Capítulo 43: Book I, Act VII: Back to Square One, Chapter IV
Edited by: Bieverdog AO3: GalavantingGoose
Book I, Imbalance
Act VII: Back to Square One
Music: At Sea, Spiritfarer/ Heledir Music — A New Dawn, A Better Tomorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZrvSMq3kiA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6sNpL4zreM
Chapter IV
They were in a small village north of the Fire Nation, another of the hundreds of colonies that Fire Lord Azulon had attempted to establish in what was once the land of the airbenders. They had already dismantled a dozen of them, and that wasn't even counting the ones the army had done on their own. This was one of theirs, and the brass were too preoccupied to give it something as basic as a name, preferring the sterile "Installation Five."
The remote outpost had been a much easier task than the cities they had been to, for very few of the residents had been there long and they did not have many points of importance. Whatever arable land the area possessed could barely be called that. Even so, the war machine had scrounged every square inch of the colonies for resources in their endless war. As a result, the people had been devastated by severe conscription laws at that time, and only the children and the elderly were spared.
Azulon had dealt the first blow; they were just there to finish the job. It didn't help that they were standing on the land of Aang's people. Those who died for that land… All of that bloodshed… All for nothing. He did not know how to feel about it. He had thought about it before–it was a way to return to the natural order of things, to mete out justice for the atrocities committed–but on the other hand, should those places be devoid of life? Would his people have wanted it that way? On his shoulders fell not only the responsibility of the Avatar, but the responsibility of an airbender, the last of his people and their sole representative in this world. They were two burdens that he alone carried; a dilemma ever present in his mind.
He sat on a pile of boxes as he pondered in silence whilst Sokka tried to calm people and Katara gestured to the crowd that had gathered around them. "Please make an orderly line, people; there's enough for anyone."
"Elderly first, please." Katara gave a bundle of dry fruits to the sea of hands reaching out pleadingly.
Sokka gripped his face in desperation. "Man, this is going to take forever!"
She frowned at him. "Don't be such a baby; you had your free time yesterday. Sweetie, could you please bring more bread? We're running low." Aang remained silent, his mind unaware of his surroundings. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Aang, are you okay?"
"Huh?" He glanced around, confused as to how he even got there in the first place, and rose, giving her a reassuring smile. "Oh yeah… sure. I'll be right back."
Katara still seemed worried. "Thanks… Hey, if you need some air, Sokka can cover for you. It's his turn anyway." At her brother's protest, Katara scowled, and he backed down.
Aang shook his head as he backed away. "No, it's alright. I want to help." He had to think of something else.
At the edges of civilization, they no longer had a glamorous base of operations. Now it usually consisted of the few places the locals had available: hopefully houses, usually barns, or grudging sleeping under the sky. He didn't mind, and Appa and Momo certainly didn't mind either, although Appa refused to sleep inside the barn, preferring to sleep on piles of hay outside or lying on the grass. This time, they had been given a barn too small even for Appa to fit in; but at least, it was good for storing their supplies and those from the Fire Nation.
He airbent one of the boxes of food carefully into the air, bringing it down slowly and out in the open. It no longer surprised him to see that people still feared him, and it saddened him to think that to many children, the airbenders were the vengeful spirits that hid under their beds at night. He had tried ignoring it and had tried showing people that wasn't the case; yet to many, the fear was too entrenched to overcome. Aang sighed and lowered his head as he carried on forward to the gasps of some in the crowd.
He put the box next to the other, and Katara flashed a smile and a quick, "Thank you," before returning to her task. Eager to help, he put on a smile and got to work beside Sokka distributing the food. Some refused, but most were too desperate to reject it.
They spent the rest of the afternoon tending to the hungry crowds then organizing them in groups for the day they'd be transported back to the Fire Nation. It had become standard procedure by then. The convincing was usually the hardest part; but for most, there wasn't much convincing to be done, for the people were resigned to their fate, eager, or apathetic to the whole ordeal due to their crippling losses.
