THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 3)

(VII) Water

Turns out, Sokka and Zuko actually did go off and do something stupid. One would say suicidal, even.

"What are you doing in this thing? What happened to the war balloon?" Katara asks, clearly surprised to see the Fire Nation war blimp parked just outside the temple.

"It kind of got destroyed," Zuko replies shyly.

"Sounds like a crazy fishing trip," Aang jokes.

"Did you at least get some good meat?" Toph joins in the teasing.

"I did. The best meat of all. The meat of friendship and parenthood," Sokka replies, making me frown with confusion.

As he finishes, however, four more people walk out of the blimp. I recognize three of them: one of them is Hakoda, Sokka and Katara's father. The other one is Suki, our friend from the Kyoshi Warriors. The third one is a man I've never seen before.

The man waves awkwardly. "I'm new! What's up, everybody?"

But it's the fourth person that truly makes me teary. Her face, completely unchanged, shifts from shyness to realization and happiness when she sees me. It's been so long, I didn't even notice how afraid I was that she wouldn't recognize me. Yet, she clearly does, as I notice her gray eyes like mine filling with tears.

"Dad?" Katara hurries to Hakoda and embraces him in a hug. "How are you here? What is going on? Where did you go?"

"We kind of went to a Fire Nation prison," Sokka finally admits, before turning to me with a grin. "But don't worry, I brought souvenirs for everyone."

"I... I can't believe it..." I gasp loudly, taking several steps towards her. "Mom?"

"Alya?" she immediately hurries towards me and hugs me tightly, as if afraid that if she lets go, I'll disappear. "By the Spirits. I thought I'd never see you again."

"Me too," I say, as I briefly turn to Sokka. "How did you...?"

"We ran into her in the prison. I'm actually super glad we did, because I don't think we would've gotten out of there if it weren't for her. She's great at starting prison riots!" Sokka replies happily.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" I tell him, hugging him briefly before returning to my mom. "Mom! I have so much to tell you. I've done so many things since we last saw each other! I met the Avatar, Aang, and my new friends, Katara, Sokka and Toph, and we've been traveling around the world on Appa, our flying bison and—"

"Woah, slow down. We'll have plenty of time to catch up, and you can tell me all about your adventures, alright?" she says, putting her hand under my chin. "I'm just so happy to see that you're safe, sweetheart."

***

Surely enough, after a little while, I am able to sneak away with my mom so that we can finally have some alone time. I know I should be beyond thrilled, ecstatic, completely overjoyed to be talking to my mom again, after so much time. Maybe a few months ago, it would've been a lot easier to feel that way. But after everything that's happened, after learning everything that I know now... Things aren't as simple as they used to be.

"I still can't believe you've been traveling with the Avatar this entire time," Mom begins, as she smiles. "I can't imagine the things you must've gone through."

"Well, I'm not gonna lie. Traveling with Aang and the others has been one great adventure after the next. From fighting an entire Fire Nation fleet at the North Pole to fighting the Dai Li in Ba Sing Se—"

"Wait. Fighting?" Her eyes suddenly widen, but I raise my hands defensively.

"It's part of the world we live in, Mom. Sometimes fighting is the only way out of trouble, especially when you're with the Avatar," I retort.