A/N: Surprise! This isn't the finale! From reading a review, I realized I probably should make a chapter explaining what happened those three days while Akira was out. This chapter comes from Aang's point of view. Also, the writing quality is probably going to be better than the past chapters, as I'm writing this 2-5 months after them. This is also the longest chapter I've ever written, which is surprising, because it only took me six days. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: This chapter mentions a mental illness. I am no mental health expert, so please don't use my angsty fanfiction to diagnose yourself. Happy reading!
Response from chapter 19:
Vapor23: Hello, Vapor! I'm very happy to know that this chapter surprised you, enough to where you mentioned still thinking about it in your response to my review! I'll be honest, I went a little crazy with that chapter (and this one too) but that's okay, because crazy chapters are always fun to read. Also, your review confused me, because you called the guy who captured Akira, "The man in the mask" so Aang mentions a mask a few times here, even though it isn't mention last chapter. Your review actually inspired me to create this, and I'm glad I did, because this was definitely a fun one to write :) I originally was going to make an Aang perspective chapter when I first wrote this part of the story, but scrapped it because I wasn't sure if it would work. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy this chapter, friend!
Katara, Sokka, and I were sat in a circle, our hearts heavy with worry as we watched over Akira. She was asleep, but not at peace. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her lips curled into a frown. Even in her dreams, she couldn't escape the pain she felt. I drew a shaky breath, hugging my knees tighter as the memories of earlier played through my mind. The initial shock of Kiri's disappearance, the hopeless searching, the spark of hope when a girl told us where she could be. And then the man. My eyes narrowed, my face twisting in anger as that stupid mask appeared in my thoughts. I had slammed him against the wall and demanded to know where my sister was, but the man just laughed. He only answered when I grabbed him by his shirt, demanding even louder. Even though he told me where Akira was, I wasn't satisfied. I snatched off his mask, throwing it on the floor. Before he could open his mouth to speak, I punched him straight in his nose. And the thing is, I don't regret it. Not at all. After finding Kiri and seeing her battered state, I wish I could've done more.
"I want to go back to the bunker," I stated, my voice low with rage. Katara and Sokka looked up, their eyes widened in surprise.
"Aang, what do you mean?" Katara asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion.
"I want to go back," I repeated, "I want to go back to the bunker, and kill that man,"
Katara's eyes widened more, so much that they looked as if they were about to pop out of her head.
"Aang, I know you might be mad, but-" She began, her words soft and filled with empathy.
"Mad?" I interrupted, my voice shaking with rage, "I'M SURPRISED I'M NOT IN THE AVATAR STATE RIGHT NOW!"
"DO YOU SEE WHAT THAT GUY DID TO AKIRA?!" I asked, pointing to my sister, "HE DESERVES IT!"
I looked to Katara, heavily panting in anger. Her eyes were widened, her mouth agape. She looked scared. She looked scared of me. My rage immediately dispersed, being replaced by a deep sadness.
"I'm sorry," I said, my tone thick with emotion. I looked down as tears formed in my eyes, not wanting Katara or Sokka to see my pain. Katara came closer to me, pulling me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around her, silent tears dripping down my face.
"It's okay," She said, pulling me closer, "A lot has happened today, it's okay for you to be mad,"
Sokka joined the hug as well, and for a while, we just sat there, taking in the moment with shared worry in our minds. Then, Katara spoke, breaking the thick silence.
"I'm going to get working on healing Akira's wounds," She said, "She got hurt pretty bad,"
"Sokka, you go inform Chief Arnook about what happened," She continued. Sokka nodded, giving me a sympathetic look before leaving the hut. He had been uncharacteristically silent since we found Kiri. Katara put a hand on my shoulder, the gesture slightly comforting my inner turmoil.
"She'll be okay," She said, her voice soft and carrying reassurance.
I nodded before taking a deep breath. She drew water from a bowl, holding it over a wound on Akira's arm. The water began to glow, and the wound became faded, the gnarly gash becoming a memory. As Katara continued to work on Kiri, I felt tears dropping down my cheeks. Seeing my little sister in pain felt like a stab to the chest. The way she squirmed every time Katara made her way to another injury, her slight groans of pain. It was almost unbearable. Once Katara was done, she stepped back, looking over each injury she healed.
"Okay, I think I got them all," She said.
My eyes scanned over Akira's body, looking for any missed scratch or cut. When they made their way to her face, I saw crimson blood dripping down her cheek. My breath caught in my throat, tears stinging my eyes for what felt like the hundredth time. I slowly moved the piece of hair that covered her cheek, revealing a long, deep cut.
"Oh, Spirits…" Katara muttered, her voice so quiet I could barely hear her.
She slowly lowered herself, drawing water from the bowl and holding it over the cut. When the water stopped glowing, a scar appeared. I broke down, my pain spilling out in desperate sobs. Katara pulled me close, holding me tight as if she were worried I would run away. My sobs grew louder as I clung onto Katara with all my strength, as if she were the only thing keeping me from breaking completely.
"It's all going to be okay, Aang," Katara whispered, "Akira will heal, she won't be hurt forever,"
"How could I lose her?!" I asked desperately, "How could I let her get this hurt?!"
"Don't blame yourself, you didn't know that was going to happen," Katara responded.
"HOW DID I JUST LET HER SLIP AWAY?!" I continued, my words becoming louder and more broken with each word.
Katara didn't break away, her unwavering strength evident as she held me in her arms.
After a while, I calmed down. Katara and I sat together, watching over Kiri like vulture-bees. She frequently stirred and murmured, but never woke up. The silence was unbearably heavy, neither of us daring to break it. My lingering worry grew with each minute that passed, the hope for my sister's awakening becoming more desperate. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, the noise breaking the silence and startling me. Katara got up and opened the door, revealing Chief Arnook and two stony-faced soldiers.
"Sokka informed us about the hostage situation with Akira," Chief Arnook said, his tone hard but empathetic, "We went down to the bunker, and were able to identify her kidnapper,"
My eyes widened in shock, anger bubbling in my chest as memories of the man played in my head. I stood, making my way over to the door.
"His name is Nygook," Arnook stated, "He's part of a gang of waterbenders, looking to avenge our tribe from pirates,"
"Pirates?" I repeated, "That makes no sense. If the gang is looking for pirates, then why did that man take Akira?"
"I'm not sure," Arnook responded, "The man was unconscious when we found him, so we couldn't get any answers,"
Katara looked down, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. Silently, she grabbed her waterbending scrolls from the table next to her before returning to the doorway.
"I have these waterbending scrolls," She explained, handing them to the chief, "Before she passed out, Akira told me that she used them to help some people learn to waterbend. Could that help with anything?"
