Avatar

by S R Edwards

  “Don’t push it young man.” Sokka picks him up and they disappear down the corridor. Aang carries on walking until he gets to the Laundry room. Katara has propped the door open with a bucket of water. Aang water bends a ball over her head and slowly starts to drip it onto her. It takes her a few moments but she soon realises what is happening. She doesn’t even turn round to face him. “Aang stop it I’m trying to concentrate.”

  “On what? Your delicates or mine?” She bends some dirty water into his face and smiles. “Your actually sweetie.” He raises his right eyebrow and wipes his face with his sash. “Funny smells like Sokka’s.”

  “What do you want Aang?”

  “How did..?”

  “I’m your wife.”

  “Well, urm sweetie actually I was coming to tell you that I’m going to have to travel a bit.”

  “Where to?”

  “All the other air temples, I want to salvage as many artefacts and records as I can for the future generations.”

  “So do you want Bumi to go with you?”

  “I wanted to go alone, all those memories I don’t want him to see me like that. I’ll be gone a couple of weeks at a time and I’ll still be available for anything. If I’m needed here I’ll come straight back.” Katara frowns and goes back to her laundry. “I don’t like it but if it’s what you need to do.”

  “Thank you sweetie.” Aang hugs her and kisses her hair. He walks out and she watches him leave.

  Aang gets Appa and hi saddle ready. “Ready buddy?” Appa grunts and blows his fir out of his eyes. Katara and Bumi come out into the courtyard, the bright autumn sun beats down on them. Aang smiles and walks over to them. “Are you all set?”

  “Yeah, nearly, are you sure you’ll be ok covering for me on the council?”

  “Yes sweetie.” He hugs her and kisses her as if he’ll never see her again. He pats Bumi on the head and jumps onto Appa. “I’ll see you when I get back.” Katara nods and pick Bumi up. “Fly safe! Look after him Appa you know what he’s like.” The Sky Bison snorts in agreement.

  “Appa! Yip, Yip!” Appa takes off and the two disappear into the vast sky. Bumi sits in the courtyard until dark watching for his father. “When is dad coming back?”

  “In a few weeks honey.” Katara takes his hand and leads him inside. “Now come on let’s get you to bed. It is way past your bedtime.” He rubs his eyes. “But mom, I’m not tired.”

  “Then I’ll tell you a bedtime story.” She takes him up to his bed room. Katara helps Bumi change and tucks him into bed. “Mom?”

  “Yes my sweet?”

  “Does daddy still love us?”

  “Yes Bumi of course he does don’t be silly, he loves us more than the moon.” She kisses his forehead. “Do you still want a bedtime story?”

  “No thank you mommy.”

  “Ok sweetie.” She smiles and turns the lights out. “Goodnight my prince.”

  “Goodnight.”

  A few weeks pass and as promised Aang returns. Appa lands in the court yard “Dad!” Bumi jumps down from the fountain wall and runs over to him.

  “Bumi!” Aang picks him up and swings him round. “Oh you’re getting bigger.”

  “Dad you weren’t gone that long.” Aang chuckles and puts him down. “What did you bring dad?” Bumi pulls on Aang’s sleeve and jumps trying to see onto Appa’s back. “Well my boy. I collected an old training tool from the southern air temple.” He air lift the wooden gates down from Appa’s saddle. “It’s an old tradition you have to pass through the gates without being hit.”

  “That sounds like fun.” Aang smiles, kneels and puts his hands on Bumi’s shoulders. “Well when I’ve put them together I’ll show you how it works.”

  “Ok.” He grins and runs off, Aang gets to his feet as Katara walks over to him. “Hey sweetie.”

  “Hey, Aang I have something to tell you.”

  “Is everything ok? What is it?”

  “I’m pregnant.” He looks down at her stomach and smiles.

  Chapter 4: Water bender.

  Seven months later and Aang is getting ready to head out on another salvage mission. Katara and their five year old on watch him as he gets ready to leave. “I won’t be long my dear boy.” Aang ruffles Bumi’s hair. “Look after mummy ok?”

  “Yes daddy.” Katara miles at her son and then up at her husband. Aang leans down and kisses Katara. “Ew!” Bumi gips and run away. Aang and Katara laugh. “Every time.” They hug and Kiss. “I’ll miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you too. Hopefully I’ll be back in time.” He puts his hand on her swollen belly. “You better be daddy.” She smiles and puts her hand on his. “I don’t want you to miss it.”

