." I stretched out my hand for her to shake.
„My name is Aang." She laughed and shook my hand.
„I'm Jaitti." I smiled as we continued walking. I didn't know where we were going, but I had a feeling I could trust her. Eventually we reached a small house. We stopped at the entrance.
„If you wanted, you could have dinner with us. And don't worry, I will tell my mom to make you something vegetarian." She giggled. I laughed too.
„Oh it's okay Jaitti. I don't want to be a bother." She raised an eyebrow and walked up to me.
„Oh stop. After how mean Aunt Lau-Dee was to you, ,my family has to make it up to you, young traveler." I clenched my stomach and looked up. I was starving. Company wouldn't hurt, I guess.
I nooded after which he she pulled me in the house. It was a little messy but warm. It actually felt nice to have a little mess. It felt lived in and loved.
„Mom, we have a guest." Jaitti shouted towards a woman standing in the kitchen. She wiped her hands on a towel and walked over to us.
„Oh hello, I didn't know we would have a guest today." I smiled shyly.
„It was rather sudden. Aunt Lau-Dee was being mean to him because he's a vegetarian and didn't want to eat her awful fish sandwich." She walked me over to a seating area. Her mom laughed.
„I don't blame you. Not one creature on this island would willingly eat that sandwich." She walked over to us and gave us some hot tea.
„Thank you ma'am." I said as I slightly bowed my head. She laughed.
„I don't remember when I was called ma'am the last time. Just call me Sheela." She made her way back into the kitchen.
„So if no one comes to this village, how are there still kids around? I mean, how are there still families?" I started drinking my tea.
„Well I'm the youngest one actually. I mean technically my cousin is but her father was an outsider. My fathers sister went to Ba Sing Se some years ago and met a man. When she came back her belly was already round. She gave birth a few months later. She doesn't speak of the father. No one knows who it is. But other than that, you're looking at the youngest person, originally from this island." She took a sip from her tea too.
„Wow." I wanted to say more but I didn't have the words. I didn't really need to because at that moment the door opened. A man walked in and Jaitti rushed over to hug him.
„Dad! You're back." She said as they let go. He looked over in my direction and then again at Jaitti.
„Oh right. This is Aang. I met him today . He's having dinner with us." She looked at her father waiting for a reaction.
„Well then. I thought it would be a while before you brought boys home but I guess it's alright now." She blushed and looked at him.
„No dad, it's not like that. Aunt Lau-Dee was mean it him, So I invited him to dinner as an apology." her dad shrugged and walked towards the kitchen.
„You came just in time. Dinners ready!" Her dad kissed her cheek and they started placing the platesof food on the table. I started helping. We all set down and began eating. I had rice with vegetables.
„So Aang, you look a little young to be traveling alone." I stopped eating as her father asked me that question.
„Well, I was with a group not too long ago but something happened. I needed some time alone." Her mom looked up.
„What about your parents? I could never leave Jaitti alone too long and to travel alone so far." She sounded like Katara, always worried about others. So motherly.
„My parents are gone. They've been gone for a long time. I've learned to take care of myself. I can survive on my own. I don't need anyone." I bowed my head and continued eating my food.
„I'm so sorry." Said Jaitti looking in my direction and placing her hand on my shoulder. It felt so familiar, too familiar.
„It's okay." I replied and quickly fished my food. I helped with the dishes and thanked them for their hospitality. The sun was starting to set. I headed outside.
„Wait." I heard a voice behind me. I looked behind my shoulder and saw Jaitti running towards me. She was out of breath as she reached me.
„Look, my mom shouldn't have asked such private questions, I'm sorry." I wasn't mad at her mom. It was the curiosity of a mother. I smiled at her.
„It's okay Jaitti. I know she didn't mean to upset me. I'm glad I could enjoys a meal with you. You should be happy to have such a family." I began walking away. She took my arm.
