Aang
It was surprisingly hard to fall asleep. I kept thinking about all types of things. I thought about why I was needed here. I thought about Kyiosona. I thought about everything I had done in the last few years. After some time I was finally able to fall asleep.
Katara?
Why was she here? I couldn't believe she was actually here. She was standing a few feet away from me. She was smiling at me. I had missed her so much. I smiled back and began walking towards her. She suddenly turned around and started running.
‚Wait!' I yelled after her. She looked back with a big smile on her face. I kept chasing her but then she turned left behind a wall. When I reached it and looked, there was a dead end and she wasn't there. I heard laughing and turned around.
It was her.
‚Katara.' I said without moving. Her smile disappeared. With that mine did too.
‚Why did you leave?' She suddenly asked. I was stunned. I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything. I just looked at her.
‚You left me and now you're chasing me?' Her eyebrows furrowed. I looked down.
‚Im sorry.' That was all I could say. She scoffed upon hearing that.
‚I don't need you. It's a good thing you left. I found my true love because of that.' I looked up suddenly.
‚Who?' I said firmly. She shrugged.
‚You'll find out soon enough. He is tall and handsome. He is a powerful bender and keeps me safe. Did I mention he's a great kisser and didn't leave me when I needed him?" It was time for me to furrow my eyebrows. The Katara I knew didn't need anyone to keep her safe.
‚He is stronger than you could ever be.' She said getting closer. I didn't move.
‚He's not a little boy who thinks he is the savior of the world.' She said taking another step. Her voice grew louder with each sentence.
‚The best thing is, he didn't leave me!' She suddenly screamed.
‚I didn't want to!' I screamed back as my knees collapsed and I fell to the ground.
‚I was hurt. I didn't know what to do. I was just a kid.' My eyes grew heavy.
‚You're not a kid anymore, are you?' She asked me and I looked up. She was in the clothes she found me in when I broke out of the iceberg. She looked so young again.
‚I still feel like a kid sometimes.' She kneeled down beside me. I kept my head low.
‚You do?' I looked up at the voice. I was looking into my own eyes. It was a reflection of myself when I was 12. I still had that spark in my eyes. He smiled at me.
‚You still are a kid.' He stood up and ran around the corner. I got up too and followed him.
‚Come back!' I yelled as he looked back and laughed. He suddenly took out his glider and began flying off. I took out my glider too and flew with him. We were in the sky, flying together and laughing. Suddenly the wind stopped and my younger self started falling to the ground.
‚No!' I yelled as I tried to catch him but it was in vain. I began falling too.
‚Wake up.' I heard my own voice.
„Wake up!" I opened my eyes and saw Kyiosana shaking me. I got up and sweat was dripping off me. I put a hand on my forehead and looked at her.
„You had a nightmare. You were saying things in your sleep." I closed my eyes for a moment. I opened them again and stood up.
„What was I saying?" I asked as I began to get dressed. I never slept with many clothes on. That way I could the vibrations moving if anything were to happen while I slept. So I kept them off in the North Pole too.
„Well- uh. It- It doesn't really matter now." I turned around to look at her and she was blushing and as she met my eyes, she looked down. I shrugged it of and put on my final layer.
„So, do I go straight to chief Arnook?" I asked her as I stepped out of the igloo. She quickly followed.
„Don't you want something to eat first?" She asked me.
„I don't usually eat in the morning." I said as we kept walking.
„Oh okay. Then we can wait a while." She said and I looked at her confused. She looked at me too and realized what my stare was for.
„The meeting starts in an hour. I could show you around more." I nodded and we turned on the next corner. We passed some houses and she was telling me about the people that lived there. We were walking for about half an hour when we heard a scream coming from one of the houses. We looked at each other and headed into the house. As we entered we saw a heavily pregnant women clenching her stomach. A puddle was on the floor below her. Kyiosona rushed to her and held her arm.
„Nayota, you're in labour." Kyiosona said and in that moment a man came in looking panicked. He rushed to her side.
„Is it time?" He asked the women after which she nodded. I helped get her to the nearby bed and the man ran out looking for a midwife. I held the woman's hand as she squeezed it.
„This is Nayota. She is Poltuq's wife. He is a member of the council. Im guessing he won't show up today though." Kyiosona explained to me. After some time he came back with the midwife and some healers. I moved out of the way and stood there for a while. After some time I decided to head out of the hut. It was an intimate moment for them after all. After some more time I heard the cries of a baby. Kyiosona came out.
„Do you want to see him?" With that she went back in and I followed her. Nayota was holding the baby and Poltuq was right by her side holding the baby's hand. The scene brought some tears to my eyes. It reminded of something.
„Have you chosen a name?" I asked as I stepped forward. Nayota looked at her husband and smiled.
„Yes." She looked at the baby in her arms.
„His name shall be Yakone." She smiled at her child.
„That is a fine name." Poltuq said caressing the baby. I smiled at the scene and gave them their privacy. I stepped out of the hut once again and collected myself. After a few minutes Poltuq joined me outside.
„We haven't officially met yet. I am Poltuq, the chief adviser." He reached out his hand to me.
„I am Aang, Avatar Aang." I shook his hand and smiled. We let go and he spoke again.
„Thank you for being there to help my wife. As a husband and now a father, I am eternally grateful." He bowed to me.
„I don't think I was of much help. I just held her hand. I didn't really know what I was doing." He laughed.
„Well, whatever you did, it worked. And I am grateful to you." I nodded amd smiled.
