Sound Bender (Avatar: The Last Airbender) #Wattys2017

||Chapter 21 - Spirit||

"Okay, did everyone get out safely?" He nodded and I smile, grabbing the burnt sword at my belt, carefully handing it over to him. He took it gently into his hands, staring at the wooden sword in wonder

"I believe I know who this belongs to, please excuse me." I nodded, watching as he walked away with the wooden sword. The old man stared at me confusion, looking as if he knew me

"Young lady, who may you be?"

"I'm Himoko, and you are?"

"Arin. You look oddly familiar to me... Have we met once before?" 'Familiar?' I asked myself in my mind, "I don't believe so, I have never seen you before ever in my life." I told him. He hummed, thinking thoughtfully for a few moments before snapping his fingers

"Many years ago, I remember a man and woman in search of a new home and was wondering if they could stay the night, as they grew tired and cold, their young child crying in hunger. Were you that young child?" I furrowed my brows. Was I ever here before? I don't remember-

"Did they tell you their names?" I asked. He nodded, "I did indeed."

"What were they?"

"Goan and Mia.".

The sun was almost set when Aang left the building, the village people closed the doors behind him. Me, Katara, and Sokka squeezed to look through a single window, me being the tallest of the bunch, could see Aang clearly while the siblings fought to see him

"Hello? Spirit, can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm... here to try to help stuff."

"This isn't right. We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up." I nodded, agreeing with Sokka

"If anyone can save us, he can." Arin told us and I shook my head, "We are here for a reason, and it is to help Aang. It is wrong for him to face this spirit alone, Avatar or not." I stated, practically taking Sokka's words out of his mouth

"U-Uh... Yeah, what she said.".

The sun sets and the world around us darkens, the moon rising up on the other side of the forest

"The sun has set. Where are you, Hei-Bai? Well, spirit, uh, I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace!" Aang shouted, hoping his words would reach Hei-Bai. Aang twirling his stuff like a marching baton and strikes it into the earth. A few seconds passed with no answer

"Okay. Well, I guess that's settled then." He turned and begins walking back. I furrowed my brows, hearing faint whispers emitting from the forest and soon enough, a black and white figure appeared just behind Aang, slowly walking behind him

"Aang, behind you!" I yelled, startling the siblings and Arin. He swiftly turns around to see Hei-Bai looking down at him

"You must be the Hei-Bai spirit. My name is..." He went to bow his head and introduce himself when a blast of air and blue energy release from Hei-Bai's mouth. Aang doesn't move, but his staff is knocked to the ground. Hei-Bai rears itself up on it's hind-most legs and bellows, releasing another stream of blue energy from it's mouth. Hei-Bai fell back onto it's six legs and charges into the village, completely ignoring Aang

"My name is Aang! I'm the Avatar and I would like to help! Hey, wait up!" Aang follows it as it successfully destroyed two more houses and a watchtower using brute strength

"Uh..."

"The Avatar's methods are..." Flying debris hits the building, making us duck out of the way, "Unusual.."

"It doesn't seem too interested in what he's saying. Maybe we should go help him?" Sokka asked

"No, only the Avatar stands a chance against the Hei-Bai." 'Bullcrap.'

"Aang will figure out the right thing to do, Sokka." Katara rested her hand on his shoulder and I sighed heavily, narrowing my eyes, itching to get out there and help Aang

"Please, would you stop destroying things and listen?" Hei-Bai pounds a building into the ground with it's fists

"I'm just trying to do my job as spirit bridge. Excuse me, would you please turn around? I command you to turn around now!" Aang asked it desperately. Hei-Bai finally turns around, quickly swatting Aang away like a bug

"That's it!" Me and Sokka shouted, exiting the building with a mic drop

"Himoko, Sokka, wait!" Me and Sokka went seperate ways, me heading towards Aang to help him get out of the rubble when Hei-Bai began to steadily approach us

"Himoko, you aren't-"

"Oh shut your trap, Aang, we are helping you out no matter what. This isn't a one man job here!" I told him

"Hei-Bai! Over here!" Sokka yelled, throwing his boomerang at Hei-Bai from behind and hits it's actual behind, having no effect. Me and Aang briefly glanced at each other before running over to Sokka

"Sokka, go back!" Aang ordered the Older Water Tribe Sibling. "We'll fight him together, Aang."

"I don't wanna fight him unless I– Huh!" With a swift motion, Hei-Bai grabbed Sokka and left, disappearing into the forest. Aang took off onto his glider while I ran to the edge of the forest, stopping when I realized I was useless on foot

"Sokka!" Katara yelled, reaching my side with tears in her eyes. 'No, no, no! Dang it!'. I glanced at Katara then back at Arin, my eyes glinting as the sunrise began

"I'm going after them."

"No! It's too dangerous out there for you-"

"And so is for Aang and Sokka! I'm going no matter what you say. Katara, I'm going to bring them back, I promise." I told her, hugging her quickly before running off into the forest

"Himoko!".

I began running as fast as I could, my heart beating erratically in my chest as I searched for any sign of the two

"Sokka, Aang!" I called out, my eyes frantic as I look for their figures, or even Hei-Bai's. Come on now, they couldn't have gotten far! This is all my fault, if I had just grabbed Sokka before Hei-Bai did, we wouldn't be in this predicament right now! After 10 minutes of running around in circles, I became lost in the forest, not knowing my way around or how to get back to the village. I blew my bangs out of my face, huffing

"Great, now I'm lost. Great job, Himoko!" I whacked myself, cringing in pain as I rubbed my cheek, "Ow..."

"Himoko..."

"Huh?" I jumped, looking around me, "Who is there?!" I asked. I took a step forward when I saw a figure hiding behind a tree, it's form illuminated by blue

"Hey, if this is a prank. Not the best time right now-"

"Himoko." The figure said once again, but it was more clear. I furrowed my brows, hey, I recognize that voice... I took steady steps forward towards it, forgetting the whole reason why I was out here in the first place

"Okay, this is really creepy and I'm not at all into it... So... I'm just gonna go now." I muttered, slowly backing away when the figure took a step out, showing me it's fullbody of illuminated blue. I kept backing away as the figure slowly walking towards me. I narrowed my eyes, straining them, 'It looks... Familiar.'

"My Joy..." I froze, rigid.

"Goodnight my Joy, I love you.".

The last words I heard my father before I went to asleep that night.

To Be continued