420Holy Canolli! The site's FINALLY back up! I got so bored I began to write a new story and a few new oneshots. I even got so bored as to review my own story in an attempt to stay in communication with the rest of the community!
Ehhh, oh well. What can you do? It's nice to be able to update again. It seems like everyone else has been busy writing, too, huh?
Whatever. This story is seriously getting to the point where Aang and Katara should find Sokka and Toph soon. Whether I continue the story after that in a sequel or this same fic will be up to you guys.
Me no-no own Avatar.
Ch.22
It is late at night and the young, loving couple lay fast asleep in their small tent. Aang lies with his arm slung over Katara's waist, keeping her close and warm. In what would otherwise be considered a very calm and restful sleep, the young Avatar's eyelids twitch slightly, and the blue arrows tattooed on his body began to glow…
- (spirit world) -
Aang's eyes fluttered open and he found himself lying on a patch of ground in the middle of a murky swamp-land. Aang slowly began to stand up. He recognized this place as the Spirit World, where he had traveled in hopes of recruiting the Moon's and Ocean's help in an attempt to thwart the Fire Nation's siege on the North Pole.
"Hello, Aang." Avatar Roku had appeared before him just as he had before, as a reflection in the water.
"Avatar Roku? Why am I here? Is something wrong?"
Roku's image had risen out of the water and took the form of his actual body. "No, nothing's wrong, but it is imperative that we speak. There have been recent… events… that must be discussed."
Aang's eyes widened in realization. "Is it about Katara?"
Roku nodded. "Yes, some of it."
Aang bit his lip and thought about what must be said. "I don't expect you to understand, but I can't leave her. I love her. I know that no Avatar is supposed to be allowed to love but-."
"Aang, calm down. I said nothing was wrong. But we must still speak. Come, walk with me."
A narrow trail of land had appeared in the murky water, and Roku led Aang along it as they discussed some recent happenings.
"So, if it's about Katara and nothing's wrong, what is it?" Aang asked, wondering what was so important that he was brought into the Spirit World in his sleep.
"It is rather embarrassing to say… As you know, you are the last remaining Airbender."
"Right…"
Roku had desperately hoped that Aang would have caught on. "Well… The great Spirits have made an exception. You will be allowed to remain with Katara, but only if she does not interfere with your duties. They are allowing this relationship because the fate of the Airbenders depends on it."
"How so?" Aang asked, blithely unaware of what the elder Avatar was attempting to convey.
"Must you be so difficult?" Roku asked, exasperated. "I mean to say that it is up to you and Katara to save the Avatar cycle. You must have children. At least one must be an Airbender. Preferably more. And again, at least one must master Airbending."
Aang's face was now flushed with embarrassment. "Uhh, we're a bit too young…"
"Yes, you are. But when the two of you believe that you are ready, it will be expected of you."
Aang's face was a good few degrees warmer than the rest of his body. He and Katara had to 'do the deed' because it was his responsibility to make sure that his people lived on. Well that's not something that a kid hears every day…
"Umm… Okay." That was all Aang could bring himself to say. It wasn't something that he was willing to openly discuss with someone he didn't really know all too well. Even if Roku was, in essence, Aang in a previous life.
"Very well then, now that that is out of the way… There is more. You have the ability to freely firebend now, correct?"
"Yes." Aang looked away for a moment, contemplating on a question. "Why? Why can I do it now?"
"For two reasons that I would know of. The first is simpler; Jeong Jeong had told you that you wouldn't be ready to firebend until you had mastered the other three elements. You are very close to doing so. The ability is manifesting itself inside you."
That seemed logical, but it wasn't enough to explain it. "Okay, and the second reason?"
Avatar Roku smiled slightly, something he never does. "Katara." He said simply, like it was all the reason in the world.
"What does she have to do with it?"
"Everything. Firebending is caused by emotion; it seems that you finally admitting your feelings for her had its side effects. You can now more calmly and easily control your emotions, now that the weight of your secret has been lifted."