  “I’ll try sweetie but I can’t promise.” She looks down at their interlocked hands. “Please Aang don’t be gone too long.” He lifts her chin with his thumb and index finger. “I’ll be home sweetie.” He kisses her softly and turns away. He walks over to Appa and Air jumps onto his back. “Don’t wait up for me!” Katara smiles and wipes away her tears with the back of her hand. “I won’t!” Aang nods as Bumi runs back to his mother’s side. “Appa, Yip, Yip!” Appa flicks his tail and takes off. Aang waves to his family as he rises high into the sky until he and Appa are above the clouds and out of site. “Well buy we’re under strict instructions to be back for the birth of my second child. Do you think we’ll make it?” Appa grunts and Aang smiles. “Yeah you’re right it’ll be easy.” He banks left and heads for the nearest Air temple.

  Back on Air Temple Island Katara is trying to get Bumi to sit down to do his studies. “Bumi stop running around like a maniac and sit down! You need to finish your studies!”

  “I don’t want to mum!” He runs past her and into June, one of the acolytes, she grabs his wrist. “Now Bumi that is no way to speak to your mother, she’s in a delicate state and your impish behaviour is stressing her. Now apologise!” Bumi looks at her and then back at his mother. “Sorry Mom.” He looks down and June lets him go. “Good now sit down and finish your studies and then you can go and play.” Bumi sighs and sits down in a huff. Katara smiles at June. “Thank you June you’re so good with him.”

  “I grew up in a house full of boys. It’s all about tone and incentive. They do what you want them to do and then they can do or have what they want.” She shrugs. “It’s nothing really.” June walks away and Katara sits at the table with Bumi.” “When you’ve finished I’ll tell you a team Avatar story my prince.” She runs her fingers through his hair, he pulls away from her. “Mom I’m trying to con…conce…”

  “Con-sen-trate.”

  “Yeah Con-sen-trade.” She smiles and leans on the table.

  “Ok son let mummy know if you need any help.”

  “I will.” He puts his head down closer to the page and writes his next answer.

  Aang and Appa land at the Western Air Temple. “Ok bud, you stay here I need to find the vault.” Appa grunts at him and Aang smiles. “I shouldn’t be gone too long. See you later buddy.” Aang turns away from his Sky bison and makes his way into the dark interior of the abandoned Air temple. As he walks through the darkened corridors his feet echo with every step, his head spins as he takes in all of the murals painted onto the tired plaster, with every breath his chest grows tighter and tighter. No matter how many times he enters these temples, no matter how many days he spends alone in the empty hall ways, the spirits of his friends, family and ancestors always keep him company.” Aang remembers how these halls were once filled with joy, women and children laughing and playing but now all these years later they are filled to the brim with deep, dark silence. Small rocks and chunks of plaster scatter as Aang drags his feet through the dark. They break the silence as the single flame protruding from Aang’s palm slices through the darkness. The great wooden doors to the Western Air Temple vault creek and groan as they swing open. Aang takes a deep breath and with one swift motion lights all the torches lining the room. The dim light reveals rows and rows of book shelves.
Aang walks past piles of burnt parchment towards the back of the vast room. He stands in front of the main mural. It depicts a mother Sky bison watching her offspring choose their benders. He smiles remembering the day he and Appa had met. Aang runs his fingers along the intricate boarder until he finds the small flap that hides a tiny hole, he lifts it and takes another deep breath. Aang blows every last particle of air into the miniscule opening. A thin gap forms in the middle of the mural, he prizes it open with his finger tips and leans forward. With the light of his flame he enters the smaller room, hidden away from the world. Aang’s hunch was right, the monks had hidden their most precious texts and artefacts before the massacre.

  Appa waits patiently outside as Aang carries the crates of Artefacts across the courtyard. “See boy I said I wouldn’t be long. Just a few more crates.” He climbs up Appa’s tail and onto his back, he places the crate onto Appa’s saddle and goes back for more. It doesn’t take him long to carry the rest of the crates out and tie them down. “Are you ready to go home? I know I am.” He pats the old Sky bison on the neck. “Yip, yip.” Appa stretches and with one flick of his tail the mighty beast takes off into the air. Appa banks left and soars up over the cliff edge his toes brush against the soft grass. Aang pulls on his reigns. “Higher boy.” Appa grunts and follows his friend’s instructions. The two glide through the sky over towns and villages. Aang waves to some children running through a field, they shout and cheer as their hero passes over head. Appa starts to dip and swerve. “Are you getting tired buddy?” Aang surveys his surroundings searching for a suitable place for him and Sky bison to rest for the night. He spots a small farm with a barn on the outskirts of a village. “There bud, do you see it?” He lays on the bison’s head and points it out. Appa banks right and slowly starts to descend from the heavens, they land fifty kilometres away from the door to the farm house. Aang jumps down and the two walk closer, Aang lifts his right hand to knock on the door. A tall, thin man opens the door. “Who the hell is knocking on the door at this…” He trails off as realises who has knocked on the door. “Avatar Aang?” Aang smiles and holds out his hand. “Hi, sorry to disturb you…” The man shakes his hand.

