Chapter 4: Travelling, Desperate Generals, Happy Plants 1/2

Book 2 Episodes 1, 2

The following weeks are spent at sea. Sailing around the Earthkingdom half-islands to the south, with waterbenders, takes only two weeks, even with Appa's additional weight. Aang himself is also a veritable breath of fresh wind for when a lull sets in.

There is something to be said for being back on open waters. In the past years, I've only rarely gone on expeditions this far out to check on the Fire Nation's advance, admittedly usually after I did something that had a lot of people vaguely cross with me. Or I had enough of palace guard duty. Sometimes both. Now, with everything that's happened, the ocean plays a healing factor for me, and I imagine many others, if their faces are any indication. We've lost much.

Too much.

It's easy to push it down and aside. How do you even deal with-

Pakku is teaching both Aang and Katara, Sokka is practising some moves with the warriors on board. It's good. It gives everyone time to just enjoy life.

It also gives Team Avatar a chance to witness Pakku's and my training duels. Both of us show off a bit with that audience. Naturally, when Pakku begins to send large waves at me in short intervals, I go beneath the disturbances and disrupt his footing. Forced to join me beneath the surface, our training evolves into a large scale underwater torrent. Which is fun, but not much of a show unless you can sense what's going on. And that is a talent very, very few benders have.

We migrate back to the surface and make it a battle of sneak-attacks. Pakku nearly guts me with a subtly bended slash of his finger. I almost take his arm off with a hard yank from a tendril of water I bended behind his back.

It gets a little less dignified after that.

When we've both worn ourselves out, we slink back on board. Katara, Aang and Sokka look about to lose their eyes from the sheer astonishment on their faces.

"I didn't know you could do half those things!" Katara tells Pakku, who pulls his hair into a leather band. "And that stuff underwater, I-"

I close Aang's mouth for him. Sokka looks a little ill. He's probably realising what kind of monster his sister could become. So Katara can sense the bending of others. That marks her as full of potential.

"Don't attempt them on your own. Some of that's quite dangerous, Katara," Pakku cautions. She glares at me in response. I have no idea why she projects her feelings of inadequacy into anger at me. I wouldn't be adequate in her circumstances. She's doing well.

.

It's an exquisitely humid day when Sokka approaches me as I watch Katara take some more bending lessons very seriously. She's diligent about her progress, which is admirable, but I feel that by this point, only practise will make her improve the way she desires to.

And experience. Which in certain ways is one and the same problem.

Sokka seems to want to talk about something, but can't find the right words.

'What's on your mind?' I don't ask, and he looks caught out even without the question. So it might be a subject he knows is sensitive to both of us. As of now, only one matter comes to mind, and I won't be the one to move the conversation in that direction.

Sokka sits down beside me and remains silent.

This might be, for now, for the best. I raise a hand to squeeze his shoulder, what for, I don't know. His back rounds as he puts his face in his hands. Mine moves to the back of his neck, applying gentle pressure to the stiff muscles there.

We both ignore his wet gasps of breath.

My throat is sewn shut. My chest is numb.

There is nothing to say.

… sorry.

.

I'm on deck, enjoying the breeze and some booze, as well as the half-moon-shine when Aang comes up the hatch. His bald head glistens with sweat and he looks distraught.

"Nightmare?" I ask softly, and his shoulders draw up to his ears.

He turns to look at me lounging against the mast. "Yeah…"

"Want to talk about it?" I pat the ground next to me and he comes to sit, but stays silent. "Did I ever tell you about the first time I met Yue?"

He shakes his head, "No."

I don't know why I'm telling this to him and not Sokka. Maybe because it's my memory of her and he met her at a time when she was… different. "Alright, so I was ten years old and Pakku had just taught me how to bend water into steam. I was experimenting with colours at the time, and figured green mist had to look fun. I was right. I was also correct in my assumption that flooding a council member's house with the stuff had to be funny."

Aang laughs and the tightness around his eyes begins to fade away a little. In turn, around mine, it grows.

"Anyway, I was running from the warriors sent out to catch the culprit when I was almost cornered. They forgot I was a bender though, and left me the canal open as an escape. I took the chance, but a boat was in my path," Aang's eyes widen, "Yeah. I landed Yue and her escort in the canal. Because I fished them out, Pakku caught me. She hated me ever since."

Aang laughs a little. Then, we sit in silence. I look to the horizon for… comfort? One, thin, almost indistinguishable line where the glittering ocean meets the starry sky. This hasn't changed. There will always be the edge of the world to chase.

