Tale Of Two Avatars

Southern Air Temple

It had been a day or two since our fight with the Fire Nation soldiers and since then, we had set up camp on a seashore located in the middle of nowhere. Aang had also promised to take us to his home, the Southern Air Temple before we checked one of the activities he wanted to do off his bucket list, swimming with Giant Kois. 'Can't believe that's actually possible.'

By now, the Sun's fingers had touched the sky and imparted upon it a light tinge of orange. The previous night's campfire had been exhausted and we were all awake, all of us except Sokka that is.

Aang hops atop Appa, adjusting Appa's reins while telling us about his home, "Wait 'til you see it, Katara and Suzume! The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world!"

Katara and I both climb up Appa, taking a seat in his saddle. "Aang, I know you're excited," Katara pauses tentatively. "but it's been a hundred years since you've been home."

"That's why I'm so excited!" Aang smiles broadly, staring directly at me. "And I get to teach Suzume airbending there!"

"Uh Aang, I don't know if I'll actually be airbend," I laugh nervously.

"Don't worry about it," Aang waves his hand in the air dismissively. "I'm sure you'll be able to."

He then hops down Appa, landing softly on the ground with his airbending and walking over to the still-sleeping Sokka.

"Wake up, Sokka! Air Temple, here we come!" Aang declared cheerfully, awakening the boy who greets him with a groan and complaints.

"Uggh! Sleep now. Temple later," Sokka whined.

"Sokka! Wake up!" Aang frowns in annoyance before his features split into a mischievous grin. He grabs a stray stick on the floor, rubbing the tip of it over Sokka's sleeping bag slowly. "There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!"

Sokka wakes up with a scream, jumping and hopping around with his sleeping bag frantically. "Get it off! Get it off!" That was until he fell down, realising it had all been a joke.

"Great! You're awake! Let's go!" Aang leaps back onto Appa as if nothing happened. 'He really is just so innocent.'

I couldn't help but giggle along with Katara, proffering a suggestion, "You know, if I were Aang and I could airbend, I'd just airbend him out of his sleeping bag and onto Appa."

"You might just be able to do that," Katara smiled and once Sokka assumed his position on Appa, the flying bison took to the skies once again after Aang says the magic words.

Time Skip

"The Patola Mountain range! We're almost there!" Aang announced excitedly as Appa rapidly ascends past a mountain range and I grip tight to his saddle, my heart palpitating rapidly against my ribcage for a moment until Appa slowed down, flying above a ridge of trees. And beyond it, a large grand temple stood proudly, its light blue spires standing out as if it were waving at us and greeting our arrival. 'It's beautiful.'

"There it is. The Southern Air Temple," Aang announced proudly.

"Aang, it's amazing!" Katara exclaimed.

"It's more than amazing, it's a work of art," I whispered.

"We're home, buddy! We're home," Aang informs Appa, patting him as he lands him at the base of the temple's snow-covered staircase. Appa grunts indolently, resting immediately after we dismounted from him.

I walk along with the two Water Tribe siblings, trailing Aang as he sped past us with a burst of air at his feet, eager to inspect the condition of his home.