Freezing- Kataang

Chapter 1

—Aang? The airbender heard a familiar voice call his name and he just put the pillow over his face grunting tired.

—Don’t tell me you stayed up late again? I told you this is our last day together.

That kinda woke him up feeling some sort of pain.

—Don’t worry, Aang, you can sleep more.

The monk said amused and prepared to go, but the airbender fully woken up.

—Don’t forget to wear your ceremonial airbender clothes.

Gyatso announced leaving a confused Aang alone in his room. The avatar wondered if his mentor just decided to prank him or something, but shrugged it off and got dressed with what he said.

He sighed looking at the paintings of him, his friends and mentors. He knew he was gonna miss them so much.

At the main room, a lot of well-made food was on the brown plates. The tall walls with giant paintings of all of the airbending history were making Aang feel save and comforted, he loved his culture so much. As he looked at the head of the table being occupied by Gyatso and another person with darker skin which he has not seen before other than in drawings. He had brown hair that reached his shoulder and a goat beard. But the thing that caught Aang’s eyes more were his blue eyes and blue clothes, specific of the water tribe.

—Avatar Aang! I have a place for you here!

His mentor said and the airbender just went closer to his master, feeling like it was so wrong for him to stay at the head, where only the elders did.

As he sat down, he looked over at the end of the table, seeing another master in the middle of boys that all have gotten their tattoos. “I guess this isn’t a meeting where the children should be” he thought to himself already missing them.

They talked about boring things that he really spaced out, staring at one statue of another avatar airbender which he somehow felt no connection to, Aang was wondering why, but didn’t say anything to anyone.

—So, you’re saying that the Avatar will come with you and the masters of the North?

Aang snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his name, “or I guess title”.

—Exactly. We promise you to protect the young avatar at all costs. Even our life.

The man talked in the name of the southern water tribe and Aang sighed eating some of the food. He knew that this was coming, but he expected to travel the whole world to the North Pole, not just simply go to the tribe that has no waterbenders in it, but the more he thought about it, it made the most sense. It was where the fire nation least expected him.

The boys that once looked at him in envy, now had a glimpse of sadness in their eyes. People always envied him for getting his tattoos at 12 years old, but when he was announced, at his 16th birthday that he was the avatar, their jealousy grew stronger and most of the boys that were his friends, now planned activities without him, playing the games that Aang taught them and just generally ignoring him and blaming it on the fact that he is the avatar and he will win no matter what. That made Aang sad so he started playing even more with the little kids that just seemed to admire and love him a lot.

The avatar hugged everybody, then left the final hug, a tighter and emotional one for his master.

—After you become a fully realized avatar, don’t forgive your old master.
Even if Gyatso said it in a jokingly way, Aang broke the hug to make eye contact and said:

—Never.

As the two parted ways, Aang went on the boat with the man, and wasted time 3 days until they finally arrived. “Appa would have been much faster” he wanted to complain but he felt like a stranger in that boat. He read some indications from his monks and made a disgusted face reading about the fact that they kept dead animal’s skins on their walls and that most of their food consisted on meat. Aang shook his thoughts off knowing he shouldn’t disrespect a culture and started meditating.

—Wake up.

The airbender heard a higher pitch then he expected voice, so he opened his eyes really confused. A beautiful darker toned girl with long brown hair was staying in front of him, her hand touching his arm and Aang panicked.

The mysterious girl gave him a weird look and took away her arm.

—You’ve arrived to the Southern Water Tribe, Avatar.

She announced in a formal tone, her voice was cold and her expression seemed unchangeable.

Aang looked at her with his mouth open and widen eyes. He hasn’t a woman in 4 years. They used to meet with the women from the Northern Air Temple and the Eastern Air Temple for events like the Bison Polo Championship or any great celebration. He misses the days where they weren’t threatened by the Fire Nation and they could live their lives with no worries in the world.

The girl in front of him looked nothing alike the women from the Air Temples. Her braided hair was resting on her dark blue dress, her waist seemed to be accentuated by a white belt that seemed a bit tight while the nuns wear heavy orange robes.

—Are you just gonna stare at me?!

Aang snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head trying to get back to reality.

—No, sorry.

Her face and tone didn’t hide the annoyance that she was feeling, she seemed like an open book.

The airbender took his blanket away, standing up and searching for his clothes. Now it was the Water Tribe's girls time to stare. She looked at his arm tattoos with admiration. Now she regretted her brother’s indication to read more about the air nomad's culture. Aang noticed her staring at him and let a small laugh, feeling his cheeks heating up slightly as he was trying up his orange robe with a silk red one.

—They’re tattoos you get after you become a master airbender.

He explained, with a proud face. Aang was taught by the monks to always be humble and to never show off it that will mean somebody could get hurt, or feel jealous of him. The avatar's happy expression fell when he saw that the girl stopped admiring them, but his hope raised again when she moved her eyes to his his staff. “A master, huh?” she thought to herself, sighing wishing she could have mastered water bending too, but had to be patient because now she finally has the chance.

Aang looked at her, waiting for her to ask him more or even ask for a demonstration, but she didn’t and said coldly:

—Follow me.

The airbender frowned at her lack of interest but followed her without a doubt, not even thinking of how dangerous that could have been if she was an enemy.

He only heard her steps on the wooden ship, noticing a slight difference in the way they walked. Aang found it interesting and noted mentally to remember it later.

The cold breeze hit his pale skin when he stepped outside, from the ship. The avatar took a deep breath, using his airbending to keep his body temperature to normal. Everything around him was white, only the men with blue clothing in front of him stood up.

The man from earlier, the chief of The Southern smiled welcoming to him.

—Avatar Aang, I’m glad you met my daughter, Katara.

—The pleasure is mine.

He smiled and bowed towards the man wanting to do the same for her, but Katara rolled her eyes and moved near her father. In his right side, there was a young man that looked similar to the two. He had shaved sides and a brown ponytail.

—This is my older son, Sokka.

Aang bowed again, but the older male took his hand, shaking it, with an excited look.

—Nice to meet you, Avatar.

—You can call me Aang.

The airbender said with an awkward smile, also giving a look to the girl that seemed to be avoiding looking at him.