The Little Mermaid

Chapter Eight

Aang rowed the boat through a still lagoon as Katara looked around. Unknown to them of Bumi, Momo and Pakku watching. Sokka couldn't watch since the lagoon was too shallow and couldn't risk getting caught.

"Move over, move your big feathers." Momo said to Bumi, "I can't see a thing."

"Nothing is happening." Bumi says, "Only one day left, and that boy ain't puckered up once." He paused, "Okay. All right, this calls for a little vocal romantic stimulation."

He flies over to the closest tree and starts singing. Though, it was very badly.

"Wow. Somebody should find that poor animal and put it out of its misery." Aang joked.

Katara smiled nervously and looked up at Bumi. He winked at her and she facepalmed. She did appreciate him trying, but it wasn't really helping.

Pakku covered his ears, "I'm surrounded by amateurs!"

He jumped into the water and swam down to pick grass out of the ground to use as a conductor's stick, "You want something done, you've got to do it yourself." He resurfaced, "First, we got to create the mood."

Percussion
Strings
Winds
Words

There you see her
Sitting there across the way
She don't got a lot to say
But there's something about her
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl

"Did you hear something?" Aang asked. Katara just shrugged and shook her head with a smile.

Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
Possible she wants you too
There is one way to ask her
It don't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl

Sha la la la la la
My oh my
Look like the boy too shy
Ain't gonna kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Ain't that sad?
Ain't it a shame?
Too bad, he gonna miss the girl

"You know, I feel really bad not knowing your name." Aang said as he stopped rowing, "Heh, maybe I could guess. Is it, err, Mildred?" Katara shook her head, "Okay, no. How 'bout... Diana? Rachel?"

"Katara. Her name is Katara." Pakku whispered.

"Katara?" Aang repeated. Katara nodded, "Katara? That's kinda pretty." He took her hands in his, "Okay, Katara."

Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy you better do it soon
No time will be better
She don't say a word
And she won't say a word
Until you kiss the girl

Sha la la la la la
Don't be scared
You got the mood prepared
Go on and kiss the girl

Sha la la la la la
Don't stop now
Don't try to hide it how
You want to kiss the girl

Sha la la la la la
Float along
And listen to the song
The song say kiss the girl

Sha la la la la
The music play
Do what the music say
You got to kiss the girl

You've got to kiss the girl
You wanna kiss the girl
You've gotta kiss the girl
Go on and kiss the girl

Just as they were about to kiss, the boat tips over.

"Whoa, hang on, I've gottcha." Aang says as he helps Katara stand.

Behind the tipped over boat, Zhao and Fong high five each other with their tails.

"Nice work, boys." Hama says as she watches through her magic bubble, "That was a close one. Too close. The little tramp! Oh, she's better than I thought."

She leaves her chair and goes to cabinet filled with ingredients, "At this rate, he'll be kissing her by sunset for sure." She pushes some bottles to the side, making them fall and crash. She grabs an orb that contained a butterfly, "Well, it's time Hama took matters into her own tentacles!"

She swam over to her cauldron and began doing her spell, "Hakoda's daughter will be mine! And then I'll make him writhe. I'll see him wriggle like a worm on a hook!"

A bubble surrounds her, just like what happened to Katara. She laughs evilly  as she turns human, using Katara's voice to her advantage.

🌊🌊🌊🌊

Aang played his flute to the tune of the same song that was still stuck in his head. It was night now, and he and Katara had returned from their tour.

Usually he'd be thinking about the girl who saved him, but tonight Katara was on his mind. Sure, they're the same girl... but he doesn't know that.

He is brought out of his thoughts when Iroh approaches him, "Aang, I know you're set on finding this dream girl, but if you focus too much on dreams, you'll miss what's right in front of you." Iroh places a hand on his shoulder, "Far better than any dream girl, is one of flesh and blood. One warm and caring, and right before your eyes."

Iroh walks away as Aang looks up at Katara, who was brushing her hair with a fork.

He smiles and lets out a sigh. He looks down at his flute. Iroh was right. He still wasn't sure whether or not she was the girl who saved him. And he no longer cared.

All he knew, is that he had fallen for her. She might not be able to speak, but she was just as free spirited as he was.

Aang tossed his flute into the ocean, a symbolic way to let go of this dream girl. He looked at the window to Katara's room and started to walk back to the castle.

But he turned back around when he heard singing. He walked back to the ledge and looked down at the beach to see a girl walking. He watched her curiously, unknowing that he was being put under her spell.

🌊🌊🌊🌊

"Katara!" Bumi calls as he flies toward the castle in the morning. He flies into her room and lands on her bed, "Katara, wake up! Wake up! I just heard the news. Congratulations, kiddo, we did it!"

Bumi shakes her hand while Katara sits in her bed half awake. Pakku wakes up and stretches.

"What is this idiot babbling about?"

"Right, as if you two didn't know, huh?" Bumi replied, "The whole town's buzzin' about the prince gettin' himself hitched this afternoon!" Katara looked at him confused, "You know, he's getting married!"

Bumi grabs Pakku and gives him a noogie on the head, "You silly sidewalker!"

The bird let's Pakku go as he turns to Katara, "I just wanted to wish you luck." He jumps off her bed and makes his way to the open doors of the, "I'll catch you later, I wouldn't miss it!"

Bumi flies away as Katara processes everything. She brightens upon realization and jumps up. She starts to go out the door, but stops and picks up Pakku. She happily spins around and gives him a kiss.

Katara sets him down before running towards the door. She stops again to fix her hair in the mirror and the runs out, followed by Pakku.

She runs down the stairs, excited to see Aang, but she stops when she sees him with another girl.

"Well, now, Aang." Piandao said as Katara hides out of sight, "It appears that I was mistaken. This mystery maiden of yours does in fact exist." Katara looks closely at the girl as Pakku also gets a closer look, "And she is lovely. Congratulations, my dear."

"We wish to be married as soon as possible." Aang said, in a tone that sounded like it was forced.

"Oh, yes, of course, Aang, but, uh... but these things do take time, you know."

Katara moves behind a pillar as her breathing starts to get heavy. She struggles to hold back her tears as she listens to the conversation.

"This afternoon, Piandao. The wedding ship departs at sunset."

"Oh, oh... very well, Aang, as you wish."

Katara couldn't hold it in anymore and runs off in tears. The girl, who was of course Hama in disguise, notices her running off. She smirks and laughs to herself as she looks at her necklace.