On Ji woke up on her desk. Her classroom was loud as usual. Apparently, there was already a change. It's strange, she usually never sleeps in class.
No... It all was just a dream...
"You oversleeping the study, On Ji!" giggled a girl nearby her.
"Kikyo..." On Ji smiled softly. She didn't fully wake up. "I have an unordinary dream... Do you want to listen?"
To be honest, On Ji had conflicting feelings. She didn't feel guilty about her escape now (because it hadn't happened), but and...
"Of course!" giggled her friend. "I hope it will justify you..."
But she didn't have time to finish because her friend Hide violently stormed into the classroom. When he noticed his girlfriend, he headed towards her.
"You don't want to explain anything to me?! What is it?" he also asked fiercely.
"What are you talking about, Hide, I don't understand..."
"Don't pretend! You're always running away from me! And now you've run away from school!"
For some reason, On Ji couldn't stand his attacks right now. She felt a strong surge of adrenaline inside her.
"You never understand me! You didn't interest about what I want! Why I must report to you about everything?"
"Because you're my girlfriend!"
"It's not a reason!" she shouted. "You never listen to me. I always wanted to be alone some time, but you even wanted to hear me!"
"I wanted an apologize from you. But it's late. I told the director everything.
"You... what?!"
"It's all your fault." grinned her boifriend.
At this moment, the principal and the teacher entered the classroom.
"It is violation of discipline!" told her director. "Your absence during the lesson should result in serious punishment."
"Y-yes..."
In this minute her parents came out from their back. On Ji's heart sank.
Everyone looked at her reproachfully.
"How could you do this to us?.."
"No! Sorry! Sorry!.. I will never do that again!.."
"On Ji... On Ji!"
The girl opened her eyes. It was Aang. He held her by the shoulders and looked anxiously into her face.
"On Ji, you're okay? You have a nightmare?" asked he worringly.
"Yeah... but everything is fine now. It was just a nightmare!"
"Okay..."
She quickly got up and headed for the nearest river. What a shame. How could she possibly be in front of him in such an inappropriate way...
Oh, man... she is so dirty. All her hairs were in mud and even some leaf staked in her hair. What a shame...
When she turned she seen that avatar washed his pet by jet of water. This is first time a when she sees a waterbending in action.
"We have to go deeper into the forest," Aang said, distracting her from her contemplation of water magic. "We need to get some food and get some rest.
"O-okay."
Aang thought they would be able to find some people, and he was not mistaken. After a short walk through the wilderness, they came to a village. He wasn't surprised at all when all the villagers greeted him, but what he didn't expect was that some respectable woman from a beautiful mansion, accompanied by young girls, would come running towards him, as if she had been waiting him here for a long time.
"We are waiting your visit long time ago, venerable avatar! My name is Bo Shi! Please, be our dear guest!
He would like to reject, but he knows that his friends need some rest. He is not had a choice.
"We'd like to accept your proposal. Please take care of us!" he bowed gently. "I would like to feed my bison, we get a long way...
"Oh, don't worry about that, the dear avatar!" the woman cotton her arms two and "My daughters take care about your buffalo!"
Three girls ran out of the house at her signal and grabbed Appa's reins.
"He is not..." started Aang seeing worryingly a little that the girls get his bison away. But Appa walked submittal after them. Apparently, he really very tired and he didn't want to resist at all. Avatar calmed a little. "Okay. Thank you very much."
"Excuse me!" awkwardly said On Ji. It seems that the woman noticing her only now. "Couldn't you give me a needle and thread? I want to sew my suit a little."
"Oh my God! Forgive me for being rude!" the woman exclaimed excitedly and cotton her hands for the second time. At that moment, three more girls came up. How many daughters does she have?
"I'd like to..." Aang began. When he saw Bo Shi, he remembered the woman who had been a guide for him and his friends in Ba Sing Se back in the day. He felt a great responsibility for On Ji. He used to be naive, but now he trusts few people. Especially this overly hospitable woman.
"No, no. I'll go with her. Please rest for a while, I'll take care of it myself." The girl said and obediently followed the girls.
"Okay then. See you later!" smiled Aang and he followed the mistress of the house.
On Ji was so glad to finally take a bath. Of course, she understood that she shouldn't count on any comfort on such a trip... She was just really lucky.