Arnook took the scrolls, unfurling them and looking over them carefully. His eyes widened, a look of realization on his face.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Katara, where did you find these scrolls?" Arnook asked, his voice stern, teetering on the edge of commanding.
"I got them from…" Katara began, her words getting lost in her throat as her eyes widened, "Pirates,"
Arnook nodded, taking a deep breath before speaking, "We'll use these in the court case. It is in two days, make sure to be there,"
"Best wishes to both of you," He said before turning to me, his eyes softening with empathy, "I hope Akira heals quickly,"
"Thank you, Chief Arnook," I responded gratefully. Just as they came, Arnook and the soldiers left. I closed the door, turning back to Katara. Her eyes were glassy, her hand covered over her mouth. My face twisted in worry as I approached her.
"It's all my fault, Aang," She whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions, "If I didn't take that scroll, then Akira wouldn't have used it to help the girls, she wouldn't have gotten captured, and this never would've happened,"
My heart ached for her. Katara, the girl that had always been there for us. Katara, the girl who had unimaginable courage and kindness in her heart. Katara, the girl I love, was blaming herself for everything that had happened. I pulled her into my arms, holding her close as an attempt to give her any kind of comfort.
"No, Katara, it's not your fault," I said, "It's nobody's fault but that Nygook guy's,"
I wiped a tear from her cheek, giving her a soft smile.
"We're having that trial in two days," I continued, "He'll be brought to justice then,"
"But, what about Akira?" Katara asked, "I'm sure they'll want her at the trial. But, what if I don't heal her enough in time for her to be there?"
"Katara," I began, cupping her face with my hands, "You are the strongest and most amazing waterbender I've ever known, you can do it,"
"I believe in you,"
Katara sniffed, wiping the remaining tears from her face.
"Thank you so much,Aang " She said, her voice genuine and filled with emotion, "I really needed that,"
"Anytime," I replied.
That night, I didn't find sleep. Sokka came back a few minutes after Katara and I talked. He had brought back dinner, which I left untouched due to my nauseating worry. Katara and Sokka ate in silence, not a single word spoken between the two. I sat next to Kiri's cot, holding her hand tightly. I hoped that she could somehow feel it, and know that I was there. After dinner, we all headed to bed. I stared at the ceiling, thoughts of all kinds running like wild in my mind. I occasionally would check on Kiri, the steady sound of her breathing bringing me ease. The whole night, I held her hand, using it as my anchor to keep me from breaking. Tears silently dropped down my cheeks as I watched my sister sleep, thinking about the unimaginable pain she was in when we found her.
"I'm so sorry, Kiri," I whispered, my voice quiet but thick with emotion.
Eventually, sunlight began to filter through the window, shining light on my tired features. I slowly sat up, taking in the sunrise. The shining light of a young day casting on a snow-covered landscape made for a glistening morning. I held Akira's hand tighter, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes. On most days, we woke up a few hours before Sokka and Katara, giving us some time to talk or just relax. I watched her intently, yearning for any sign of awakening. A stir, an eye flutter, anything. I just wanted her to wake up. I wanted to see her jovial, big eyes light up with joy again, her infectious smile that could light up a room, her funny expressions that never failed to make me laugh. I wanted to hear her voice, to give her a hug and tell her everything is going to be okay. I began to think of our childhood back home, all the fun things we used to do together, all the trouble we got in. My eyes became glassy, my heart breaking with the realization we would never get to do those things again.
"Aang?" Katara asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I wiped the tears from my eyes and turned around, seeing her beautiful, kind eyes.
"How long have you been up?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper, "It's so early,"
"I didn't sleep," I responded, "I couldn't,"
Katara's eyebrows furrowed in worry. She moved closer to me, her expression full of sympathy.
"Aang, you can't stay up all night worrying about Akira," She said, her voice soft and gentle.
I sighed, averting my gaze to to the floor, "I know. It's just been hard to find sleep, knowing how much pain she must've been in,"
Katara put a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up at her.
"It's okay," She said, "Just promise me you'll take a nap later, okay?"
I nodded. Katara looked to the side, her expression thoughtful. Her gaze then turned to Akira, her thoughtful look saving to lift. She then looked to me, the thoughtful expression lifting.
"Akira's clothes are torn, and I need to start sewing them so she can look presentable for the court hearing," Katara explained, "Do you have anything she can wear while I'm working on them?"
I looked down, thinking about my options. In Air Nomad culture, owning many different outfits was seen as materialistic. During training, children were only given one outfit that they would wash every day. As a result of that, Akira and I both had only one outfit.
"She could wear my clothes," I responded.
"Your clothes?" Katara repeated, confusion in her tone, "But, won't you be cold?"
"I can regulate my body temperature with airbending," I explained, "Besides, Sokka probably has something I can wear, right?"
"I think he does," Katara said before making her way over to Sokka's bag. She searched through it, finding a blue shirt and grey pants. She walked back over, handing me the clothes.
"Here, put these on and just leave your clothes in the bathroom," She said.
I took the clothes and headed toward the bathroom, making sure to close and lock the door behind me. After slipping off my own garments, I put the new ones on. The shirt was a little large, but not too big. The pants ended at my ankles, and I needed a belt to keep them up. The boots Katara gave me weren't going to work, due to the length of the pants, so I just decided to go barefoot. When I came out, Katara's eyes scanned over my body, making a blush creep up my face.
"You look good," She said.
My face became tomato red, "Uh, t-thanks," I mumbled.
Katara walked over to Kiri's cot, lifting her into her arms.
"Wow, she's really light," She remarked, a look of surprise on her face.
I watched as Katara carried Akira into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. I let out a deep breath I didn't know I had been holding in. Just then, there was a knock at the door. I walked over to it, turning the doorknob to reveal the girl who had led us to the bunker. She was around my height, and looked to be my age. Her dark brown hair was braided with blue ribbon, and she wore a blue parka. She was carrying a basket that had all kinds of items inside.
"Hello, Avatar," She said, her voice timid and soft, "I realized that I never gave you my name yesterday, I'm Avonlea,"
"Hi, Avonlea," I said, trying to keep my tone as light as possible.
"I just wanted to check up on Akira," Avonlea stated, "How's she doing?"
"She's been sleeping ever since we got back here, but she's doing fine," I responded, hoping that she wouldn't sense the pain in my voice.
"Oh, well, I brought her this basket," Avonlea said, handing me the basket she'd been holding, "It has a whole bunch of things that might help her feel better while she recovers. My mom even made her famous moon pies and put some in there,"
"Thank you, Avonlea," I said, my tone genuine.
