Tale Of Two Avatars

The Avatars Return

Suzume's POV:

The three of us make it back to the village where the villagers congregated outside, awaiting our return with the preponderance of them having scowls and glares on their faces.

The children from the village swarm around Aang joyfully, cheering at his return, "Yay! Aang's back!" 

"I knew it!" Sokka points an accusatory finger at both Aang and me. "Both of you signalled the Fire Navy with that flare! They're leading the Fire Nation straight to us, aren't they?"

"Aang and Suzume didn't do anything! It was an accident," Katara argued.

"Yeah. We were on the ship and there was this booby trap, and, well," Aang rubs his head sheepishly. "we booby-ed right into it.

I was barely able to restrain my snort. 'That's a funny way to put it.'

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship!" her grandmother scolded. "Now we could all be in danger!"

"Don't blame Katara," Aang protested sorrowfully. "I brought her there. It's my fault."

"And it's kinda my fault as well for encouraging Aang," I chimed in.

"Aha! The traitors confess! Warriors, away from the enemies," Sokka commanded and the children obey, walking away from Aang sadly. "The foreigners are banished from our village."

"Sokka, you're making a mistake," Katara pleaded.

"No, I'm keeping my promise to Dad," Sokka riposted, pointing at both Aang and me. "I'm protecting you from threats like them!"

"Aang and Suzume are not our enemies!" Katara shouted before composing herself once again. "Don't you see? Aang and Suzume have brought us something we haven't had in a long time: fun."

"Fun?! We can't fight firebenders with fun!"

"You should try it sometime," Aang smiled innocently. 'Wow, Aang really is an innocent kid.'

"Both of you should get out of our village! Now!" Sokka growled.

"Grandmother, please. Don't let Sokka do this!" Katara implored.

"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden," she announced gravely. "Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender and the girl leave."

"Fine!" Katara yelled in outrage. "Then I'm banished, too! Come on Aang, Suzume, let's go," Katara drags both of us along to Appa.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sokka questioned demandingly.

"To find a waterbender," Katara answered furiously. "Aang and Suzume are taking me to the North Pole."

"Uh, Katara, I'm not the one with the flying bison," I chuckled nervously.

"I'm taking both of you to the North Pole?" Aang smiled brightly. "Great!"

"Katara! Would you really choose them over your tribe?" Sokka asked pleadingly. "Your own family?"

Katara stops midway, looking down at the ground sorrowfully. Both Aang and I stop, gazing at her sadly.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family," Aang whispers.

"Me neither, you just met both of us. You should stay with your family," I advised.

"So, both of you are leaving the South Pole?" Her voice drops to a bare whisper. "This is goodbye?"

"Well, I guess it is if Aang allows me to follow him to wherever he's going next," I look at Aang, who nods his head reassuringly.