The Stone Cold Bender *ATLA Fanfic*

*Chapter 18*Memories*

Thoughts muddle together within the murk of my mind, memories of home mixing with those of Kyoshi Island, 'Where even is my home anymore?' Faces of both worlds blending together, making it impossible to tell who they are. My eyelids are weighed down by boulders, but my body feels as though it is floating in the depths of the sea. And every attempt to breath feels as though thousands of shards of glass are stabbing my lungs. A steady beeping is the only sound clear enough to make out through mixed and muffled voices. Although even that is muffled by the water.

The water seems to lull me into a memory. 

Rain harshly hits my bedroom window, loud claps of thunder startling me just as I was starting to fall asleep. Tears prick my eyes as I hold my blankets over my head. An extra loud bang of thunder was the last straw. 

Throwing my blankets off myself, I stumble out of my bed and run out of my room. Making it down the hallway, I stop and my parents' room. I need to stand on my tippy toes in order to open the door. 

Once the door was open enough, I scramble past the doorway and to the bed. "Mama." I whisper, shaking her arm that is draped over the side of the bed. "Mama, I'm scared." Mom hums as her eyes peak open at me. "Hmm, what's wrong sweetie?" 

Right on que, another clap of thunder sounds, causing me to jump and cling to her arm. With a gentle smile, Mom pulls me into the bed. Rolling over she pulls me to the middle of her bed with her arms holding me to her chest. Noticing the empty space beside me, I ask Mom, "Mama, where's Dada?"

Sighing, she brings her hand up to pet my head. "He is still at work. They are having him do over time. I'm sure you'll see him in the morning." Although see tries to reassure me, but now I can tell from the unevenness of her voice that she didn't believe her own words.

The rain against the window and my mothers warm embrace soon shifts. A soft breeze ticking my cheeks as I sit under an oak tree and read 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'. School had long ended, and I had missed my bus because Dad was supposed to pick me up after my first day at my new middle school. But he is running late. At least I though that was the case. 

But had that not happened, I would have never meet Sophie. She had approached me and practically dragged me to the park. (After I had texted Mom telling her that I was at the park.) 

We spent the next few hours taking and becoming friends. For the next week, we would hang out at the park until we became inseparable. 

I kept drifting from memory to memory, all of them from home... is it my home, or is this my home? NO, that is my home. I need to get back and make sure Mom is okay. I-

"...im...... ke......"

'What?'

A voice cuts through the cloud of memories, bringing me back to deep sea. Straining my ears, I try move my head only to feel myself sink deeper into the cold water, no longer floating peacefully. As if gravity had increased, swallowing me into the depths of the sea.

My arms struggle to move as I claw blindly at the water. Attempting to swim to the surface.

"W..ke.....Ki.."

Putting more effort into my struggle, my thoughts become clearer as light begins to leak through my closed eyelids. 

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"WAKE UP!"

Shooting up, my eyes snap open. I am meet with Aang's tearful eyes that immediately light up as he tackles me in a hug. Wrapping my arms around the boy, I look around confused. Sitting beside me is Katara and Sokka, clouds moving past us as we fly on Appa. Momo and Chip are sleeping on top of my satchel.

"W-what happened?" I ask, turning to Sokka. "Is everyone okay? What happened with Jet?" Panic seeps into my voice as my eyes shift between the siblings.

"Everyone is okay." Katara assures me as she pulls the young avatar off me. "Give her a bit of space." She mutters to him before shifting her attention back to me.

"And Jet?"

"We dealt with him." Sokka replies with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest proudly.

"What about you, are you okay?" Aang asks me, concerned. Nodding I respond. "Yeah. But I don't really remember what happened." I rub my temple as I explain. "Last thing I remember was that Sokka and I had gotten most of the villagers out of the valley. I heard two voices. And then, nothing." I look to Sokka, in hopes of an explanation, or at least more to the story.

"After everyone was out of the valley, one of the kids ran over to me saying you had passed out." He shrugs. "I couldn't see anything obviously wrong." 

Sighing I open my arms to Aang, seeing that he still wanted to hug me. "Come on squirt." I rub his back as we embrace. "I must have been hallucinating as my body fought off the poison." Though something in me doubts that.

"I thought the poison was fake?" Aang questions. Looking up at me, concern in his every feature.

Shaking my head, I sighed. "Apparently the poison was real." I chuckle, although there is no humor in it. "But I'm fine now. Gonna take more than some measly poison to kill me."

As Aang finally pulls back from the hug, Katara passes me a canteen. "Here, have some water." 

"Thankyou." Without hesitation I unscrew the cap and chug the contents. "Ah, I really needed that." Wiping my mouth, I notice that they are still looking at me. Katara with slight guilt in her eyes. 

"Hey, Katara." I call to her with a soft tone. "Don't worry about it. Jet was manipulating you." I try to wave off her concern, only for her to lower her head in shame.

Aang and Sokka, sensing that this is more of a private conversation, move towards Appa's head. Aang taking the reins and Sokka petting Momo and Chip.

 "Still, what I said about you wanting innocent people to die... It was wrong of me." Katara pauses for a minute before continuing. "And what I said about you handing us over to Prince Zuko... I know you wouldn't betray Aang." She raises her head to make eye contact. "You know, you're kind of like a big sister to him. When you weren't with Appa and Chip this morning and your satchel was still there... Aang was so worried. Jet told us you and Sokka had gone patrolling." She turns to look at Aang. "And when Sokka saved us from Jet and told us what happened. Aang blamed himself." Katara's ocean blue eyes met my emerald green ones. "What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry."

Placing my hand on her head, I smile. "Apology accepted." 

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1193 words

Sorry for not updating for a while. I had been kinda stressed out and preoccupied. 
Shifts from past and present tense during the memories because while it happened in the past, Kim is also living through it again.

Anyway, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.
Please Vote, Comment, and Share.
Psycho_Innocent out!

03/13/2022