"It's the least I could do," She said before turning to leave, "See you at the court hearing,"
"Wait, you're going to the hearing too?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Yeah," Avonlea replied, turning back around, "I know it may seem weird for a twelve year old to be in a court case, but since I led you guys to the bunker, I'm involved,"
Just then, a thought occurred in my mind. If the bunker Kiri was kept in was that of a gang, then how did Avonlea know about it?
"How did you know about the bunker?" I asked, my voice carrying a suspicious tone.
Avonlea's face reddened, only furthering my suspicions.
"Well, I-" She began, her words getting lost, "I gotta go! I hope Akira feels better soon!"
She then zoomed off, pushing my suspicions even farther. I stepped back inside the house, closing the door behind me before putting the basket on a table. Katara then emerged from the bathroom, Kiri in her arms. She looked so small, especially with my clothes on her.
"Where's that basket from?" Katara asked as she placed Kiri back on her cot.
"The girl who led us to the bunker," I responded, "Her name's Avonlea,"
I picked up the basket, handing it to Katara.
"It has a whole bunch of stuff for Kiri to do while she recovers," I explained.
Katara sat down, beginning to look through the contents of the basket. She pulled out a blue and gold blanket, a parchment with different colored inks, some sort of Water Tribe game, and four moon pies.
"This is all so nice," She remarked, a smile on her face, "How kind of her,"
"Yeah, it's nice and all, but something weird happened while I was talking to her," I said.
"What happened?" Katara asked, her eyes widening slightly.
"I asked Avonlea how she knew about the bunker, since it's a gang's," I began, "She got all nervous and ran away,"
Katara's eyebrows furrowed, "Well, that's definitely strange,"
"She's going to be at the court hearing," I said, "We'll probably find some things out by then,"
About an hour passed, and Akira still hadn't woken up. I watched the slow rise and fall of her chest, worry filling my thoughts. Sokka was still asleep, Katara and I didn't have much to do, so we resorted to sitting in silence. Exhaustion had been pulling at my senses for a while, causing me to have to stifle a few yawns.
"Hey, how about you take that nap you promised?" Katara asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"But, what if Kiri-" I began to protest.
"No but's, Aang," Katara interrupted, her tone stern, "You promised me you'd take a nap,"
I sighed, averting my eyes to the floor.
"Fine," I reluctantly grumbled, "But wake me up if anything happens to Kiri,"
"You'll be the first to know," Katara responded, kindness in her voice.
I lie down, interlocking Akira's fingers with mine as I closed my eyes. It took not even a minute before I drifted off, worry for my sister still evident in my thoughts.
I woke up to the sound of Katara's voice, her tone gentle and soothing.
"Aang, get up, we have waterbending practice with Master Pakku," She said.
My eyes fluttered, still being pulled by the gravity of my exhaustion. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, letting out a soft groan of tiredness. Looking to Kiri, I saw that she was still asleep, my worry intensifying.
"She's still not up yet?" I asked.
"Yeah," Katara responded, "She physically and mentally went through a lot yesterday, so she's probably still going to be asleep for a while,"
She extended her arm, holding her hand out to me.
"Come on, we don't want to be late," She said.
I looked to Akira again, seeing the pain etched into her features as she slept. I couldn't just leave her, not when she was so vulnerable.
"I'm not going," I stated firmly, "Tell Master Pakku I stayed behind to take care of Akira,"
Katara sighed before opening her mouth to speak.
"Katara, please," I interrupted, "I can't just leave my sister alone when she's like this,"
"Alright," Katara said, standing up and heading towards the door, "Sokka's out with Princess Yue, he'll be back soon,"
"Thank you for letting me stay," I said, my eyes softening with affection.
"Of course," Katara replied before leaving.
I sighed, turning back to Kiri. She was still asleep, her expression more peaceful than before, as if she knew I had stayed. I began to run my fingers through her hair, hoping the motion would give her some sort of comfort.
"I'm not going to leave your side, Kiri, I promise," I whispered gently.
When we were little, Akira would have repeated nightmares about creepy guys with masks. Often, she would come into my room and ask if she could sleep with me. Every time, I held her tight, and promised her I wouldn't let her go. I don't want to break that promise, ever. Tears began rolling down my cheeks as I tried to hold back my sadness and worry for her.
"Please wake up, Kiri," I said, my words coming out desperate and broken, "I need you,"
A few minutes later, Sokka arrived at the house. His eyes widening in surprise when they laid on me.
"Oh, Hi, Aang," He said, "I thought you were at waterbending practice with Katara,"
"I couldn't leave Akira," I responded, emotion in my tone, "Especially with nobody home for a while,"
"Well, I brought us back some food," Sokka stated, setting two bags on the ground in between us, "You should eat something, I don't think you have since we got back from finding Akira,"
He opened one of the bags, handing me a cup of noodles.
"They're vegetable ones, I checked," He said.
I looked down at the noodles. They looked appetizing, but I just wasn't hungry.
"Thanks, Sokka," I began, pushing the noodles closer to him, "But, I'm not hungry,"
Sokka paused from munching on the chicken he was eating, his eyebrows furrowing in what looked like annoyance.
"Aang, you need to eat," He said, "First of all, I paid good money for the vegetable noodles, and second of all, you're already skinny enough, you need meat on your bones,"
"Okay, okay, I'll eat the noodles," I said, putting my hands up in surrender.
"Good," Sokka replied, returning to his chicken in satisfaction.
"Also, I am not skinny," I stated, "I'll admit, I'm thin, but not skinny,"
"Aang, I can see your ribs poking through your skin when you have no shirt on, that's skinny," Sokka retorted.
Furrowing my eyebrows in annoyance, I decided to hit Sokka with an even harder response.
"Sokka, I can see your fat stomach, even when you have a shirt on!" I exclaimed, pointing at him.
"Excuse you!" Sokka gasped in mock offense, "I am not fat, this is a healthy layer of skin,"
"You keep telling yourself that," I responded sassily, rolling my eyes.
"Don't roll your eyes at me, you stick!" Sokka exclaimed, moving his face closer to mine.
"Well, don't get all up in my face, you log!" I retorted, jerking back in mock disgust.
We paused our fake argument for a moment, just staring at each other and taking in our words. Then, I began to snicker, and so did he. We began to laugh, our roaring joy becoming louder with each second.
"A log?!" Sokka repeated through his laughter, "Man, Aang, how did you come up with that so fast?!"
"I don't even know!" I responded, causing us to laugh even harder.
Eventually, our laughter died out. We were left on the ground, our sides aching and our hearts light.