Sokka kicked the dirt as they walked towards the barn. "I should've gone with Toph. This is so boring; there's nothing to do around these villages! At least, I had an office back at Langshizi."
Aang curved his lips slightly. "You still do."
Katara opened the door; and once inside, Sokka jumped on his pile, resting his hands behind his head. "Oh yeah, the straw bales make for a great desk… and a bed." He sprayed some of the hay to his side, uninterested.
Katara huffed. "We signed up for this; besides, I like it. You get used to it quick."
Sokka chuckled. "Really? I noticed you're styling your hair differently. Really rocking that farmer look."
Katara turned around, looking at Aang with surprise and worry written all over her face. "It doesn't look that bad… Does it?"
"I think it looks… unique?" The Avatar gave her an uneasy smile.
Sokka shrugged. "I don't know. I just get the feeling that a bird would confuse it for a nest."
Aang snorted, and Katara stared at him. "Oh, sorry." He covered his mouth.
She glared at Sokka and stomped the ground. "Grow up, Sokka; and don't stay up until late! We still have work to do tomorrow." She went to a room next door, shutting the doors behind her loudly.
Sokka smirked. "Yep. I'll get back to you as soon as I organize my custom-made desk-bed." He turned to Aang. "Honestly, don't know how you can stand her–"
"I can still hear you!" They both gritted their teeth.
Sokka gestured to make a point. "See what I'm talking about?"
Aang shrugged. "Well, you always manage to make her mad."
"That's big brother stuff. Make her mad, tease her, make sure her boyfriend's up to snuff. Stuff like that."
Aang scratched the back of his head. "We're doing fine so far… I think."
Sokka leaned to his side, resting his head on his hand. "Do tell, my friend. Do tell."
He looked down, not sure where to begin. "...Last date, we did great. It was fun. We didn't get the chance to go out again, you know; but I think she has taken her job too seriously, like it's always that before anything– Why are you wearing that?"
Sokka was wearing his ridiculous beard. "Aang, my friend, you are in desperate need of romantic counseling; and I'm here to guide you. Please continue. You're welcome to lie down on my ded. Get it? Desk, bed, ded?" The Avatar directed a funny look at his friend, but ultimately complied, lying on Sokka's ded with his hands folded on his chest.
"Ok… We still have a thing between us. It's great being around her; it's just… it doesn't feel like it used to. She's too absorbed in her work; she doesn't take some time to relax or do something different anymore."
Sokka thoughtfully looked to the ceiling as he tapped his chin, then he looked down at him. "Hmm… Have you tried speaking to her about it? She can be a pain– Ahem. I mean difficult. But she must have her reasons. Have you tried seeing her side? Shoe on the other foot, so to speak."
"Well, when you put it like that… But I did try to speak with her; she– She never has the time. I know that what we are doing is important. I just… Augh! Why is love so hard!" Aang threw up his hands as Sokka nodded.
"Love is like seal jerky; it takes a long and painstaking process to make something wonderful and chewy… That got away from me."
Aang raised an eyebrow. "That's an… interesting comparison, Sokka. I think I get it."
"Now that I thought of it, do we still have any seal jerky around?"
He sat down on the bed. "I think you ate it all. Don't you think it's a bit late for seal jerky anyway?"
Sokka snorted. "Late for seal jerky? One time, I chewed on a whole sack until morning! I threw up, and Dad wasn't happy… Anyway, getting back on track, so… more love problems?"
"Guess not… How are you doing with Suki?"
Sokka's smile vanished. "Everything's fine. It's just… the same: I'm too busy with this; she's too busy with things back home. But we're still getting there. I just don't know when we'll have time."
"Sounds like you're in need of some romantic counseling yourself." He ran to his sack and pulled out a bison-fur beard.
"You made one too!"
"Thought it would be a fun thing to make when Appa shedded last time. So, do tell." Aang sat on his own pile of hay.