The girls even offered to help her dry off, but she politely declined. Their concern was excessive. But then they left her alone (after her long persuasion and began to look for a change of clothes for her (and she just wanted to sew her suit).
At that moment, a little five-year-old girl came into their room. She was cheerful and quickly got the embarrassed On Ji talking.
After a while, Bo Shi's daughters handed her a dress of fabulous beauty: it was a warm green color, embroidered with rubies and emeralds. Also, the whole image was complemented by a light green plume, created as if from a warm cloud... On Ji almost dropped her jaw.
"Our mother ordered us to take the best care of you. This dress is very important to us in our home... This dress is passed down from generation to generation. Please accept this humble gift from our family! It would be an honor for us to give a gift to the avatar himself."
She won't accept it. Never. She's not even going to try. How can she accept such a real treasure?
"I can't accept it. Don't think this dress is incredible and charming, but... we're going on a long journey, and I'd like something simple..."
She noticed that the girls were saddened, even a little offended, but she couldn't do anything. Just keep apologizing.
"This is our groom's costume. I hope you enjoy it." said one of them. But they were all not so enthusiastic anymore.
It was an ordinary vest with lantern sleeves and green trousers. But even this costume was very good.
"Thank you very much! You are so good for me!"sincerely exclaimed On Ji.
When the three adult girls left the room, On Ji was left alone with the girl. She didn't want to leave at all. On Ji didn't know what to talk about with her, so she just looked around the room they were in and occasionally asked questions. But then she noticed a golden cage, and in it...
"It is... a messenger hawk?.."
"Ah, you're about this fire chicken?" said little girl "In some year ago my parents have bought this chicken in Fire nation. But we didn't know how use it. Now we want make a sup of him."
"It's cruel..." He said sadly to Ji. The little girl just shrugged her shoulders and ran out of the room.
It was really sad. So horrible destiny for the smart bird...
And she get an idea.
At that time, the Avatar was in the living room, where he was generously fed with treats. Before that, they showed him the whole house (why did he need it) and told him the whole history of the ancestral dynasty and the history of the Kingdom of the Earth. Momo was sitting on his shoulder and actively munching on all the treats, but the avatar couldn't get a bite down his throat.
He didn't understand. Yes, of course, in other countries (on the way from Ba Sing Se) people were very friendly to him, but in the Land of Fire they wanted to catch him, but here... He felt uncomfortable here. It would be better if they tried to catch him here too... At least he knew what to expect...
"Do you feel good here?" Bo Shi asked, surrounded by many people next to her.
"Y-yes, thank you."
Now the monk realized again how much he missed his friends. Sokka could attract the attention of all the girls in this house with his jokes and stories, Katara, Zuko and Toph could be able to say a firm "no", marking the boundaries. And he himself has too soft a character and couldn't say that. It's a shame to realize that Toph was right, that he's a whiner.
He thought about his team while Bo Shi was talking about some legend of their family again, while simultaneously thinking about how to escape from here, unnoticed, taking Appa and On Ji... by the way...
"By the way, where is On Ji?"
"Hmm, who is On Ji?"
"She was with me." he replied as politely as possible.
"Ah, your fiancee took a bath, had some fun, and has already gone to bed. You have nothing to worry about."
"Who are you talking about?" Aang asked, puzzled.
"That lady who was with you..."
"Oh, no! We're just friends with her!" said monk. "I just took her in a not-long journey, and she will return in home when she will want..."
"Is it a truth?.. That this young lady with you is not your fiancée?"
"Yes?"
"It's very good news!" Bo Shi exclaimed. "Please marry on one of my daughter's!"
"What?" Aang thinking that he understood wrong.
"Don't worry, dear avatar! We will take care of the wedding preparation! Don't worry about it!"Bo Shi plunged into her dreams, "Oh, if my husband were alive, he would have reached this moment... Oh, what am I do?! Now, I will bring his painting so that he can be present here!"
When the hostess of the house ran away, Aang remained in the midst of her children (girls), who now looked at him curiously. That was his limit. He didn't even know what to do with himself. Now he was ready to fly away from here, even in the dead of night.
Then he heard the quiet laughter of the guy who was also sitting at the table. Aang began to swallow the soup with renewed vigor, just not to be here...