"Wow, I can't believe how much I needed that," I stated in disbelief, "Thanks, Sokka,"
"Hey, you're the one that started it," He responded, "I should be thanking you,"
I let out a soft chuckle before sitting up.
"No, but seriously, I think I really needed that," I said, "These past few days haven't been easy for me, but you somehow always find a way to make me laugh,"
Sokka put a hand on my shoulder, joy sparkling in his eyes.
"Glad I can do that for you, buddy," He said, "Now, let's finish this food,"
I nodded, and we began eating again.
"So, what have you been up to today?" Sokka asked through a mouthful of chicken.
"Not much, really," I admitted, "The girl who led us to the bunker came by today with stuff for Akira,"
"Her name's Avonlea, and she's apparently going to the court hearing," I continued, "When I asked her how she knew about the bunker, she freaked out and ran away,"
"That's strange…" Sokka remarked, "Hopefully we'll find out more information on her tomorrow,"
"I'm really nervous about the trial," I said, "I'm nervous to see him,"
Sokka's face twisted in confusion, before softening to empathy as the realization hit.
"Aang, that guy's gonna be in handcuffs, he won't be able to do anything to Akira," He said, his voice carrying reassurance.
"That's the other thing I'm worried about," I continued, my eyes shifting to Kiri, "What if Akira doesn't wake up in time for the hearing?"
"Katara said that she'll probably be asleep for longer because of how much she went through, but she's just been asleep for so long," I finished.
"Well, I'm no medical expert, but I'd say Katara's right," Sokka responded, shoving a piece of chicken into his mouth, "Akira will probably be awake by tomorrow morning, maybe even later today,"
"I hope you're right," I sighed.
Later that night, Sokka and I were talking about our plan for once we were done at the North Pole.
"Well, we obviously need to find you an earthbending teacher," He stated, "But who should it be?"
"We could go back to Omashu so Bumi could teach me," I suggested, "He's a great earthbender, and my friend,"
Just then, Katara entered the hut. Her expression was a strange mix of worry and anger.
"Hey, Katara," I greeted, "What's wrong?"
"Did waterbending practice go bad?" Sokka added.
"No, it was fine," Katara responded, "It was Master Pakku who wasn't,"
"Was he being a sexist jerk again?" Sokka asked annoyedly.
"No," Katara said, "When I told him why Aang wasn't going to come, he just said something that really ticked me off,"
"What was it?" I asked, my eyes widening.
"He said that it wasn't an excuse, and that he expects you back in his class tomorrow," She stated, her tone that of annoyance.
"Just an excuse?" I repeated, anger boiling inside my chest, "My sister getting kidnapped and severely injured is just an excuse to him?!"
"Does that guy have a soul?" Sokka questioned angrily.
"I'm going over there right now, and I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind," I stated through gritted teeth, standing up quickly.
Katara and Sokka gave each other looks of surprise before beginning to follow me. I grabbed the door handle with enraged force, almost breaking it as I pulled it open. I began to stomp toward Master Pakku's teaching area, each step filled with more anger than the last. As I came upon him, Pakku's face filled with a smug look, making me even more mad.
"Avatar Aang, how kind of you to finally come," He said, his tone dripping with arrogant sarcasm, "Unfortunately, you are quite late,"
"I'm not here for a lesson, Pakku," I grumbled, my rage simmering just below the surface, "Katara told me you said that Akira being injured wasn't an excuse for me to not come,"
"Because it isn't," Pakku responded simply, "Be as angry as you want, but unless you were the injured one, I see no reason for you to skip a lesson,"
"Of course, if you were the injured one, that would be surprising," He added, "I wouldn't expect that weakness from an avatar,"
My eyes widened in irate shock. Had he really called Akira weak for getting injured?
"YOU SON OF A-" I began to shout, getting ready to launch myself at him. Suddenly, I was stopped by Sokka yanking me backward. He and Katara held me each by an arm, dragging me away with nervous looks on their faces.
"SCREW YOU, PAKKU!" I yelled, "SCREW YOU!"
"Goodbye, Avatar," Pakku said calmly, "Maybe you should get into some anger management classes before you speak to me again,"
"I'LL SHOW YOU ANGER MANAGEMENT, YOU PIECE OF SH-"
"Aang!" Katara exclaimed, "That's enough,"
I looked over to her, my eyes still burning with rage. Her face was set in an angered expression. Was it at me, or Pakku?
"I can walk for myself, you know," I grumbled in annoyance, lowering my gaze to the ground.
"We know that, we just don't want you trying to get into a fistfight with Pakku, that's all," Sokka responded jokingly.
My eyes narrowed in anger as I stared at him. Sokka quickly averted his gaze from mine. I couldn't stay locked between them, I was too mad. I quickly yanked myself out of their arms, bolting at top speed toward who knows where. I just knew I had to get far away, to somewhere nobody would bother me for a while. I finally stopped at a secluded area near the water, the tranquility a vast contrast to my enraged mind. I still felt angry, enough to curse out Pakku with no regrets. I had learned curse words from Bumi when we were playing one day in Omashu, and only figured out they were bad after I said one to Kiri in front of Gyatso. I had been biting back the urge to say them when I got mad ever since. Then, an idea appeared in my mind, Gyatso's voice ringing through my head. I would sometimes have tantrums as a little kid, and whenever I did, he advised me to meditate. I sat down on the ground, putting my fists together. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine myself in a happier place. It began to work, a vision of a field with lemurs and bison filling my mind. Suddenly, the happy place disappeared, being replaced by the faces of people who made my blood boil.
Pakku.
Admiral Zhao.
And Nygook.
My eyes snapped open, the memories of Kiri's bleeding state filling my mind. I felt just as angry as before, maybe even angrier. I needed a release, and quickly. I stood up, turning to the mountain of ice behind me. Then, another idea appeared. I stomped up to the ice mound, beginning to hit it with large air swipes as I screamed every profanity I knew. I began saying everything I had ever wanted to say to people who had angered me, my words harsh and awful.
Eventually, I had ran out of horrible things to say to people who weren't even there, and my strength began to waver. Feeling a new sense of calm, I let out a deep sigh, sitting up against the ice mound. I looked to the moon, its shining beauty filling the night sky. I've always liked looking at the moon, it brings me peace, and somehow enlightens my senses. Maybe it's just an avatar thing, I don't know.
"Aang!" Katara gasped, causing me to turn to her.
She and Sokka were standing together, concern etched onto each of their faces. I let out a sigh, guilt filling my mind as I realized how worried they probably were.
