Taking Off (4)

"This could work, Sokka," Katara pointed out as Sokka sat opposite Aang in their igloo and rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

"Could this work?" Katara questioned after a while, sounding unsure after observing Sokka's ponderous look.

Sokka merely hummed deeply, keeping silent. His brows locked into a frown as he didn't seem thrilled about the idea Aang had just posed for their problem.

"Will this work?" Katara repeated her question impatiently as Sokka rolled his eyes, "Katara! Let me think, will you?"

"You're taking too long!"

"Oh my, I didn't realize impatience was the greatest asset for making responsible decisions. My bad! Should we just leave everything without considering the possibility that returning may be harder than we expect the second Aang's identity is exposed because it would implicate us all simultaneously?"

Sokka's question silenced Katara.

"I don't think I should be here. It's your decision to make, after all," Nik coughed.

"No, you stay," Sokka scoffed, "If we leave, I won't let you stay in the Village, of course. So, whatever comes of this decision directly affects you."

'Who said I wanted to stay here?' Nik silently judged Sokka but shrugged and continued to stay.

"Aang... when the procession of the Phoenix King arrived here, it stayed for two days to completely inform us of the situation. I stayed to listen to the stories because that is the only source of information I could have on the war as a whole," Sokka looked at Aang, "So before I let you help us your way, I feel obligated to help you understand in return what your disappearance signified."

Katara looked away momentarily while Aang lowered his head, nodding.

"It meant... loss. Wherever you go, you will find that everyone has lost beloved people, including the Fire Nation. And honestly, we have grown to accept it. We've had the years to cope with it, after all."

"And you're an Airbender with a Sky Bison... even if I didn't recognize you immediately, many will. Others who haven't processed their losses will blame and scorn you for their tragedies. It is an ugly business. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Aang slowly shook his head, unable to measure the gravity of the situation from Sokka's words alone.

"I cannot hide," Aang replied with a conflicted look, his emotions being anything but willing to confront such men. "There could be many airbenders out there just too afraid to reveal themselves. I want to travel. I want to learn to bend and master the other three elements." The remaining three notice how Aang seemed stoked about the latter as he raised his head, adding, "And I want to help the villagers not because I'm the Avatar, but because it's the right thing to do."

Sokka looked at Aang with an unimpressed expression before exhaling a long sigh and almost whining, "That's... so stupid!"

"Eh?"

Aang's expression froze as Sokka jabbed his index on Aang's forehead, "Learn to listen. You're ancient. You don't have any money. And you plan to trade food for the villagers. With what?"

Aang's lips twitched as Sokka continued, "Not to mention, in this day and age, nobody would trade with the Avatar. There is a reason why I didn't send the news of your arrival to other villages. Half of them would want to skin you alive, dude!"

The boy paled slightly.

Sokka muttered and crossed his arms again, "But there is a way."

"What?" Katara inquired as Sokka looked confused.

"Where is the 'please'?"

Katara narrowed her eyes and stated coldly, "Oh, then should I make you beg whenever I have to take care of your laundry? Nik, do you want to hear what I have been cleaning—"

"Alright, Alright! Alright!" Sokka gasped and hurriedly covered Katara's mouth before huffing, "It's simple. You need people to trust that Avatar can do something about this terrible situation. Popular people get free stuff quickly, after all."

"But..." Aang seemed reluctant as Sokka continued.

"I'm not saying you to go around flying and shouting that you're the Avatar. Be discreet. You said that you want to help, right? Then do that. However, you can let others know you're the Avatar only after you have helped the locals. Understood?"

"Uh, no?" Aang shook his head in confusion.

"If you solve the problems, you give the locals a reason to trust and hear you. They might hate your guts if you reveal your identity before that. But after you've helped them? They will need to reconsider their approach! And soon, the word of the Avatar returning will help ease your traveling. Or something close to that," Nik spoke for Aang to understand the situation as Sokka nodded.

"That's it. As for helping us with food, there's no need for it in the first place. We were eating just fine before you floated in ice around here," Sokka smiled, "What you should focus on is problems that fishing or foraging cannot solve, understood?"

Aang nodded and accepted the reasoning. Sokka was right. They truly didn't need any help when it came to feeding their villagers. Aang felt he might have been too excited to accomplish this 'one step at a time' plan.

"Now that it's settled, you can leave," Sokka stated, "Both of you."

He looked at Aang and Nik.

"Wait a minute," Katara interjected, "Can you guys wait outside for a moment?"

Aang and Nik looked at each other before walking out.

"I'm not leaving," Sokka stated plainly.

"I know," Katara nodded, "Is there anything you want me to tell Dad?"

"What?"