"I was in the Avatar state. But I was outside my body watching myself. It was scary, I was scary," he divulges and hunches his shoulders. Ah. Well, this is the great and terrible burden of the Avatar. He is the most powerful being we know of in this world, and he, as a twelve-year-old boy, is beginning to learn that. He realises that thirty benders could barely accomplish what he would do in the Avatar State. That's a scary thing. I can only hope that Aang, as he is, will never quite loose that fear. If he did, it would be a terrifying thing indeed.

"Aang… being the Avatar comes with many gifts and many burdens," I try to say this as best, as gently as I can. We're all human and he's a child with too much on his slim shoulders to carry entirely on his own. "But that's true for any bender. Sure, water can heal, fire can warm, earth can provide shelter and air can allow you to fly. And yet, they're all incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. Aang, I believe your hands are definitely not the wrong ones."

He looks at me with wide eyes. "How can you say that? You were there, weren't you? You saw me!"

I can feel my face harden. "I did. I also killed Admiral Zhao just minutes before."

He flinches back. Yes, little Avatar, you're only human, just like me.

"See, Aang, you're not the scariest one here," I add softly. Yue seemed to know some of that all along, even as she treated me with less caution and more familiarity. There has always been a grown man inside this body, and it makes for a strange combination of impatience, disregard and autonomy. I have pushing grief and empathy down to an artform.

We sit a while longer in silence then, before he goes back below deck. I spend the rest of the night wondering if it hadn't been better to take Zhao prisoner. But I was in no condition to do so and Iroh would've had to help his fellow Fire Nation soldier out. Maybe. I can't be sure.

Iroh's priority is, and will always be Zuko. So, had he figured it would be better to keep Zhao alive and with them, I'd have undoubtedly died or been taken prisoner myself.

(That doesn't make the killing alright, though.)

I bare my teeth in silent laughter.

What a mess.

.

I sleep through the morning and wake to Pakku's face far too close for comfort. Urgh. "It's time to say goodbye."

I nod and follow him to where everyone's assembled to bid Team Avatar farewell. They line up in front of Pakku like ducklings.

"Katara," Pakku says, and pulls out a vial that I remember her using to heal Aang after Azula got him with lightning, "I want you to have this. This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis. The water has unique properties, don't lose it."

She hugs him, I note with alarm, and thanks him. Even more alarming, he lets her. But I wonder if she will later think to ask what those unique properties are. I don't know, so I certainly will.

"Aang, these scrolls will help you master waterbending," he hands over a box, "But remember, they are no substitute for a real Master."

Funny things happen. Instead of looking at Katara, like I expected, he glances at me. To which I tilt my head. What…?

As the next in line, Sokka steps up eagerly.

"Sokka," Pakku pats his shoulder, "Take care, son."

Sokka's face is hilarious. I snicker and step up. I pull Hahn's dagger from my satchel. It's been a heavy weight there, all this time. "This belonged to Hahn. Yue gave it to him when she accepted his betrothal necklace. It would've been returned to her upon the termination of the engagement and given to the next suitor she accepted. You'll have better use for it than me, I imagine."

Sokka's eyes grow suspiciously misty. Oh crap. I pat his shoulder, like Pakku did and give him a wink. He straightens up and stows the dagger away. "Thanks," he mumbles and climbs onto the flying bison suspiciously quickly.

"Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom based east of here. General Fong will provide you with an escort to Omashu. There you'll be safe to begin your earthbending training with King Bumi," Pakku instructs.

"Appa, yip yip!"

"Say hi to Gran-Gran for me!" Katara shouts. And soon they're only a dot on the horizon.

I sigh. I figure most things will turn out alright for them. Aang will figure out how to be himself while also being the Avatar.

Pakku steps to the railing next to me. "I expected you to go with them."

Ah, so that was what the waterbending master comment was about. "Nah. Too much excitement for me."

He snorts. "Now that's not true, Kaito. I remember the days where you would delight in causing mayhem across the entire city."

I pass a hand through my hair, "You know that's long past."

"Is it? You would do well with them, I think. With someone to take care of."

I'm surprised he'd say that. I don't behave like much of a caretaker.

"I heard you with Aang last night," he says in lieu of waiting for my answer. That sly old man.

I turn my head to look at him. "Then you know why it wouldn't be good for me to join them. Katara would feel threatened in her position as the waterbender in the group. Sokka might tolerate me so far, but I'm a living reminder of Yue. Aang, well, he doesn't need someone who won't flat out refuse to kill someone if the situation demands it."

"Are you sure about that?" he asks and looks up at the sky. Something in is tone makes me follow his line of sight.

Apparently, I'm more popular than I thought.

The flying bison does one of those groaning grunt-like noises and then Aang jumps off and onto the deck. "Kaito," he says, big eyes round, "We can't leave without you. You're one of us, no matter what Katara says."

Er… "Well, I'll just throw all my plans out of the window on the fly then, shall I?"