"Hey, Katara," I said, my voice coming out raspy due to my past shouting, "I'm sorry for running away from you guys, I just needed a release,"
"And release you did," Sokka remarked, humor in his tone, "We only found you because we heard you cussing from miles away,"
My cheeks reddened in embarrassment as I put a hand to my head.
"Oh, Gosh…" I sighed, "Was I that loud?"
"Yeah," Sokka replied, "But hey, it's alright, we all release our anger in different ways,"
"Maybe you should get into some anger management classes before you speak to me again," Pakku's voice rang in my mind.
I sighed deeply, moving my hand to my cheek. Katara, noticing my bothered look, advanced closer to me, her eyes filled with gentle kindness.
"Is everything alright?" She asked softly.
"Yeah, it's just something Pakku said," I stated distantly, "You don't have to worry,"
"But I am worried, Aang," Katara responded, her tone tinged with sadness.
I looked into her eyes, their beautiful blue filled with sadness.
"It's that last thing he said," I sighed, "That I should take anger management classes,"
"Why did it bother you so much?" Katara asked.
"Because…" I began, "I did take anger management classes,"
"When I was nine, I got into a fight with another boy at Southern Air Temple," I explained, "He had been bullying Kiri every day, and made her cry,"
"I got so mad, I couldn't even control myself," I continued, the emotion in my tone rising, "They had me put in a special meditation class for kids who struggled with controlling their anger,"
"When the other kids found out, they starting calling me Aanger," I said, "One day, at the lunch table, a kid called me the nickname, and I just snapped, throwing my apple at his head,"
"I got told I was going to be in the meditation class until I was sixteen, and diagnosed with anger management issues" I continued, "Right before we left, they told me I was doing better, and that they might've let me out when I turned thirteen instead,"
"I was doing so much better, Katara," I said, my eyes filling with tears, "And now look at me,"
My voice began to shake, the tears falling freely down my cheeks as my emotions spilled out.
"I almost cursed out Master Pakku, I wanted to kill Nygook," I stated, letting out a soft groan of self-loathing as I covered my face with my hands, "What is wrong with me?"
"There is nothing wrong with you, Aang," Katara said, wrapping me into a hug, "Your anger is completely valid,"
"I'm sorry about what Pakku said," Sokka added, "And I'm sorry if anything I said hurt you,"
"Thanks, guys," I sniffed, wiping a tear from my cheek.
"Come on, we should probably get back to the hut," Katara said, pulling out of our hug.
I nodded, standing up. With a new peace of mind, we began walking back, our steps slow and calm.
When we got back to the hut, Katara decided to go a second round on healing Akira's wounds. As she worked, Sokka and I talked, a helpful distraction to the usual turmoil that came with watching Kiri in pain.
"Aang, can I ask you something?" He asked, his voice quieter than normal.
"Sure, shoot," I responded, my tone light.
"Uh, sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but, I never took you as the type to have anger issues," He said, his cheeks reddening more with each word, "Aren't people with anger issues, like, always mad?"
"No," I responded simply, "I had the same question when I was diagnosed,"
"I think it works differently for each person," I explained, "While some people may have trouble with not getting mad so much, others may just have trouble controlling it,"
"I don't really get mad that much, but when I do, I get really mad," I continued, "Like, when we were at the Fire Sage Temple, and the doors wouldn't open, or when we were at The Northern Air Temple, and I blew The Machinist's wrecking ball off the cliff,"
"Does Akira have it?" Katara asked, speaking for the first time in a while.
"No, at least I hope not," I replied, "I read somewhere it can be learned behavior, and she's around me a lot, so I try to kind of distance myself from her while I calm down,"
"That's good," Katara said, stepping back from Kiri, "I think I'm done for now, her wounds are healing well,"
I walked over to Katara, wrapping my arms around her. She responded immediately, her body melting into mine.
"Thank you so much, Katara," I said, my words muffled due to my head being buried in her shoulder, "I couldn't have asked for a better healer,"
I picked up my head, looking into her gorgeous ocean blue eyes.
"Or a better friend,"
Katara smiled, her eyes filling with affection. My heart began to beat faster, and I hoped I wasn't blushing.
"We should all get some rest," Sokka said, "We've had a long day today, and we have an even longer day tomorrow,"
I nodded, pulling out of Katara and I's embrace. I lie down in my cot, looking at Kiri with intent care.
"She'll be awake by tomorrow morning," I thought, "She has to,"
The next morning, Katara was at her waterbending practice, and Sokka was out with Princess Yue again. I was at home, watching over Kiri. The hearing was going to be later that afternoon, and she still was sleeping. To try and get my mind off of things, I began thinking about my conversation with Sokka and Katara from the night prior. I had barely told anyone about my anger issues, and I felt a sense of guilt for telling them.
"What if they act creepily nice to me now?" I thought, "What if they don't want to make jokes because they're afraid of making me mad?"
Then, I went over the part of the conversation where Katara asked if Akira struggled with her anger. I had said no, but maybe that was just me trying to convince myself that she hadn't learned something unhealthy from me.
"I can't believe I was so stupid to let my emotions get the better of me," Kiri's voice played in my memory, her voice breaking under the weight of her turmoil, "I got super mad, and I-I threatened to kill her and the animal,"
My eyes became glassy, the realization that my little sister had inherited my emotional struggles hitting me like a brick.
"I'm sorry, Kiri," I said, my words barely above a whisper, "I'm so sorry that I gave you my stupid issues,"
I quietly cried into my hands, feeling sadness for her and anger at myself.
Later, Katara and Sokka arrived back at the hut. I was sitting on the ground, hugging my knees with tear streaks rolling down my cheeks.
"She's still not awake yet?" Katara asked, worry in her tone.
I shook my head, my eyes regenerating tears. She kneeled down toward Kiri, her eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.
"Aang, would it be okay if I splashed her with water?" She asked, turning to me.
"Whatever it takes to get her to wake up," I responded, my tone thick with emotion.
Katara nodded, drawing water from her pouch. She splashed it on Akira's face, leaving it dripping with water. She still slept, as if nothing happened to her. Katara continued to do this, drawing the water from Kiri's face and splashing it at her, but she saved to wake up.
"This is strange," Katara remarked.
"Shes been asleep for two days, how much more rest does she need?" Sokka asked.
"I think we need to take her to someone more professional," Katara responded, a concerned edge to her tone.
"Can I carry her?" I asked.
Sokka and Katara shared a glance before Katara responded, her words soft and gentle, "Sure,"
When we got to the healer's hut, my heart felt as heavy as ever. I desperately hoped Kiri would wake up.
"Hello, Avatar," One healer greeted, her kind eyes sparkling when they came upon me, "What do you need?"