  “Tung, my name is Tung. What can I do you…what can I do for you?”

  “I was hoping that my Sky bison and I could stay in your barn for the night.”

  “Really?”

  “If it’s not too much trouble of course?”

  “No, no not at all. Urm this way.” He steps outside and closes the door. Tung leads Aang and Appa to the small barn at the rear end of the property. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome it’s the least I can do after you saved the world.”

  “Well I didn’t do it alone.”

  “But you still did it.” Tung opens the barn doors and gestured for Aang to enter, Aang nods and Leads Appa inside. “I hope you sleep well Avatar.”

  “I’m sure we will, thank you, again.” Tung smiles and closes the barn door, Appa circles a few times before laying down. He nestles his head onto his front paws, Aang settles down in between Appa’s second and third left legs. Appa shuffles a little and the two settle down for the night. Aang lays for a few hours watching dust swirl around in the moon light.

  Morning comes and with it a loud rooster call. Appa stretches and stands up, tipping Aang onto the floor. “Hey! I’m up Bud!” Appa shakes and Aang climbs onto his back. “Come on buddy lets go home.” Appa nods and grunts, Aang Air bends the barn doors open and Appa walks out into the sun light. Aang shields his eyes as Appa turns his back to the sun. With two simple words the Sky bison once again rises into the everlasting skies. Aang pats his friend on the side of the head. “Good boy Appa.” The two make their way back to Air Temple Island. Appa circles the temple’s main tower before landing in the court yard. Bumi runs over to them, he wraps his arms around Appa’s front legs and rubs his face into his fur. “Appa!” Aang climbs down from Appa’s back and Airlifts the saddle down. “Bumi where’s your mother?”

  “She’s in your bedroom with Aunt Toph and Uncle Sokka.”

  “Ok, Appa keep an eye on him please.” He ruffles Bumi’s hair and runs inside. Aang takes the stairs, two at a time and swings himself round the door frame into the bedroom. “Aang! Ahh!” Toph, Sokka and a doctor are surrounding Katara. “Katara are you..?”

  “Yes, she is dumb, dumb.” Toph smirks, Katara squeezes her hand as she has another contraction. Sokka stands aside so Aang can take his place at his wife’s side, Katara looks up at him, he smiles and puts his hand on her shoulder. Katara screams out in pain again. “Ok, Katara dear, one more push.” Katara pushes down, her face scrunches up and she squeezes Toph’s hand so hard both of their fingers go white. A second later and the pain is gone and their baby screams. “It’s a girl.” The doctor cuts the umbilical cord, wraps the tiny girl in a towel and passes her to Katara. “Sweetie?” Katara looks at Aang.

  “Yes?”

  “You can name her.” Katara looks at their second child, she smiles and cups the baby’s head in her hands. “Kya, after my mother.” Aang nods and puts his arm around his wife’s shoulder. “It’s perfect just like her.” He kisses his daughter’s forehead and then kisses his wife, Katara kisses him back. She looks down at her now quiet daughter, a single tear rolls down her cheek. Kya watches it run down her mother’s jawline and drip off her chin, the tear drop stops a few centimetres away from her face before falling onto her nose. Aang and Katara look at each other, they speak in unison. “She’s a Water bender.”

  In the months following the discovery Aang would travel to many smaller temples, on these journeys he discovered herds of flying bison that had survived the genocide of the air nomads. He would bring a select few back with him to create a healthy herd on Air Temple Island.

  Chapter 5: A new chief.