Aang, bless his heart, does not seem to understand sarcasm when it hits him in the face. So what he does, is whoop and yank me into the air by my collar. I just about catch my satchel with a sleeping bag tied to it that Pakku throws me. Once I've been deposited in the saddle, Aang takes the reins again.

Katara looks at me like she swallowed something unpleasant, Sokka just shrugs and offers to tie my pack to the saddle. "Thanks, Sokka."

He shrugs and we lounge back into the soft fur of Appa, the flying bison.

"Sooo…" Aang says over his shoulder after a while of more or less comfortable silence.

"Let's get along?" I suggest, a laugh in my voice.

"Yes!" Sokka points at me, "It'll be great! We'll get to see earthbenders in action! And maybe some of their strategies against the Fire Nation…"

He trails off, looking naïve, concentrated and hopeful all at once. It seems he's understood the price that war against the Fire Nation raises. The cost of living freely.

"They don't seem to be effective for more than slowing the Fire Nation down, though," I comment, watching the clouds pass us by. I lift a hand and try to get a feel for them. They're not too different from steam, or mist, but keeping them from turning into properly condensed water particles is a bit of a challenge. "The war's been going on for a hundred years now. There have been no successful counterattacks so far, nothing that actually regained territory from the Fire Nation. But yes, we'll learn something from meeting this General Fong."

"If you don't think the Earthkingdom's strategies have been effective, why come with us?" Katara's tone is that of barely hidden petulance. I'm not entirely sure where this intense dislike stems from, but I suspect it has something to do with Pakku.

"Katara," Sokka says, reproachful, "Remember how he actually helped us a lot? And how just half an hour ago, we decided to bring him with us, if he wanted to come?"

She jerks her head away, arms already crossed, intent on ignoring us.

Ah, puberty.

"I'm here," I drawl slowly, "Because I have nothing better to do, and I do enjoy your company for the most part."

Sokka seems pleased by the admission, Katara's face scrunches up even more and I can feel Aang's smile grow without seeing it. Urgh.

"But the General seems like a person to meet," I add, to get away from the topic. "I read some of his and Pakku's correspondence. He seems very determined to help Aang."

"Why's that sound like a bad thing when you say it?" Sokka asks, not really expecting an answer.

"Because no matter whose side he's on, when someone can get their hands on someone as young and powerful as Aang, their motives are to be scrutinised very, very closely," I can feel the frown draw my brows together, "Besides, he thinks there's a bunch of children on their way to his base to learn… the art of war."

A glance to Appa's head shows that Aang's shoulders have drawn up in discomfort. Sokka seems drained of some of his hope. Ah. I suppose I have that effect on people when I open my mouth with serious intent.

"Are you always this suspicious?" Sokka seems more resigned to it than curious.

I cast him a sardonic smile. "Suspicion is always warranted when it comes to the intentions people have towards princesses and avatars."

"But who would ever have wanted to harm Yue? Or Aang?"

"You can never be sure, Sokka. People lie, cheat and steal their way to scraps of power for reasons that you or I could never understand because we're not them. I will never understand Fire Lord Sozin's decision to start a war with the rest of the world and murder… well, I suppose I can now understand what it means to kill."

There is silence after that, and I concentrate on the clouds once more.

"I… I guess it can be justified. Sometimes, you have to do what you did to defend your home," Sokka offers.

"Did you have to kill someone before?" I ask, half-thinking I shouldn't.

He hugs his knees to his chest. "No. But I was ready to. For a long time, after dad left the tribe with the other warriors to fight the Fire Nation, I was the only one who knew how to fight."

Katara snorts.

"It's true! You only just learned to keep the water under control when we found Aang."

"Hrmpf."

"Were there no other adults around?" I can't help but ask.

Sokka shakes his head. "A few women and gran-gran, but no one actually knew how to fight any better than me."

"That had to be hard," Aang offers.

I nod. Sokka shrugs and Katara refuses to acknowledge any of us.

"What happens to them all while you're gone?" I can't help but ask. He face twists guiltily. "Well, it'll be better when Pakku arrives."

He nods.

"Hey, Sokka," I say after a few minutes of silence, "Explain to me how your boomerang works. You said you made it yourself."

And he does.

.

The trip isn't long and soon, we land in the Earthkingdom base.

Our welcome is… enthusiastically delivered. "Welcome! Avatar Aang! I am General Fong," he and his delegation of uniformed earthbenders follow suit. "And welcome to all of you great heroes! Appa! Momo! Great Sokka! The mighty Katara. And…" he looks at me quizzically while the others preen.

I decide to have a little fun and give the mockery of a bow with a flourish, "Kaito."

"And the heroic Kaito!" he picks up seamlessly.