"This is my little sister, Akira," I said, lowering Kiri onto the cot, "She sustained many injuries from being captured two days ago, and has been asleep ever since,"
"Katara's been working on her injuries, but the problem is we have a court trial today and she won't wake up," Sokka added, "We're wondering what you can do to help,"
The healer looked down at Kiri, her expression filled with sympathy.
"My, she is a pretty little girl," She said before turning her gaze to me, "She looks just like you,"
"My ladies and I will get to work right away," She stated.
"Thank you," I responded gratefully with a bow.
Later, we were sitting outside of the healing hut, worry apparent in my mind. I locked my gaze on the ground, tapping my foot repeatedly. I felt like a giant ball of nerves, each breath I took feeling labored. Just then, a healer walked out, her expression filled with sadness. I quickly sprung up.
"How's Akira?" I asked, "Did you wake her up?"
"I'm sorry, Avatar, but it seems Akira's body has gone into a state of comatose," She explained, her tone sorrowful, "Her body has shut itself down for the time being due to her mental and physical strain, and we're not sure when she'll wake up,"
I felt my heart break. My breath hitched in my throat, tears filling my eyes. Nothing felt real. I felt as if I were floating through space, not knowing if I would ever stop. I started violently sobbing and hyperventilating, feeling like I was going to pass out, throw up, and die all at the same time. I felt arms wrap around me. What was usually a comforting gesture became like a prison, my desperate cries becoming louder as I pulled myself away from the hugs. I did what I do best, I ran. I ran as fast as I could, getting Deja Vu from the night prior. When I stopped, I was atop a cliff. I stepped onto the edge, looking down below.
"Maybe this is all a horrible nightmare, and if I die, it will all be over," I thought, "Maybe…just, maybe…"
I stepped away from the edge, deciding to let my pain go into full swing. I cried harder than I ever had before, my sobs wracked and desperate. I felt completely helpless and broken, like my whole life had been taken away from me. Why had I become the world's punching bag? What did I do to deserve this? Just then, I heard footsteps behind me, and turned to see Katara, her eyes glassy.
"Aang, listen, Akira will be okay," She said.
"How do you know that?" I asked, my tone heavy with emotion.
Katara looked down, letting out a deep sigh.
"I don't," She admitted, "I don't know if she'll be the same when she wakes up, or even when she'll wake up,"
"But I know she's strong, and that she's going to get through it," She continued, "The trial's in half an hour, we need to get ready-"
"Is that all you care about?!" I snapped, "The trial?!"
"My little sister is in a coma, Katara, and you expect me to just arrive at the court hearing like it's nothing?!"
"No, no!" Katara began, her eyes widening as she waved her hands in defense, "I care about Akira, it's just that we need to go to the trial to get her justice,"
My eyes widened. Why was she acting like this? Why was she being so defensive, like she was scared to even slightly offend me? Then it clicked in my head. I let out a dry, humorless laugh.
"Oh, I see," I said, "You're acting like this because you know I have anger issues,"
"You're being all nice so I won't get mad,"
"No, I just didn't want this situation to get worse than it is, that's all," Katara said.
"Yeah, like I believe that," I responded, my tone dripping with sarcasm, "I don't know why I thought it would be good to open up to you,"
The tears in Katara's eyes began rolling down her cheeks, pure shock painted across her face.
"Do you know how hard it is for me?" I asked, my boiling anger rising, "I feel like a ticking time bomb every time someone pisses me off,"
"I've been in so many arguments, so many fights, said so many words I haven't meant, all because I can't control myself,"
"And like I said, I was getting better, Katara!" I exclaimed, my self-loathing thoughts pouring out, "I was getting so much better! But then I got told I was the avatar, and that all got thrown away!"
"I don't want to be angry anymore! I hate feeling this way!"
Katara pulled me into an embrace, which I quickly accepted, wrapping my arms around her. I began crying again, my wracked sobs echoing throughout the tribe. Katara just sat there, rubbing my back and whispering soothing words into my ear, her strength unwavering.
Eventually, we went back to the hut, Kiri in tow. Katara changed her back into her own clothes, which were patched up, and gave me mine. When I looked in the mirror, my reflection was not how it had been mere days before. My eyes were bloodshot and puffy, dark circles beneath them. Tear marks were visible on my cheeks, and I was flushed red. There was a bucket of water next to me. I bent the water from it, splashing it onto my face. I let out a deep sigh, walking out of the bathroom.
"Alright, are we ready?" Katara asked.
"Yep," Sokka responded.
I just nodded, not really feeling like talking. Katara walked over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"You can do this," She said.
"Thanks," I replied, pulling her into a hug.
"Order in the court!" The judge shouted, his voice booming over the room, "This is the case of Akira, the ten-year old girl who was reportedly kidnapped and tortured by Nygook,"
I glared across the room at the man. His nose was in a cast, which made me feel at least somewhat better.
"Both the victim and the accused will now report their claims," The judge stated.
I cleared my throat, standing out of my chair.
"Hello, everyone," I said, "Unfortunately, Akira will not be present today, as she is in coma from her mental and physical strain, so I will be representing her,"
"My first claim is that this man did not hesitate to severely injure a young, defenseless girl," I stated, "When I found her, Akira was in chains, with many deep cuts all over her body,"
"Thank you, Avatar Aang," The judge said, "Now, Nygook's defender may speak,"
"As you can see, Nygook has a cast on his nose," The defender began, "He told me Avatar Aang was the one who broke it, knocking him out in the process,"
"This boy should be arrested and sent to the juvenile detention center for assault," He said, pointing to me.
He then sat down, not noticing my scowl following him as he did.
"Now, we've been presented with some evidence," The judge said, "There was a waterbending scroll found with Akira in the bunker,"
"The scroll is ours, we received it from pirates on a boat," I explained, "Before she passed out, Akira told us that she had been using it to help some people learn waterbending,"
"Nygook informed me that he is part of a gang, looking to avenge The Northern Water Tribe from pirates who have stolen our scrolls," The defender stated, "He also said that the girl would not give up the scroll's owner, so he was only doing his job,"
I gritted my teeth, biting back the anger that so badly wanted to come out.
"Avatar Aang, how did you find Akira?" The judge asked.
"We had been searching around for a while," I responded, "It began feeling hopeless, until a girl named Avonlea led us to the bunker Akira was in,"
"Thank you, Avatar," The judge said, "Now, Avonlea, will you please stand?"
Gasps came from all over the room as Avonlea stood, eyes turning to her. She looked nervous, as if she were going to pass out.
"And, Avonlea, how did you know about the bunker?" The judge asked.