"Nope, I'm absolutely one hundred percent fine… Really, we write to each other often and– Why am I even telling you this?"
Aang shrugged. "You are the one knowledgeable in the dealings of the heart; you tell me."
He smiled playfully at his friend, who turned his back. "Let's just sleep."
He left his fake beard aside, lying on the hay and looking at the wooden ceiling. He hoped he hadn't made him uncomfortable. Even then, Sokka would forgive him. Thinking of the day ahead, he closed his eyes, but his thoughts from earlier that day arose again.
What would my people want?
***
He awoke as Katara creaked open her door, looking at him with her hands interlaced as she entered. "Oh, morning, Aang. Got a minute?"
He sat up in his bed. "Sure…"
"I'm sorry." Her eyes didn't meet his.
"What? You don't–"
She sat down beside him, and he remained silent as she gathered her words. "I do. I kinda overheard what you guys talked about. I didn't realize how I made you feel. I've… had a lot on my plate recently, and… I don't want to fail all these people."
Aang took her hand. "It's alright. I know we've been through a lot lately. I was so scared for you when we got that message; thought she'd probably come for you too. Can't imagine how it must have felt. …I just hope it doesn't get that far. She's his sister; there has to be some way to help her. I mean, imagine Sokka being chief and you were like Hama. Do you think he would give up on you?"
She pulled her hand away and shook her head. "It's different. I'd never be like her, Aang; you didn't see her. There was no regret in her eyes. She would have killed me and Zuko if she had the chance… She's too far gone already."
He scoffed. "Too far gone? Like Ozai? Everyone told me I needed to kill him; and when I took his bending away, I thought I solved that. But… even that felt wrong. Azula… she's too young to be treated that way. …I just can't say someone like her is too far gone."
"Even then, she isn't in her right mind. She might not be Ozai yet, but she sure tried her best to be like him. Even her friends realized what she was doing was wrong, and she never doubted what she did."
"What she did. In the past. Gyatso said to let someone's faults blow away like leaves in the breeze. Katara, everyone deserves a second chance–"
Sokka burst through the main door and crossed his arms smugly. "Good morning, lovebirds! Have you made breakfast already, Katara?"
She glared at him. "We were talking."
"Right." He winked at Aang. "Well, you keep at it. Don't mind me while I make us something to eat. With science!"
Katara groaned, "Sokka, the last time you cooked, you ruined the pot." She looked at Aang again. "I'll help him."
"Hey, it's not my fault Appa was comfy! And that pot was ugly anyway."
Aang left the two to argue; he didn't know how they could bicker for hours on end, just to end up laughing at it at the end of the day. He walked over to Appa, who was still asleep, and sat next to him, mulling over their conversation and what had happened over the past few months. It all had flown by. It was hard to get used to not having Toph around; she'd always balance Sokka and Katara's arguments and even weigh in whenever a joke came up. He wondered what she was up to and if it'd even be worth it to write to her. What would he even say? 'Come back! We need you'? She'd only distance herself more…
At least, he was doing his duty as the Avatar, bringing the world the balance it so desperately needed. Only… it felt like a big piece was missing. He didn't want to think about it anymore. It had already been more than a year since he last saw his friends– He knew it hadn't been a year; a hundred years had passed. They no longer existed; everything they had been was reduced to memories. There was still Bumi, but he had changed a bit. No matter how hard he tried, it was still hard to accept that the world he once knew was long gone.
What would they all want him to do? Would his culture die with him? How long would it be for the airbenders to become just a legend? Then fade away… Just a bunch of broken statues in a moss ridden tomb–
Appa nuzzled him.
"You miss them too?"
The bison bellowed a somber huff.
"Yeah, I do too. …I do too."
Aang heard a noise from one of the travel bags. "Momo, what are you doing there buddy?" The lemur popped up with a piece of jerky in its mouth. "Momo… Okay, I won't tell Sokka."