"If I can firebend because of her, why am I afraid to do it around her?"
"Aang, you may be the Spirit of the Earth, but you are still human. When one hurts someone they care about, the emotional scars don't heal easily. However, they could heal faster, if you accepted her help."
Aang looked away again, feeling ashamed. "She's tried to help, but I'm not ready yet. It- It scares me, to firebend around her. Whenever I even think about it, I remember…" He trailed of and shuddered slightly as the image of Katara's burnt hands and scared face made its way back into his mind.
Hesitantly, Avatar Roku attempted to place a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder. When Aang looked up at him, Roku was wearing a painfully obvious forced and uncomfortable smile. The sight actually lifted Aang's mood, he began to laugh when he saw it.
"I'm trying to be consoling." Roku said dryly and irritated.
Aang's smile only grew. "You could use some practice."
Avatar Roku's expression went back to his usual stone-faced seriousness. "I understand that you are upset because you accidentally hurt her, but remember what I said. The Spirits will only stand for this relationship as long as she does not interfere with your duties. That involves the mastering of all four elements, Fire included. You must master Fire before you face Ozai. You cannot choose to ignore it. Not because of her."
Aang's facial features hardened as well, revealing the side of him that acts much older than he is. "I understand. I will do my best, Avatar Roku." Aang bowed politely. When he came back up, he appeared to be back to his 13-year old self. "So, uhh, how do I get out of here?"
"How did you do it last time?"
Aang tried to recall his previous experience. "Hei Bei shot some kind of blue beam at me, and then I just went back."
Avatar Roku said nothing, but pointed to something behind Aang. He turned around to look and, as if on cue, Hei Bei was standing right there.
"He will lead you back once more." was Avatar Roku's only good-bye. His body returned to the water, and he was once again a reflection, slowly fading away.
Aang faced the giant panda-spirit and climbed onto his neck. "Okay, get me out of here."
-(Real World)-
Aang's eyes blinked open. He was lying where he always was, in the small tent he and Katara were temporarily sharing. She slept with her back facing him, and his left arm was draped over her waist. His head rested up against the crook of her neck.
His eyes and brain now caught up with the rest of his body, which was wide awake. His first thoughts were something along the lines of 'this is the way I want to wake up every morning.' He smiled and, although she wasn't awake, he placed a soft kiss against her cheek. He felt the same rushing flood of emotion he had the night before. It would leave him content for life if he could just stay there, with Katara in his arms, with no need to ever leave or break the moment.
But all good things must come to an end. With a quiet sigh, he began to gently lift his arm off of her, careful not to wake Katara up. He silently climbed out of the tent and stretched, cracking whatever joints hadn't already popped. He looked over at sun, and saw it just starting to peak over the horizon. By his schedule, he slept in unbelievably late.
He next checked his wounded arm, carefully unwrapping the bandage. The wound looked clean and infection-free. He cleaned the piece of cloth the best he could in the stream and re-tied it around his wound.
He stole another glance back at the tent and found himself smiling once more. Nothing could compare to how he felt the night before, no emotion could ever take its place. He needed it. He couldn't live without it.
He looked out at the sun once more. Today would be a good day. The Spirits allowed his relationship with Katara to take place, he left the Spirit World a little wiser, and also with an awkward conversation waiting to happen between him and Katara, and he now realized, after the night before, just how much he really loved Katara. Up until then, it was mostly just surface feelings, desires and pleasures. Now he understood, and as soon as Katara woke up, he would be there to greet her with this newfound outlook on their growing relationship.
He was even confident that they would find their friends today.
Yep, today would be a good day.
Okay, yes, I'm still drawing on what apparently was a great success with that mushy gushy stuff. I liked it too; it leaves you feeling all tingly inside. The conversation between Katara and Aang, that'll be funny.
Reviews Please!