The room fell silent, all eyes turned to Avonlea. She made a visible gulp, her eyes darting across the crowd.
"I know because…" She began, her words shaky and full of nerves, "I know because Nygook is my uncle,"
"I-, I have files on him," She stated, holding up papers, "I've been collecting them ever since I found out about his gang's malicious intent,"
"They aren't just trying to avenge our tribe, they're torturing and killing innocent people," She continued, her voice becoming stronger and filled with more confidence, "Like Akira,"
"The gang's members are all over, some may even be in this room," Avonlea stated, "There are files on every one of them,"
"Bring them over here, please," The judge stated. Everyone watched as Avonlea made her way over to the judge, handing him the files.
"This case has come to a pause," The judge announced, "We will continue in three hours time,"
"Three hours?!" Sokka exclaimed as he munched on a churro he had bought, "They need three hours to read those documents,"
"I know," I grumbled, "Why don't they just arrest him now and go through the documents later? There's nothing he can do to convince them, his lawyer just changes the subject,"
"It's alright, guys," Katara said, "In the meantime, we can find some things to do around town,"
Just then, Master Pakku began to walk toward us. Trying my hardest to keep down my bubbling anger, I clenched my jaw, hoping I wouldn't say anything too harsh if I lost control of myself.
"Avatar," He began, "May I speak with you in private?"
I nodded, my jaw still clenched tightly. Pakku began to walk me into a more secluded area, where there was a bench made of ice. He sat down, and I followed suit.
"Aang, we need to talk," Pakku said, his tone serious.
A lump began to rise in my throat. Was he going to remove me as his student for cursing him out? Would I ever get to master waterbending?
"I apologize for what I said about your sister," He stated, "I'm the one who has no excuse here,"
"I'm sorry, too," I said, "I let my emotions get the the better of me, and to be honest, I would've said worse if Sokka and Katara didn't interrupt me,"
"Just know I won't tolerate that profane language again," Pakku stated, his voice stern and steady, "You are allowed to take as much time off as you'd like, but not too long,"
"I understand," I said, standing up, "Thank you, Master Pakku,"
When we arrived back in the courtroom, the atmosphere was heavier than before. I took my seat, staring Nygook down. His lips were curled into a devilish smile, making me wish I could break his nose all over again.
"Order in the court!" The judge exclaimed, silencing the room, "After looking through the provided documents, we have determined that Nygook is guilty for his crimes against Akira,"
"We also have found charges for multiple murders, sentencing him to life in prison," He added.
Gasps echoed throughout the room as Nygook was taken away by soldiers.
"We did it," Sokka gasped, "We got Akira justice,"
"You did great, Aang," Katara said, turning to me.
"Thanks," I replied, my heart swelling with affection.
"We're gonna get some food to go," Sokka stated, "And this time, you're eating double the noodles,"
"Okay," I responded simply, "But, you could've just said you wanted me to barf all over the floor,"
"Seriously?" Sokka asked, his tone tinged with annoyance, "You can't possibly throw up after two bowls of noodles,"
"Wanna test that theory?" I asked sassily, moving my head closer to his.
"You know what?" Sokka asked, "I think I do,"
"We'll have an eating contest," He stated, "Whoever eats the most noddles without throwing up wins,"
"You're on,"
Sokka and I were sat on the ground of our hut, our bowls of noodles in front of us. There were also pots next to us, for if we threw up. "Guys, this is stupid," Katara sighed, "Eating until you throw up isn't healthy,"
"Come on, Katara, live a little," Sokka said, "This is just a fun little contest, neither of us might even throw up!"
"Yeah, maybe we'll just run out," I added.
Katara let out an annoyed sigh before turning to her own food.
"Three…" Sokka began, grabbing his bowl of noodles, "Two…" He twisted the noodles with his chopsticks, "One!"
We quickly began eating our noodles. Sokka ate way quicker than I did, finishing his bowl at least thirty seconds before me. By the time I was done with my second bowl, I was already beginning to feel queasy, but continued on. When I got halfway through my third, the queasiness became more intense. Sokka was advancing to his fifth bowl, and as I began my fourth, I felt something rise in my throat. I dropped my noodle bowl, my hand flying to my mouth as I grabbed the pot. I quickly began throwing up into it. In most cases, throwing up was a one and done sort of deal, but somehow, my body saved to stop.
"Are you gonna stop?!" Sokka asked, his voice frantic.
"I-" I tried to respond, before barfing into the pot again, "I don't know,"
"He's throwing up three bowls of noodles, of course he's not stopping!" Katara shouted in exasperation.
Eventually, I ran out of noodles to hurl, and just started gagging.
"What's he doing now?!" Sokka asked.
"He's gagging, idiot!" Katara yelled, "We need to get him some water! Something he can throw up before he starts barfing bile!"
Sokka grabbed Katara's pouch, opening it and handing it to me.
"Here, Aang, drink this," He said.
"Drink it slowly!" Katara exclaimed.
I snatched the pouch from Sokka, slowly drinking it. As soon as it ran out, I began feeling nauseous again.
"How do you feel?" Katara asked.
Just as I was about to respond, water began pouring out of my mouth, and I barely made it to the pot.
I spent the rest of that night hurling my guts out into a pot, not to mention the intense stomach pain. It felt like my insides were being twisted, every gag becoming more unbearable than the last. I would sleep for an hour at maximum, before having to throw up into the pot again. I finally ended up stopping as the sun began to rise, sleeping in until the early afternoon.
My eyes fluttered, the first thing I felt being the pain in my ribs. I let out a soft groan as I sat up, remembering the events of the night prior. I put a hand to my head in exasperation as I clutched my stomach with the other. It still hurt, but not nearly as bad as before.
"Why did I have to take the challenge?" I grumbled to myself. I stood, realizing how lightheaded I was. Katara was gone, but Sokka was still asleep in his cot. I felt a sense of guilt as I remembered the two being by my side the whole night. I looked to Kiri, her sleeping form bringing me sadness despite her peaceful look. I looked out the window, toward the council hall where the court trial had been held. A strange feeling of longing crossed my mind as Nygook getting taken away by the soldiers appeared in it. As my eyes narrowed, I knew what I needed to do.
As I trudged toward the council hall, pain filled my sides.
"I'm definitely going to need Katara to check that out later," I thought.
When I entered the council hall, I was greeted with the serine sight of a beautiful ice landscape. I quickly turned the corner, walking past the courtroom and to the cell room. There were two soldiers posted in the doorway, their stony expressions unwavering.
"Excuse me, may I please speak to Nygook?" I asked.
"Of course, Avatar," One of the soldiers said.
