Little Soldier Boy

Toasted

"Wow this is amazing to watch," Katara laid on her back while they all laid on the slant of hill during a meteor shower one of the nights of travel.

"Kind of makes you realizing how insignificant we are," Sokka had his hands behind his head.

"You see nothing once you see it a thousand times," Toph shrugged as she laid between Aang and Zuko.

There was a bright flash in the sky as one of the shooting stars was shooting right towards the land, passing over them.

"Aw man You never not seen anything like this," they all sat up surprised by the flaming rock that was flying by and crashed right into the earth.

"Is that our problem?" Zuko looked over as a fire was starting in the distance.

"Come on!" Aang ran to appa as they all boarded to get to the meteor.

"The fire is going to destroy the town, we gotta stop it," the avatar flew them over the comet as everyone but Katara jumped off.

"There's a creek over here, I'll bend the water onto the fire," Katara slid down to the reins.

"Toph let's make a trench to keep the fire from coming any closer, Zuko You try to calm the fire down till Katara gets back," Aang ordered firmly and the two nodded to follow.

"What should I do?" Sokka asked.

"Keep an eye on momo," Aang pointed at the lemur flying by as Toph and Zuko already got to work.

"So what am I just a lemur sitter?" Sokka whined but no one could hear them as the two earth benders teamed to make the trench and Zuko bended the flames off of trees and tried to keep it in one spot for the others to smother.

Katara came back with a large amount of water bender over the top and rained it over the flames as Toph was flattening a rectangle rock over to put out more of the flames.

"Sokka look out!" Aang got some water and was about to spray it over.

"Right stand clear," Sokka sighed in defeat and put momo under his arm while he walked out of the way.

Aang and Katara washed the water over the flames in a wave as they froze it to snow to put it all to rest.

"Good work everyone," Aang put his hands on his hips as they joined together again.

-

"These people have no idea how close they were to getting toasted last night," Aang ate from a bowl as they went into town for supplies and food.

"Yea, the worst thing about being in disguise is that we don't get the hero worship anymore," Toph pouted as she bit into a dumpling. "I miss the love,"

"Boo hoo poor hero's," Sokka pouted on the steps while the others enjoyed lunch.

"What's your problem?" Zuko sipped his tea.

"You haven't touched your smoked sea slug?" Katara motioned to her brothers food.

"It's just- you all can do this awesome bending stuff, like putting out forest fires, flying around, making other stuff fly around; i can't fly around, I can't do anything," Sokka covered his face as he ranted about what's bothering him.

"That's not true, no one can read a map like you," Katara tried to encourage.

"Zuko can literally read the stars like a map," Sokka pointed out.

"I can't read at all," Toph offered.

"No one can get stuff in order like you," aang raised his hand.

"You had a plan last night before we even landed," Sokka sighed. "I just don't feel important,"

"You keep us entertained with your sarcastic comments all the time, I mean look at Kataras hair right?" Aang tried to tease pointing at her.

"What? Why? What's wrong with my hair?" Katara combed her hair anxiously looking around embarrassed.

"Oi, listen," Zuko snapped his fingers to get sokkas attention.

"Everyone has a roll in this team, your smarter than you think, and actually a really good fighter, I understand you have insecurities but you have a good few qualities too, your not completely useless," he rubbed his neck awkwardly and Sokka smiled a little at his friend.

"Thanks Zuko, that helps but it doesn't take away the fact that each of you is so special and amazing and I'm not... I'm just the guy in the group who's regular," Sokka sighed but he still was in his head about it.

"Regular fucking sucks more," Zuko huffed giving up on the optimism.

"I'm sorry your feeling so down, but I hope you know none of us see you that way," Katara joined her big brother on the steps as he was still sad.

"I know what'll make you feel better," she poked his shoulder a little.

"You do?" He asked softly.

-

"Shopping!" Sokka clapped excitedly as they walked into a weapons store.

Sokka ran in and went venturing out for a new weapon for himself as the others took their time to go inside.

"Maybe a little something to reinvigorate my battling," Sokka touched some spears her walked by.

"How about these?" He picked up nunchucks.

"You break it you buy it," Zuko took them out of his hands.

They spread out looking around as Sokka had his own fun with Toph 'supervising'. Katara tried on some gloves that she thought looked nice as Aang tried on ridiculous armor.

"Pretty slick right?" Aang asked as Katara just watched him.

Zuko found a few dao swords, seeing some with ribbons on the handle and some that were bright and silver.

"Ooo can you teach me how to use those!" Aang looked over his shoulder.

"You can control three elements?" Zuko frowned.

"So?" The avatar whined.

"What's wrong with your swords now?" Katara crossed her arms.

"I left them in ba sing si?" He raised a brow at her.

"You did?" Aang forgot.

"We got kidnapped?" Zuko looked at them like it was obvious.

"We get kidnapped a lot," Katara waved it off.

"Where is your brother? Did he get lost?" The soldier waved them off annoyed and saw Sokka ogling at a sword while the store owner was talking to him.

"That's an original from master piandao, the greatest swords master and sword maker in fire nation history," the shop owner explained the sword that Sokka adored.

"He lives in a big castle up the road," he smiled kindly.

"That's it! That's what you needed all along Sokka," Aang perked up.

"A sword?"

"No a master, we all had masters to get us better, You should see if you can study with piandao," Aang motioned to the sword on the wall.

"That's a great idea, I could've never gotten where I am now without master Pakku," Katara agreed.

"I learned from badger moles," Toph nodded. They all looked at Zuko to hear his side.

"What?" Zuko furrowed his brows.

"It would be nice to be a master sword fighter," Sokka grabbed the sword off the wall.

"Alright I'll talk to him," he said determined taking the sword out of the holster.