„I shouldn't hold you up much should've been at the meeting hours ago." He gestured me away.
„I'm guessing you're not coming with me." I asked him and he looked back at the hut where his wife and child were.
„I have to be there for them. Family always comes first." He said looking back at me. He was right.
„I understand." He put a hand on my shoulder.
„You'll have to catch me up on the meeting later. So go now." He smiled as she ushered me away. I laughed and waved to him as I walked towards the great hall. I walked there alone as I had been there before and knew where it was. I arrived quickly and made my way to the massive door. There were guards on each side but they let me pass easily. My tattoos were a dead giveaway to my identity.
I entered and walked down a hall with a servant . He brought me to another door upon which he opened it. Everyone was already into the meeting and also in the middle of a heated conversation. It all stopped as the door opened and they saw me.
„Avatar Aang, you have finally arrived." Chief Arnook said in a subtle tone. I was embarrassed at my late arrival. I began walking towards an empty seat.
„Sorry about that. I sort of had to help with a birth." They all looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I cleared my throat.
„It's a long story." I said sitting down. Another man stood up.
„As long as you're finally here, it's fine. You can help us with this." He said darting his eyes at chief Arnook.
„What exactly am I supposed to be helping you with?" I asked consfused. The man looked confused as well.
„You haven't even told him yet?" He raised his voice looking at Arnook.
„I was going to tell him today." Arnook said staying put.
„Typical. You always wait for the last minute to take action." He scoffed sitting down.
„Don't blame this on me, Ravim." Arnook stood up.
„Because nothing is your fault, right? You always find someone else to blame. Just like your wife's ,disappearance' ." He lowered his tone.
„How can you say that!" Arnook screamed at him.
„Enough!" I bended a gush of air in the middle of them. The both stepped back.
„What is it with you two?" I finally asked and they both looked down.
„You asked me to come here. I have to know the problem before I solve it." I said raising my arms. Arnook sighed and finally spoke.
„There has been some quarrel between the Northern and the Southern water tribe. For a few months now, the South has refused to cooperate." He said.
„The South has refused to be overtaken by the North, yeah." Ravim said looking at Arnook.
„What is the problem? What has the North proposed that is refused by the South?" I asked looking at both if them.
„We sent troops there to help to restore our sister tribe. After we hadn't gotten any answer from them for weeks, they came back wounded. Turns out the South refused the help and attacked my people." Ravim stood up in protest.
„They did anything but help! They terrorized the people and stole what we had. After a while we had enough and stood up to them. We couldn't let them treat us like the fire nation had. It was worse coming from our brothers." Arnook scoffed and looked at Ravim.
„That story is as true as the spirit stories you're making up." He said rolling his eyes.
„I'm not making it up!" He said in an angry tone.
„What spirit stories?" I asked him. He looked at me and began speaking.
„A few months ago some spirits began appearing around the tribe. At first they weren't harming anyone but after those Northern ‚soldiers' left, they began destroying things. We managed to keep it under control but they still attack about once or twice a week." Arnook crossed his arms.
„Yeah right. Now my troops brought evil spirits to your tribe. What next, are you going to blame us for the fire nation attacks too?" Ravim looked up and crossed his arms too.
„Who knows, you seem to be more fire nation than water tribe to me." With that Arnook charged at him. They were getting on my nerves. I blew them away from each other and froze them next to each other with water bending.
„Just stop it!" I said and they finally stopped fighting.
„We have a real problem on our hands. There seems to be some miscommunication between your tribes. I will travel to the Southern water tribe to find out what happend and you will come with me." I firmly said as I released Ravim from the ice.
„Do you all agree with that?" I asked around the room and everyone nodded. Arnook did too which eased me up.
„Good, then it's settled. We leave in a few hours." Ravim looked at me.
„That soon?" He asked me.
„I want to get there as soon as possible. We'll get there faster on Appa but it's still going to be a few days before we'll be there." He looked even more confused after I said that.
„What's Appa?" He asked and I smiled. I showed him Appa and he was a little freaked out after he knew we would be flying on him for a few days but he'll be fine. I started packing all of my things and headed to Appa after a few hours. I didn't really say goodbye to anyone. I waited for Ravim to get here and when he finally did, I airbendend his bags onto Appa. I was about to get on when I heard a voice behind me.
„Wait!" I turned around and saw Kyiosana running towards me with a bag. She caught up to me and was out of breath by the time she got to me.
„Take me with you." She said looking at me. I raised my eyebrows and looked at her.
„What?" I asked her. She straightened herself and got control of her breathing.
„Please, I can't take it here anymore. This was never home to me. Maybe the Southern tribe can be. I have too many bad memories here. I want a fresh start, on the other side of the world." I looked into her eyes in that moment and saw hope. I couldn't turn my back on her. She needed this. I knew it too. I sighed and nodded after I motioned for her to get on. Her face lit up and she jumped to hug me. After she that she kissed my cheek.
„Thank you so much. You're the best." She said after she kissed me.
„Wrap it up, lovebirds. You said yourself, we have to leave as soon as possible." Ravim said and Kyiosona blushed but I just airbender her bag onto Appa. I airbendend myself onto Appa and we began flying. They both settled down and began talking about something.
We weren't lovebrids. I barely knew her. What he said really bothered me. I don't know why.
Was it because I didn't like her or because she reminded me of another blue eyes water bender I could possible meet when I arrive at the Southern water tribe?