„Wait. Where will you go? It's getting late , stay the night." I looked at her and sighed.
„Jaitti, I can't. You have been so kind to me but now I really need to leave. I can't stay any longer." She bit her lip and frowned.
„Then let me at least walk with you until you leave." I smiled and nodded. We began walking towards the edge of the village where I hid Appa.
„Aang, can I ask you something?" I turned my attention towards her and nodded.
„Why do you wear that hat?" It was funny how she was worried to ask me but the question on itself was funny too.
„I'm trying to hide something. It shows who I really am. I don't want it to cause prejudice. Many people treat me differently when they see it." We had almost reached Appa at that point. Momo was probably there too. He didn't last long in the village with me.
„Oh." Jaitti said.
„Will I ever see you again Aang?" I turned around to face her. I didn't think I would.
„I don't think so ,Jaitti" He expression saddend,
I turned around and was about to start walking towards Apppa's hideout but I felt my hand being pulled suddenly. I quickly turned around and before I could react, Jaitti kissed me.
For a moment, I kissed her back. Then as quickly as it started , I ended it. I pulled back and looked at her. She was looking at me with these big eyes.
„I can't." I said closing my eyes and turning around.
„Oh, I'm sorry. Is there someone?" She asked getting closer.
„No, but there was. It's still recent." I said looking down in shame.
„I'm sorry Aang." Her voice sounded genuinely sad. I turned around. I began taking of my hat. I revealed my arrows to her. She audibly gasped at the sight of them.
„You're the Avatar ,aren't you?" I nodded .
„Ugh, I'm such an idiot." I felt bad that she said that.
„No, you couldn't have known." I said approaching her. She slouched her shoulders.
„I know. There are probably hundreds of girls after you. I'm a nobody." She sighed.
„No, you are somebody. You're kind and smart. There is a whole world out there waiting to be explored by you." I put my hand on her shoulder and smiled.
„You really think so?" I nodded.
„You said you never left the island right? Would you want to see it from the sky?" She looked at me in a confusing way.
I made my way towards a large bush and airbended the branches off. Appa was revealed and growled at my sight.
Jaitti screeched and took a step back.
„Don't worry, he's friendly." I laughed as I reached out my hand to her. She hesitantly took it and we got onto Appa.
„Yip Yip." With that we took off.
Jaitti laughed and her breath quickend.
„Aang, this is amazing. I can see everything from up here. There's the boats and that's my house. It's amazing." She held on to Appa tightly.
„This is a small part of it. It's just the tip of the iceberg. You have to dig beneath the ice to find the real treasure. Only then will you find freedom." Her smile got even bigger.
We flew around for a few minutes and enjoyed the sunset. Eventually I flew us back down. We both got down and she was jumping from excitement.
„That was amazing. I've never felt so free. It's all so different up there. There is so much more to the world than what is on our small island." I nodded in agreement.
„If you raise a lion inside a cage, it becomes all that is known to him. But if you open that cage to expand its horizon, he will notice the great world beyond it. He may even find himself to be the kind of the jungle." I laughed as she did too. I airbended myself onto Appa.
„You can expend your horizon too, Jaitti. Don't be afraid to leave. Only then will you have space for growth." I steered Appa a little further away.
„Thank you, Aang. I hope we will see each other again some day." She said waving me off.
„I'm sure we will." I waved back and with that we were gone.
For some time I forgot my situation. I'm glad I met Jaitti. She made me forgot for a moment. I crawled into the saddle and searched for a map. While searching I found some food. I hadn't taken food with me.
Oh, Jaitti.
I smiled as I neatly packed them inside a bag. The sky was clear so we could fly through the night. Appa was already well rested and the moon provided enough light. I crawled back towards the front.
Time seemed time pass so slow when I was flying alone. When the others were here, hours felt like minutes on Appa. I yawned and closed my eyes. I was really tired.
We would be at the air temples when I wake up. Then it would finally begin.