He laughed and petted Momo as he looked up and thought of Toph again. "You gotta face it head on." His gaze settled on the mountains.
"Wanna go back for a visit, guys?"
They purred their approval–
There was a clatter from their makeshift kitchen. "Sokka!"
He saw Sokka desperately trying to scoop scattered rice from the ground. "I can save it!"
He could almost imagine Katara smirking. "It's all yours, Mr. Science."
Aang took a fruit with him and went over to them. "Guys, I'll be back soon. I'm taking Appa and Momo for a ride."
"What? But you haven't even tried my breakfast."
Aang smiled grimacingly. "Uh… I'll try it next time."
"But it's vegetarian!"
"I'm good, really. See you." He waved and jumped onto Appa.
Katara waved back. "Don't take too long, Sweetie."
"Nice rice pudding. Mmm." Sokka smiled smugly as he took a bite.
And froze his face until Aang was out of sight. Then he spit it out like it was poison, scraping his tongue as Katara smirked at him and crossed her arms. "Nice rice pudding, huh?"
"It just needs a bit of seasoning…" He coughed, spitting some more of it.
Katara shook her head. "More like a bag of seasoning." Her eyes turned to see Aang flying away.
***
When he landed, he could feel that Appa was scared; he still remembered well what had happened there before. The old temple now looked like the scene of a battle, yet the place still evoked strong feelings. With his hand, he followed the murals carved in the stone of the mountain that adorned the walls of the temple, some incomplete, others deteriorated or destroyed. Aang could still see the stories, the memories he had of that place. He closed his eyes and could feel how he was transported there.
"Gyatso, who is she?" He pointed towards the sculpted woman that seemed to be in the center of it all. There she was battling a giant spirit, then another mural of a crowd following her. Her face was omnipresent in the temple.
The monk turned to smile at him. "Oh, come now, Aang; you know her–Avatar Yangchen. She was born right here in the Western Air Temple."
"And she did all that?" He pointed at the numerous depictions.
Gyatso nodded. "She was a great Avatar; many still remember her deeds."
Aang pointed to the giant spirit in awe. "And she battled that spirit all on her own? Being the Avatar seems like a dangerous job."
Gyatso put his hand on his shoulder. "Her work brought balance to the world; she brought an age of peace. None of that came easy. Today, her name lives on and inspires everyone. We could all stand to be more like Yangchen." The monk walked away as Aang remained mesmerized by the images.
Aang opened his eyes, looking at the mural. Yangchen's face had been split in two. He sighed sadly before continuing on. The fallen debris had left some areas unrecognizable; and he wondered how the temple had even survived the first attack, let alone Azula's. Second chances… Almost killing him, he could forgive. Wantonly destroying what was left of his culture? Less so. It was more painful to lose his culture than to be struck by lightning.
He continued walking the empty ruins almost as if following the footprints of a memory, the laughter and the nagging of the nuns echoed in every corner. He heard the jangle of chimes hanging limply from the ceiling, and he sent a gentle gust of wind towards them and smiled. The room's floor had squares filled with colored sand, now mixed with dust and debris, but some of the writing on it was still recognizable.
He watched from afar as the other children played and ran around. He had been looking at a girl with short, brown hair drawing figures in the clay with her airbending. She looked behind, noticing him, and waved at him. He shyly walked over with a crooked smile on his face. "Can you teach me how to play?"
The girl smiled and took his hand. They knelt before the pit with blue, sand-like clay. "Sure. You draw two lines, then two lines across those. Then one of us draws either a circle or a cross in one square. If you get three in a row, you win." She drew the lines in the clay.
"Cool, let's start then." Aang started by making a circle in the top-middle.
"So, you're that kid the elders have been talking about. Aang, is it? Why are they so crazy about you anyway? You look like a normal kid to me." She sideglanced at him as she drew a cross in the center.
He shrugged. "I don't know; I guess they like me. My master must have put in a good word."
"I've heard you're a master yourself. Is that why you're here–to teach us?" She leaned in, more interested in the talk than the game itself.