Sokka gazed at his sister—dumbstruck!

"If you don't want to leave, I still do. And not only for waterbending. I will find Dad and bring him back alongside others. We never were part of the war, maybe for the best. We were kids back then, and we also used to have Gran-Gran keeping us together. But ever since she passed away... I've had this feeling that we should be doing something."

"It's called frustration," Sokka scoffed, "and I tried to set up a marriage for you so many times now, Katara. Just marry. Have a life," His shoulders slumped.

"Like I will marry a stinky guy and only have my workload increased," Katara snorted.

"I want to leave, Sokka."

"What do you expect me to say?" Sokka frowned.

"A... goodbye would be nice," Katara smiled, but Sokka couldn't muster any as he fell silent.

Seeing Sokka unresponsive, Katara sighed softly and stood up.

"I will tell Dad you miss him," she whispered before leaving.

Outside the tent, Katara found Aang and Nik waiting by their temporary tents and smiled.

"You wouldn't mind me tagging with you guys, right?"

"No," Aang quickly shook his head.

With a smile, Katara walked into her tent and only came out after a while. Bidding farewell to the villagers, and hugging the children who pestered her to return quickly, Katara walked out of the village with Aang and Nik.

As they left, the villagers were stunned when they found Sokka quickly coming out of the tent, screaming, "Remember not to trouble your mothers too much! And don't quit your training for potty breaks! When I return, I will test every one of you!"

With that, he rushed out of the village with small baggage of his own and called out.

"Hey! Wait up!"

"Sokka?" Katara looked back. Her eyes widened in surprise and joy as she rushed to him. She quickly hugged him, inquiring, "You're coming?"

"I don't want you to screw up my message to Dad. I don't trust you with important tasks. At all!" Sokka huffed as Katara shoved him away with annoyance, turning around to catch up to Aang and Nik, calling out, "Let's go!"

"Yeah, let's go!"

Sokka followed with an eager smile as if he wasn't shouting in opposition to leaving the village a few hours back.

Appa, Aang's animal companion, had a wide saddle buckled on his back that provided plenty of space to the trio while Aang sat on top of Appa's head and held reign to the ropes tied to his horns.

The villagers gathered near the entrance as they waved at the group, signifying their farewell as Katara whispered, "Are you sure?"

Sokka pursed his lips before nodding, "No way I'm letting you go in this dangerous venture alone."

Sokka knew what he had recommended: clearing Aang's name was no doubt dangerous. Aang will be chased without rest until he has enough strength to deter pursuers the moment Avatar's status spreads.

Hearing him, Katara nodded while Aang leaned down, rubbing Appa's head.

"Alright, Appa. This is it," He smiled, "We will eat fruits, and you won't be hungry anymore. You just have to push yourself to fly one last time."

"I'm sorry, fly?" Nik looked at Katara and Sokka, who shrugged in confusion.

"If you didn't notice it, magic man has a magic bison," Sokka clicked his tongue.

Appa moved, and with him, the bodies of the passenger trembled. It's Nik's second time riding on Appa since the Bison carried him to the Southern Tribe alongside the siblings and the Avatar after he entered this world.

*Ghrraaaghhhh*

Appa growled as he shook his head, snow being dusted off from his fur as Aang's gaze brightened. Waiting for Appa to fully balance himself, a restriction only because of his weakened and starving state, Aang flicked the reigns with the snap of his wrist.

"Yip-Yip!"

*Ghaaagh*

Nik, Sokka, and Katara felt something. Looking behind, they saw Appa's large, flattened tail rising, and with a forceful flap, they found themselves momentarily pushed 'down.'

It was quick.

The village became increasingly smaller, leaving the villagers in awe, too. Nik felt the breeze against his face. Cold but refreshing. The misty glacier was left 'down' as a beautiful horizon with a shimmering ocean waiting to be explored appeared to their gazes.

"We're flying," Nik whispered, amazed by such an experience. The edges of his clothes moved along the gust of winds as Appa's speed remained relatively comfortable.

"We're flying!" Sokka screamed, much more excited when compared to Nik's level-headed and awe-inspired response.

"Katara, we're flying!" Sokka turned to face his sister with an amazed but joyous expression. However, when faced with Katara's smug and taunting look, Sokka coughed, "Big deal, we're in the air. My boomerang can do the same."

Letting go of the reigns, Aang pushed himself off Appa's head slightly and let the wind carry him towards the saddle seat on his back before rummaging his hand into his clothes and taking out a thin bamboo scroll.

"Right! We're on a journey, and I still have some things from hundred years ago to complete. The list is big, but as Nik said, if we do it one at a time, we should finish all the work!"