"Thank you," I replied with a smile.
I was surprised on how easy it was to access dangerous criminals. The soldiers stepped aside, and I enetered the cell room.
"Follow me," A soldier said.
He led me all the way down to the end of the long hall, unlocking the cell door and handing me the keys.
"Give these back when you're done," He instructed.
I nodded, and the soldier began to walk back to his post. I put the keys in my belt, walking into the cell. Nygook was sat on the ground, his expression hard and fixated at the ground. He was chained by his hands and feet to the floor, unable to move freely.
"Hello, Nygook," I greeted, my tone sweet and soft.
"What do you want?" He spat back, his voice gruff and stony.
"Oh, nothing," I responded, stepping closer to him, "I just wanted to know how it feels,"
"How what feels?" Nygook asked.
I stepped closer to him again, kneeling down to be at his level. His eyes widened in confusion.
"How it feels to be so helpless," I said, my tone low and threatening.
Nygook averted his gaze from mine.
"You know I'm a waterbender, right?" I asked.
"Yes," Nygook responded stiffly, his eyes still avoiding mine, "You're the avatar, so I'd assume you'd be one,"
"Look at me when I'm speaking to you, Nygook," I commanded.
His eyes slowly traveled back to mine, the fear in them amusing me.
"You'd be pretty screwed if I had water on me, wouldn't you?" I asked, "One icicle to the heart and you're gone,"
"If you came here to kill me, then just do it," Nygook said, "You don't have to play mind games, Avatar,"
"Oh, I didn't come here to kill you," I responded.
"Why not?" He asked, "I put your sister in a coma, shouldn't that be reason enough?"
"Because I'm not like you," I replied, my voice calm but filled with inner rage, "I'm not a sick, twisted monster who is more worthless than trash,"
"How does it feel to not be able to bend?" I asked, "How does it feel to be chained?"
Nygook didn't answer, closing his eyes and turning his head down.
"Answer my question," I growled.
No answer again.
"Nygook," I began, my rage boiling over the surface, "Answer the question!"
"I feel like…I'm helpless," He admitted shakily, "Like there's nothing I can do,"
"Good," I said, my lips curling into a smile, "Because as long as I'm living, that's all you'll ever feel,"
"You're chained, exactly like Akira was," I stated, "But, unlike her, nobody's coming to save you,"
"You're stuck here forever," I continued, standing up.
"I'm not scared of you, kid," Nygook grumbled.
"Oh, we both know that's a lie," I replied simply.
I turned to the door of the cell, opening it. I took one last look at him. He looked pitiful, almost amusing.
"Have a nice time rotting in jail," I said.
When I came out of the council hall, the longing feeling was gone. I felt accomplished, like I had finally gotten closure. Suddenly, I came upon Avonlea. She was pacing back in forth, her face set in a pondering expression.
"Hey, Avonlea," I said, walking up to her, "What's up?"
"I don't know if I should go in and see him," She responded, her tone full of nerves, "Is it bad that I feel guilty for getting him imprisoned?"
"I mean, I know he's a horrible person, but he's still my uncle," She said, "I've known him my whole life,"
"It's not wrong of you to doubt your decision," I stated, "Like you said, he's still your uncle,"
"But, just know you made the right choice," I added, "You exposed your uncle, and many others who were taking innocent lives,"
"You don't have to feel guilty," I finished.
"Thank you, Avatar Aang," Avonlea said.
"Of course," I responded.
I spent the rest of the day by Kiri's side, not wanting to move a muscle. Katara worked on her wounds, while Sokka told funny stories to keep the mood light. I didn't eat anything for dinner, not feeling ready to step back into the world of food after the events of the night before. I decided to not tell Katara and Sokka about my visit to Nygook, wanting to keep it between my mind and I. That night, I fell asleep to the sound of Akira's breathing, holding her tightly in my arms.
Late in the morning the next day, I was lying next to Kiri, tears dropping down my cheeks as my gaze shifted to the scar on her cheek. Sokka and Katara were both outside. Sokka was practicing throwing his boomerang, while Katara was getting water to work on Akira's injuries.
Then, it happened.
Kiri's eyes began to flutter, a soft groan escaping her lips. My eyes widened in shock as hers opened, immediately locking onto mine. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to do. Kiri was awake, she was finally awake. I didn't want to startle her, so I decided to act normal.
"Good morning," I said, my voice weaker than I intended.
"Hi," She responded.
For a moment, I just sat there, pondering if any of this was real. Just then, Katara came in.
"Aang, I'm gonna need you to-" She began, her eyes widening in shock upon seeing Akira, "Shes awake!"
Kiri slowly sat up, resting her back against the wall. I did the same. Katara set the bowl of water she had been holding, kneeling down to embrace Kiri.
"I'm so glad you're awake, Akira," She said, her tone heavy with emotion, "I'll go get Sokka,"
She then pulled out of the hug, running out of the hut.
"So, what happened after I fell asleep?" Kiri asked, turning to me.
A lot had happened, but I decided to narrow it down immensely, just giving her the basics.
"You were out for three days," I explained, "Since then, Katara's been working on your injuries, and I haven't left your side,"
Akira smiled, her eyes filling with affection. As quickly as it came, the expression faltered, changing to a frown of worry.
"But, what about your training with Master Pakku?" She asked.
"You are way more important," I stated, my voice thick with emotion and affection, "I love you so much, Kiri, I can't just leave you when you're hurt,"
Akira smiled again, tears rolling down her cheeks. She threw her arms around me, to which I immediately responded, pulling her into my arms.
"You're the best brother ever," She said.
My eyes widened, my heart swelling with affection. I missed this, I missed this so much.
"That means more to me than you'll ever know," I responded.
Katara then reentered the hut, Sokka in tow. Kiri and I pulled out of our hug, turning to them.
"Hey, kid," Sokka said, kneeling down to Kiri, "I'm sorry for not saying anything before you passed out, I just didn't have the words to,"
"But I do now," He stated, "Akira, you are braver and stronger than you will ever know,"
"Thank you, Sokka," Kiri responded, a deep blush forming on her cheeks.
He then hugged her, and Katara and I joined. We sat there for a while just enjoying each other's company. After a while, Akira pulled out of it.
"Okay, I have some questions," She stated.
"Shoot," Sokka replied.
"What happened to the guy that captured me?" Akira asked, "Did he get arrested?"
"Let me start from the beginning," Sokka said.
And as the day continued, Sokka told Akira the story of what happened while she was passed out, making sure to leave out the lowest parts. As he spoke, the laughter and joy ringing through the air, everything began feeling alright again. I just hoped that feeling would last for long.