He sat down with his legs crossed. "I… I actually don't know. I've been traveling a lot recently. My master said he had a lot of friends he'd like to visit and just asked me to tag along."
She sighed. "I wish mine was as cool as yours; mine just makes me bend leaves. And that's if I get through all of my scrolls."
"Hey, how about I teach you something fun? Watch this!" He pulled out a rock from his pocket and bent it in a circle between his hands. The smug look on his face was a hard sight not to laugh at, but he was confident he had caught her attention. Looking on, he cringed at his stupid attempt, but the memory at least brought a smile to his face. He wondered sadly what had become of her. He liked to think she didn't share the same fate as the others, that she had at least managed to escape unharmed. Who was he kidding? She was probably– He didn't want to think about it.
He turned away from the playground, venturing deeper into the temple. He reached what looked like a dead end, and he bent fire in his palm. The adorned wall told him differently; it was where the elders met. He slid his hand along the wall, dusting it off and discovering the word 'air', placed one of his hands on one of the ornaments, and let out a blast of air. He felt a crackle as the wall peeled away and split in two, opening up space for him to pass through. As he did so, the passage sealed behind him.
Inside the chamber, he stood before the Elders and Gyatso. His master had told him it would be just like their training; that would be all he had to do. He introduced himself and bowed, bending a sphere of air, bouncing it around the room like a ball, and bringing it back seamlessly. He then expanded it and jumped on it, steering it around the walls until he reached the roof, dropping from the ceiling using a gust of air to gently touch down. He looked up to see his awestruck spectators.
The bald woman sitting in front of the Elders stared at him bug-eyed. "Impressive. Has the child been subjected to the rituals yet? Couldn't this all be just a big coincidence?"
Gyatso nodded. "Yes, he was and passed them all with flying colors. Make no mistake: I'm certain he is... gifted."
Aang smiled proudly. "Yeah, Master Gyatso said I'm his youngest student to become a master." The elders turned to whisper to each other, and his master appeared slightly nervous.
The elderly, bald woman gave them a stern look. "Very well. We must settle what course of action to take. Once we've reached a decision, we'll contact the southern sanctuary. Take care of your ward, Brother Gyatso; dark times are upon us." They both bowed, and the monk took his hand. It felt cold. He waited until they were outside the chamber to talk.
"What did she mean?" Gyatso was silent.
Aang nudged him and he turned to look, smiling. "What? Oh, I'm sure it's nothing. I still have a few matters to attend to before we go; why don't you play with the other kids?"
"All that time you tried to prepare me, I failed you… failed you all." Aang lowered his gaze as if the monk had been standing right there, then he sat down in the empty chamber, cold air whistling against his back. He closed his eyes. Meditating in such a place would not bring him peace; nothing would, for he would always carry that guilt. He sighed and stood up, and another gust of wind rushed in stronger this time. He looked around, puzzled as to its source, and he followed it to a crack in the wall big enough that he could squeeze his fingers in it. It felt loose; so, he gently earthbent the piece of wall to pull it out, revealing another chamber. Following what felt like a hand carved tunnel, he reached a larger, circular room adorned with towering statues of monks he did not recognize. They reached the ceiling.
Before him were stone shelves of dusty tablets, some piled on top of each other, others scrambled on the floor. Someone had scoured through them. He picked up a few, reading them with difficulty, not only because of the lack of light, but also because some of the writing was archaic. Must be thousands of years of knowledge stored in here. I bet Wan Shi Tong would let us back in his library with this. His excitement was cut short when he realized not everything was there, for some of the shelves had been cleaned up. He assumed the monks must have taken some of the tablets with them, but a pack buried beneath some tablets told him otherwise. He opened it curiously, finding ropes and tools and taking interest in a bulky contraption. It had a handle and a button, with a cone of glass protruding from the front; it was broken. The markings on it were indicative enough of its origin–the Fire Nation.
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