Chapter 12: When The World Needed Him Most Part 3

Shortly after leaving the village, Katara led the way as she and Kel arrived at what acted as the village's harbor, with many small wooden boats anchored nearby. Upon reaching the area, Katara stopped and simply crossed her arms before looking at Kel. "Well, Sokka, time to prove your manly warrior ways." 

"Why don't you do it?" Kel immediately answered back. 

"Wasn't it you, who's always saying 'girls can't do this and girls can't do that'? And just because you're feeling lazy today, now I have to do it?"

"Use your bending to just move the water under the boat," Sokka suggested, prompting Katara to frown even more before pointing her gloved hand his way. "You know very well, that I can't bend that way, and if I could, the first thing I'd do is throw freezing water on you."

'Alright, alright, point made,' Kel thought inwardly, sighing. On the surface though, he just shrugged as he decided to switch to reverse psychology. "I was just trying to give you a chance to showcase your skills since you're always complaining about it. But fine, I, as the man, will move the boat."

"You act like it's so hard. Sokka, I can do it just fine," Katara argued back, almost instinctively, before marching toward one of the boats and beginning to untie the rope with which it was held to the shore.

'I'm no sailor, but something tells me she's going to do it wrong,' Kel thought. 

While Katara was untying it from the shore. He approached the boat and saw it had certain tools inside. Looking at the rope tied to the shore, it didn't take a genius to think that to leave the shore, one must first untie, then push the boat into the water before quickly jumping in, preferably without getting their feet wet. There were tools in the boat, such as a long stick that was likely to pull away from the harbor and paddles compatible for moving through the shallow water. 'Man, maybe surviving in the Arctic is my true calling,' Kel thought, proud at somewhat quickly figuring that obvious technique.

Katara finished untying it and tried to push the boat, though hardly making it budge at all. Kel watched her struggle, taking note of all the various tools present in the boat, all of which he would need because when it came to water bending, he was even less knowledgeable than Katara. And considering his luck, he didn't want to rule out that he would likely fall into the freezing cold Arctic water, so better to be prepared than sorry.

But before he could even finish creating game plans for the scenarios he was creating in his mind, Katara let out a dissatisfied groan before kicking the boat with her foot. "This isn't fair; it's stuck or something," she muttered.

"Sure," Kel sarcastically nodded, prompting Katara to glare his way. "Whatever, we don't have time for this, just push it out, Mr. Warrior Man," Katara gave up and stepped away.

Kel wasn't about to fall for this. In what was likely an irritating situation for Katara, he saw an opportunity and started laying the foundation for his attack on the 'reincarnator' who he felt they would likely encounter on this boat trip.

"Hurry up, Sokka."

"No, I don't think I will," Kel replied back before shrugging his shoulders.

"Sokka, we don't have time for your immature games."

"What games? I'm not doing it because a certain sister of mine said she would have no trouble pushing the boat into the water, yet here we are."

"You're impossible, Sokka, can you just move the boat?"

"Fine, I admit it, I can't move the dumb boat. Are you happy now?" Katara replied back.

"Since you said you were going to do it and have failed, you're basically asking me to help you with a favor," Kel said.

Katara, with an absolutely shocked expression, frowned and pointed at him. "You, you! I do everything for you!" she yelled out, causing the water near the shore to wobble slightly. Katara didn't notice and continued to rant, "I do the cooking, I do the washing, I even clean your stupid warrior weapons. This is the thanks I get? you ungrateful jerk!"

'Dammit, she really does have a short fuse,' Kel thought, and before Katara could completely go off, he raised his hands as if in defeat. "Fine, fine, you've proved your point. I'll move the boat," Kel finally agreed.

Katara calmed down slightly, but Kel wasn't done, adding, "If you agree to give me a kiss on the cheek once I do it and call me the best brother ever."

At this, Katara frowned yet again, her face bearing a disgusted expression. "No, I'd rather kiss a fish."

"Then I'll let that fish move the boat," Kel answered back, causing Katara to look even more angry. But she could that see if they continued on this path, they wouldn't get anywhere, so she reluctantly gave in. "Fine, just move the stupid boat already."

Having said that, Kel gave a short smile and moved to the boat and began pushing. It was indeed heavier than it looked, but much to his surprise, Sokka was also stronger than he looked, being able to push the boat slowly into the water with some effort. 'I'm no athlete, but I should be able to work with this. Man, imagine going to a fantasy world and having to work out. There's really no rest for the wicked,' Kel thought.

The boat moving, Kel jumped into it, prompting Katara to follow. "What are you doing?" she asked with a strange expression.

Kel realized this likely wasn't Sokka's way of doing things, but he had already begun, so he simply went with it. If he failed, he would simply say he was trying something new. 

Katara reluctantly began running over and hopped in as the boat slowly began to move away from the shore.

Kel used one of the long sticks to pull away from the shore, but now there was a problem. He didn't know where exactly the sea prunes were, so they needed to bait Katara yet again. 

So after they had now begun to shift away from the shore, he turned to her and asked, "There, easy peasy, and aren't you forgetting something?" he said to her, causing her to pull a disgusted look again as she shut her eyes before coming closer to Sokka with her eyes closed.

She gave him a peck that lasted less than a second on the cheek and pulled away. 

"Well, say it." 

"You're the best brother ever,"After saying that, she rubbed her sleeve over her lips and spit in the water from disgust.

'Damn, you'd think I made her lick my ass.'

Kel simply shrugged it off and instead baited Katara yet again. "As a bonus, I'll even let you lead the way, and give help, you're in charge."

"Huh, really?" Katara asked with an excited expression, to which Kel slightly nodded.

"Sure, why not? If it means more favors and you calling me the best brother in the world." 

 Katara excitedly turned to the paddles, unaware of Kel's plots.