He unfurled the scroll and revealed a map. Nik's eyes brightened momentarily as this was a definitive form of information about the world he was present in this time around.

This world had one great landmass as the other sections of land seemed more or less divided. The landmass happened to be color-coded with the red cluster of islands marked—Fire. The largest continent with cutting rivers and large lakes had a brown shade and the mark—Earth. The two opposite ends of the map depicted the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, and in between, marked with clear gray were three specific points on the mountain ranges—Air. The fourth one was within the Earth Kingdom's border, as explained by Aang.

"Alright," Sokka smiled, a little relieved, "So you did have a plan to master all the elements. Where do you plan to go first?"

"What? No," Aang pointed at the map excitedly, "We will ride the Elephant Kois here! And then the Hog monkeys around here. And here—"

"We're not here to have fun!" Sokka shouted, his voice drowning with the cool gust as Nik looked away, more than happy to soak his eyes in this beauty of nature from afar because he already knew that up close... nature can be a murder machine.

---

"How long?" Sokka groaned.

"9 inches… on a good day…" Nik mumbled, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion and sleepiness. Sokka looked at Nik strangely, "What '9' inches?"

"I..." Nik blinked and frowned. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up straight and stretched his arms out with a long yawn, "I misunderstood your question."

"Damn right, you did," Sokka scoffed.

"We're just close by to the Patola Mountain Range," Aang looked back, "There, we can eat all the fruits and nuts. Yip yip, Appa!" he smiled as Appa's speed grew considerably.

The air had grown rather warm and tolerable as they flew north.

Katara gave a long sigh, seeing the two men leaning against the edge of the saddle without any intention to move at all—Totally bored by the journey herself.

The novelty of flying was quick to pass by, and now they all felt that the inability to do anything out of fear of falling to their deaths was much more taxing. Only an Airbender like Aang wouldn't find it mentally taxing to be so high in the air. The shift in oxygen level at this moderate altitude was barely noteworthy, so the group wasn't particularly affected by it.

Soon, the mountain range was within view as Aang grinned, "Everyone, hold tight!"

Nik didn't take more than a second to clench the saddle firmly, and so did Sokka, equally paranoid of falling to his death. Katara revealed a confused expression when Appa suddenly growled and changed their flight's direction.

From forward to up.

"Woaaahhh!" Katara gasped, her heart quaking in fear as she quickly grasped the edge of the saddle, too, and cold gusts whipped their faces, and soon their visions were covered by mist once again as Appa drilled into the clouds and some more!

His head tore through the layer of the clouds as everyone had their visions attracted to a spacious monastery with blue spiraled rooftops and winding path visible even from the distance built on the peak of a steep mountain without any vegetation in sight around the rocky range.

"There it is," Aang smiled with a relieved expression, "The Southern Air Temple. That's my home!"

He looked back, unfazed by the dangerous and sudden ascension, but when matched with the disheveled appearance of the trio still heaving with a startled expression, Aang's lips twitched, "Um... I'll go slower next time..."

Appa zoomed in towards the Air Temple and soon landed on a broad, circular platform. The Air Temple wasn't inhabited, and there was even much structural damage on the walls of the pillars that led to the greatest heights of the building.

Though despondent by the sight of it, Aang still jumped down from Appa's head, meanwhile, Nik looked around curiously.

"Come on," Aang called out, "There's so much I have to show you guys."

"You said there was a war, right?" Nik looked at Sokka and inquired in a whisper.

"Yep, the Airbenders were first to be wiped out, or so they say. I wasn't born then, so details are unclear on that matter," Sokka gazed at Aang hop around with a slightly troubled expression.

"Come on, it cannot be as bad as we are imagining it," Katara smiled and climbed down.

Nik and Sokka glanced at each other. Somehow, both of them were fully aware of the extent of cruelty humans are capable of, and they hadn't even faced a war personally yet. Undoubtedly, things might be worse than they had already imagined.

***

Alternate Title: The Plan; Aang Needs a PR Team; The Loss of Avatar; The Scarred World Looking to Blame!; Katara's Resolve; Katara: Kay' See Ya Later Scrub!; The Flight!; Map of the World?!; Aang's True Plan; 9 Inches On a Good Day; Yip-Yip; Sokka's Boomerang Can Airbend, Too!; Smug Katara; The Magic Bison Can Fly; Sokka Keeping Track of Potty Training?; Moving Out; The Southern Air Temple; The Four Lands; Divided Nations; The Marks of War; Shared Nihilism; The Horizon Awaits

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A/N: In the next few chapters will be one of the greatest changes in the structure of the world-building of the avatar world aside from the fact that Aang woke up six years later and the fact that somehow down the road.