We are brought to our sleeping quarters after a tense dinner that I entirely ignore in favour of some booze. Spirits know, I'll need it. Katara is so preoccupied that she forgets to shoot me dirty looks as we sit across from each other.
Aang looks dejected and I know he's the type to want to do something to change that. Only, so far he's been given the options of 'do nothing until we get to Omashu', or 'do everything to achieve the Avatar State'. Seems I need to open his eyes to another option.
We are shown to our sleeping quarters and while the other three choose beds, I close the door and lean against it.
"You know, Aang, it's already been a hundred years of fighting. In the grand scheme, a few more months aren't going to matter," I begin and he looks like he wants to interject something, "No, no, let me finish. You heard our reasoning, but think about what it took the last few times to get you into that state and if you want to relive that every time you need to achieve it."
"That's right, Aang! Remember when we were at the Air Temple and you found Monk Giatsu's skeleton? It must've been so horrible and traumatic for you. I saw you get so upset that you weren't even you anymore. I'm not saying that the Avatar State doesn't have incredible and helpful power. But you have to understand that for the people who love you, watching you be in so much rage and pain that you lose yourself like that is really scary," Katara says, voice growing softer and softer towards the end of her speech.
I didn't expect that. Neither did Sokka, by the looks of it. And Aang, who was so full of fight after my cold reasoning deflates like a hot air balloon.
I sigh, "Aang. Ultimately, it's your decision. But pushing yourself into something that you're not ready for is not going to help anyone. Maybe, with the Northern Watertribe now firmly against the Fire Nation, there are other ways of achieving what General Fong wants at the end of the day."
Sokka, once again, is my helpful ally, "Remember how I told you about my dad? Well, he's fighting the Fire Nation right now. I'm sure, if we can manage to unite all our forces and work together, the Avatar State won't be crucial, but a welcome addition."
Aang nods, still dejected.
I push off of the door and gather the things I need for a bath. There is a note in my pack. Looks like Pakku's handwriting. "How long can you hold that state anyway? How exhausting is it? How often can you use it in a row? For General Fong's plan to work, you would need to be able to hold it for at least an hour, maybe twice a week. More often, if the 'cut a swath' plan is meant to be successfully implemented. I don't really want to see what that would do to you."
And then, I'm back out the door, on my way to the bath.
The note reads Kaito, I expect you have much to tell the Avatar and his friends which is why I do not. They need an ally such as yourself with slightly more experience in the way of people's struggles for power. Never let fear of the unknown cloud your judgement. Take care of them. Pay attention to their needs. You were my best student. Your friend, Pakku.
That old idiot. Still not capable of showing his feelings in person unless drunk and prodded. Not, like I'm any better. So he thinks I should let them know about the comet soon, then. The question is how soon is too soon? They're all recovering. Is it better to tell them now? To hint? To allow them some time to be children? Fong's not too keen on it.
I set about washing myself as I think. Being clean again, after a week on that ship is wonderful. The water's hot and relaxing.
I hear the sound of wet feet slapping on tiles.
"You're a good strategist, you know?" Sokka says and I shrug without opening my eyes.
The sound of a washcloth being doused in water reaches my ears. Oh, right. Not a bender. I slip one eye open. "Want some help?"
"What?"
"I'm a waterbender."
"Oh. Right. Sure, I guess?"
So with some smooth gestures of my hands, I gather the soap with a tendril and work it over Sokka's back.
"Thanks."
I slip my eyes closed. I think I'm going to lose my good constitution if I'll continue to spend my days motionless on a flying bison. I wonder if I can practise bending the clouds. That could be fun. I should try it out when we next fly. Still not enough exercise though.
"Ow!"
"What is it?" I ask without opening my eyes. I might see more than I want to.
"Nothing, just shaving."
I open my eyes. There's a bleeding cut from his jaw to chin. "Didn't anyone ever teach you how?"
His eyes shift to the ground. That's a no, then. What, did Katara heal every cut of his whenever he tried? I run a hand over my cheek. Yeah, it's about time. Ah, puberty. The struggles of growing a full beard.
"Alright then," I get out of the water and wind a towel around my waist.
"Wuh?" he's dabbing the cut with a towel.
I bend some hot bathwater to heal his cheek and clean away the blood. Then, making an icy mirror, I show him how to shave on my own face. Then I hand him my icy blade, sharpen the edge in case it's melted a little and get back in the bath.
When he's finally done, he gets in the pool opposite me and grumbles a "Thanks."
I wave him off without opening my eyes. So many good deeds today. Is this what Pakku meant? Someone to take care of?
Soon enough, Aang joins us. Sokka washes his back. They're unusually quiet.
I use this opportunity to start a waterfight without bending.
Sokka's pretty good at grappling well enough to dunk someone rather well. But I do have some experience over him. There's no wins anyway. Aang laughs.
We all do, actually. Something lightens the pressure around my ribcage
...
The next morning, I wake up with my hands and feet earthbended to the wall in front of the stairs to the audience hall we were first led to. I can't even twitch a finger. These guys clearly know what they're doing.
Their only mistake is that I've still got my face and something everyone has free. Spit. I remember that one episode with Bumi clearly, and so, when I set about learning under Pakku, I learned to bend with the most miniscule of motions, and because of pride, only with my face.
I take stock of the situation. To my right, there are Katara and Sokka in similar situations to myself. Only, they're still passed out. Aang though, is high on energy and escaping the attacks of around fifteen earthbenders, Fong and multiple guards.
"You can't escape forever!" Fong's got a point. Best get to it, then.
"You can't fight forever!" Aang's also got a point. I'm still escaping my restraints, though.
I gather most of the spit in my mouth and send a tendril towards my left hand. Slowly, with as much concentration as I can muster, I use a click of my teeth to slash my left hand free. The problem with bending with so little water and only my face is the pressure I need to be able to build up to slice through the stone. I need three tries before I get free. Ah, nicked my index.
Sparing a moment to reassure myself that no one noticed, I wriggle my fingers and free my feet, then my other hand. Both Katara and Sokka are still out cold.
Fong is just about to smash Aang to pieces with one of the round earth wheels. Fuck-
Using his distraction, I launch myself at him, smash him to the ground, bend his own spit out of his mouth into an icy spike to hover at his neck, my right hand curled into his hair. All activities halt. "Now, that's no way to be treating guests, is it?"
No one answers. Aang is panting hard, hands on his knees and shooting me an immensely grateful look.
"Now, I strongly suggest someone release our friends, fetch our packs, get Appa and Momo and throw a map to Omashu and some provisions in there."
The benders hasten to do what I demanded and Aang manages to get Katara and Sokka into the saddle. Then, with a vindictive satisfaction, I smash Fong's face into the ground. There is a crunch as his nose breaks.
Once I'm in the saddle, too, Aang takes off.
At least I got a bath out of it.
What I did only worked because they don't want us dead and our continued presence wasn't worth losing a commander for. My threat… I would've followed through. You don't make threats you can't follow through on. Would've gotten me an earful and maybe a separation from Team Avatar, though.
...
Don't forget to throw some power stones :)
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