Katara snorts, "How would he know that?"

I give her a wink, "My dashingly charming appearance is all he needs."

Sokka snorts into his hand and Aang considers me seriously. "Actually, I think you come off as a bit less dashing or charming and more… roguish."

Where did the Avatar pick up a cheap romance novel? Katara and Sokka laugh heartily at my expense and I waggle my eyebrows at Aang just in time for the fireworks to set off. It would've been more impressive at night, with the new moon we have. Nonetheless, I nod when Sokka comments, "Not bad."

We're led inside a large audience room to sit and are brought some tea while General Fong moves to take his place behind his desk.

"Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you single-handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole," he opens, stroking his beard repeatedly with one hand, "I can't imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power. It's an awesome responsibility."

Ah, now I'm glad I had that talk with Aang. I vaguely remember someone forcing Aang into something or other. In any case, it's the friendly ones I'm looking out for from now on. As well as everyone else.

"I try not to think about it too much," Aang replies. True, but that's what he gets nightmares for, eh? How about some talking about it to get rid of them? Or something. Aren't there such things as drawing-therapy? An idea for another time.

"Avatar. You're ready to face the Firelord now," he declares with a kind face.

"What?! No, I'm not!"

"Aang still needs to master all four elements," Katara says reasonably. It's a step up from how she talked to Pakku, definitely.

"Why? With the kind of power he possesses, power enough to destroy hundreds of battleships in a matter of minutes! He could defeat the Firelord now!" Fong's stood up during his little outburst.

"But, Sir, the thing is, Aang can only do those things in the Avatar state," Sokka divulges.

"And you might want to take note of the fact that, while the Avatar possesses the power to do what you insinuate, he did not, in fact, destroy that fleet. He instead saved the lives of hundreds of warriors and benders who'd been powerless against the assault of the Fire Nation moments before," I drawl this with uncharacteristic longevity.

"But he could! He could and with him as the ultimate weapon we can cut a swath right to the heart of the Fire Nation!"

"The ultimate weapon, huh?" I repeat quietly and Katara's temper makes itself known again.

"Aang isn't a weapon!"

General Fong seems to decide that he needs another angle to persuade Aang, "May I show you something? That's the infirmary. And those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back. Every day the Fire Nation takes lives. People are dying Aang! You could end it, now! Think about it."

I click my tongue. Everyone turns to look at me leaning against one of the pillars near the window. "Let me ask you something, General. Historically, aren't all the plans that hinged on one focal point failures? Once that point is removed, the entire plan folds in on itself. What you suggest puts the Avatar at extreme risk, more so than he is now. And, should he be incapacitated, no one returns."

"That's right! And Aang is more likely to be incapacitated if he hasn't mastered all four elements! That puts everyone at even more of a risk!" Sokka catches on fast. Good. Katara's bound to be with us, if only because she doesn't believe in Fong's persuasions.

Only, what he's said isn't untrue. But instead of pushing Aang into something he's clearly not ready for, neither capability-wise, nor emotionally, he should devise better methods of protecting his soldiers, be more cunning. While the Avatar can bring balance to the world, if there's no one left to live in it, there is hardly any point.

General Fong is mad, tireless and a bit of a tyrant. That much is clear. What will become dangerous is the lengths he's willing to go to.

That, and he underestimates us. Aang has been warned, Katara and Sokka are ready, Appa knows not to trust the stable hands blindly, and Momo… Well, that one's a master of making one underestimate him. He's clever, and quick, and when I bribe him with a few special fruits that he likes, he manages to steal one of the maps and another scroll: an earthbending scroll.

Although it offers little in the way of training an Avatar whose first element is air, I'm sure it will come in handy. Be it only to bribe someone with, or to barter for something equally valuable. Bending forms are very rare, after all, and divulge secrets that some schools have long forgotten.

It would have to be either a family above suspicion within Fire Nation territory, or in the free parts of the kingdom. We'll see, but I suspect that if it is sold, it will end up in the hands of the wealthy who manage to profit despite or perhaps because of the war. What I know of the Earthkingdom's economy is sparse, but it isn't a far leap to assume that taxes are high, soldiers undisciplined, and guidelines that people call laws are stricter. It's no wonder that General Fong is this desperate. He knows more than I can assume, but Aang is in no state to invade the Fire Nation. Yet. With the right allies, perhaps soon enough.

Soon enough to survive the Comet.

I'd hate to take on the Firelord during those hours. Perhaps we have to work at the firebenders to get them to stop their insane, destruction-happy kin. But it isn't a likely venue, when I could definitely make some sort of impact elsewhere. Besides, I doubt any change would take, if it didn't come from the inside, from someone well-known and -liked…

Someone famous…