  Three and a half years pass and the young family grows one stronger with the arrival of Aang and Katara’s third child, another boy. Tenzin was born three years and two months after Kya. It was a difficult birth for Katara and unfortunately Tenzin’s nose was squashed for the first few months of his life and his older siblings would poke fun at his pig like nose for years to come. Aang and Katara start to train Kya shortly after Tenzin’s birth. The family travel to the Southern water tribe to see Sokka be sworn in as the new Chief. Appa lands in front of the town hall. Sokka pushes Hakoda out in his wheel chair. Kya and Bumi run over to their Grandfather, he picks them both up and puts them on his knee. Aang helps Katara down from Appa’s back. Hakoda looks up at his daughter then to Kya. “She reminds me of you Katara.” Katara smiles and looks to Aang, who is now cradling their newest son. “Who’s this strapping young fellow?” He pats Bumi and Kya on the back signalling them to get down. They both lean forward and peck his cheeks before running off towards Sokka. Aang passes Tenzin to Hakoda. “We’re hoping he’s an Air bender like Aang.” Aang puts his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “He’s perfect my dear, congratulations.” Hakoda shifts his attention to the scrap going on behind his daughter and son-in-law. Kya bends ice up to encase Sokka’s right foot while Bumi swings his leg back to kick his uncle in the shin. “Hey no bending! That isn’t fair!” Sokka chips away at the ice with his boomerang. Katara turns around. “Bumi! Kya!”

  “Just like you mother.” Sokka mutters to himself before trying to pull his foot free. Katara bends the ice back to water and Sokka falls backwards. “I give you the future Chief of the southern water tribe.” Aang Smirks and leans towards Hakoda. “You still have time to choose someone else right?” Hakoda laughs and passes Tenzin to Katara. “Sokka may be a bit dim…”

  “Hey!”

  “But he has proved himself to be a good leader. Come on let’s get inside out of the cold.” Hakoda turns himself round and heads for the door, the rest of the family follow.

  The following morning Aang and Katara are woken by Tenzin crying, Aang pats Katara. “Sweetie.”

  “I’m going.” She stretches and stands up, she pads across th
e room to the small ice crib. Katara picks Tenzin up and pats his back. “What’s wrong with him this time?” Aang sits up and Katara sits next to him.

  “He’s hungry.”

  “Oh, how can you tell?”

  “Because I changed him last time.” She lays Tenzin on her lap and pulls her top down. Katara leans forward and picks him up, she holds him to her chest and latches on to suckle straight away. “See?” She looks at Aang, he smiles and leans in to kiss her. “Not…While…I’m…Feeding…Tenzin.” She says between kisses, Aang puts his forehead to hers. “I love you mummy.”

  “I love you too daddy.” Aang kisses Katara’s nose and gets out of bed. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to check on the hoodlums, I won’t be long.” He leans down and kisses her one more time before leaving the room and walking down the corridor to Kya and Bumi’s room. He pokes his head round the door frame, Bumi is star-fished across the bed with the sheets and pillows on the floor, Aang shakes his head and looks to Kya. She’s curled up in a ball sucking her thumb, Katara puts her hand on his shoulder and whispers in his ear. “Are they still asleep?” Aang turns around and nods.

  “Yeah, they are.” The pair head back to the bedroom and climb into bed. Aang rolls over to face Katara. “You’re so pretty, dream girl.” She smiles and kisses him. “I miss you when you’re away.”

  “I miss you too.” Half an hour later and the children wake, they barge into their parents’ room and the day officially begins.

  The town hall is decorated for the grand occasion, it isn’t every day a new Chief is sworn in. the streets are lined with bunting and lanterns. Katara and the children follow Sokka and Aang into the grand hall, the walls are lined with the tapestries of the ancestors they will be honouring today. Hakoda is sat at the front of the hall, by his side are the elders. Aang walks with Sokka down the aisle and leaves him at the base of the steps leading to the stage. He pats his friend on the shoulder before joining his family in the pews. Sokka smiles and takes the few steps towards his future. He takes a knee in front of his father. Hakoda nods and opens his arms. “I would like to welcome you all to this momentous occasion. From this day forward my Son will be the Chief of this fine tribe and will lead us into the future. When he was born he was so tiny but I knew he would one day lead us. He may seem a little under qualified for this position but that is my fault, I had to leave him when he was so young and eager to learn. Sokka didn’t let this stop him, he is head strong and full of wonderful crazy ideas. I firmly believe that my son is ready to follow in the footsteps of the Chiefs before him. He is ready to lead a nation.” The elders nod and pass Hakoda the headdress, He places it on his lap and wheels a little closer to Sokka. Sokka bows his head and his father places the headdress upon his head. “Rise Sokka so you may take the oath.” Sokka stands and glances at his sister, who by this point is in floods of tears. “Place your right hand on your heart and raise your left.” He follows Hakoda’s instructions. “Repeat after me. I Sokka take this oath.”