"Lady, it's necessary to bring dessert for our guest now, please be kind enough to bring it!" He said. "You all have to go because you need to help each other, don't you? It's a tradition of our family."
It looked like the girls weren't too happy being bossed around, but they went to do his bidding.
"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?.." the guy turned to the monk.
"I have a strange family, don't I?" The "savior" asked him when they went out on the veranda.
"No, it's not like that!"When Aang said that, he was lying.
"I know it. Please don't be pretend with me." Bo Shu said. "I think my mother just want to correct our family's position in society. Don't be serious about her words."
"Fix the situation in the family? What for?"
"We were very rich. My father was a very respected man in Ba Sing Se. He was an admiral in the Royal Army. And he made a huge fortune, he was constantly paid a royal allowance. Thanks to him, we were very respected and influential, almost like the Beifong family. Hey, why are you laughing?"
"Sorry, go on," the avatar nodded.
"I don't only have ten sisters," Aang choked on these words. "I also have a brother, Bo Shoe. We were twins, we were similar in everything, the only difference was that I was an earth conqueror and he wasn't. He considered it his disadvantage, but we didn't think so. He couldn't find a place for a long time, and eventually Bo Shoe disappeared."
Bo Shu sighed. It was hard for him to remember everything again.
"We didn't know where he was, or if he was healthy, at least... My father was very worried about him and died soon after. I had to train to feed my family, and I was going to enlist in the army in Ba Sing Se, where my father served. And my brother returned two days after my decision. I was happy when he showed up because I hadn't seen him in ages, but... Bo Shu sighed. "He did something to my body, he made some strange movements with his hands and... I've lost all my strength. I've lost everything. I lost the hope of my family. He took away all the magic of the earth from me. Now I can't even lift a small stone..."
"What did you just say?.."
Who else can take away any bending in this world?
"I couldn't believe it either. But that's the way it is," Bo Shu said. "Then we were kicked out of our estate in Ba Sing Se. Even Father's exploits didn't help us..."
"Wait a minute... Can you tell me more about your brother? Why did he do that? How did he do it?"
"I'm sorry, I don't remember anymore. I was very shocked and didn't even understand what happened," Bo Shu replied regretfully. "but they were very technical moves, he couldn't come up with them himself. I think he's messing with the wrong people. I just remember that he is... he called himself a great revolutionary and said that soon this world would change and everyone would be equal."
Bo Shu lowered his eyes.
"I can't forgive him now, but I'm also worried about him. If he comes back, I will beat him, but I will definitely forgive him. We need him so much..."
Aang felt guilty for his opinion of him and his family.
"I don't think that you are strange. Please visit with your whole family the Southern Air Temple. I will be glad see you all later. The door will open for you always."
"Thank you very much, Avatar Aang." Bo Shu smiled. "And please don't run away, stay the night with us. My mom is weird, but she's very kind. She won't bother you, I'll arrange everything."
Aang sighed. He couldn't refuse.
"Are you leaving already?" the hostess of the house asked with great sadness.
"Yes... Appa, buddy, wake up!"
The bison did not want to get up. But he knew that his best friend would never leave him and the avatar needed him, so he made an effort on himself and gathered his strength for the upcoming long flight.
"I must go... do some avatar's things." the monk convincing smiled.
"But I would to like..."
"No, no, mother. The avatar must leave. Or do you want to obstruct the fulfillment of the avatar's obligations?" Bo Shu gently placed his hands on Bo Shi's shoulder.
"No, but..."
"Please, Mom, you need to rest for a while and take your medicine..." The eldest son in this family carefully guided the woman to their house. Bo Shu turned around and grinned, winking at the avatar. Aang nodded gratefully.
"Ms. On Ji!" one of Bo Shi's daughters, who were accompanying the avatar, called.
The girl who went towards in bison tensely turned on voice.
"You're forgotten your provisions. Please take it!"
"A-ah, thank you very much!"
The girl took quickly a small bag and climbed on bison also quickly. She stepping on Momo's tail, which was trying to crack the nuts he had picked in the forest. Momo screamed but On Ji even noticing it.
"Do you okay?" asked Aang noticing the general condition of the girl.
"Oh? Yes!" she replied nervously to him. "Can we fly now?"
"Yes..." Monk decided not to go into details, as it didn't seem to be that important, and they set off.
"Hey, where is my fire chicken?"