Avatar: Repopulating the Air Nomads

Chapter 1: the proposal

"You want me to do...... what?!" Aang exclaimed in surprise, barely able to believe what he had just heard. Across the long table sat his close friend (and one time enemy, but bygones are bygones) Fire Lord Zuko. The two were joined by a menagerie of people; political advisors, bureaucrats, world leaders, war allies, and many of Aang's most trusted friends. Indeed, many of the most prolific men and women who were working to restore the world to peace were in attendance.

Zuko sighed, swallowing back his nerves once more. "You heard what I said, Aang. I, Err.... WE...We think you should consider taking multiple partners....sexual partners, in order to repopulate the Air Nomads." It wasn't any less outlandish to Aang the second time he heard it. "NO. That's NOT going to happen! Katara is the only woman I want to be with. How dare you suggest I betray her like that?!." Aang said, anger in his voice. Katara sat next to him, confusion on her face.

"You all have some nerve thinking I would agree to something like this. Just who's the idiot who thought this was a good idea?!" The Avatar asked in anger. A few chairs over, Sokka shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Around the room, eyes flitted uncomfortably in his direction. Moments passed in silence, until Sokka couldn't help but feel the cold stares of Aang bearing down on him.

He cleared his throat. "So yeah...funny story about that, ummmm.... It might've been me who first brought this up...." Sokka said nervously, before quickly averting attention to Zuko. "But Zuko already agreed to launch a national campaign to find suitable women in the Fire Nation for you! He's really enthusiastic!" Sokka said, pointing over at Zuko. "N-not by myself! That would be done in collaboration with the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom! Kuei, Hakoda, and Arnook have agreed as well!" The almighty Fire Lord exclaimed in panic as he tried to avoid blame. The three men mentioned practically shrank in embarrassment, hoping not to be noticed.

Katara turned to her brother. "Really Sokka? You want Aang, your sister's boyfriend, to HAVE SEX with other women? Just what sort of weird fantasies are in that thick skull of yours anyway?" She said, her eyebrows raised. Sokka glared at his little sister for a moment, before composing himself and beginning his pitch again. "Look, I GET it. I know this isn't easy for you to hear. It's really weird, and uncomfortable, and just plain ....icky no matter how you face it! But we're talking about the safety of the world, here. Remind me, how many airbenders are left in the world? Oh right, one. The world needs more airbenders-" Sokka was cut off by Aang.

"Katara and I will have a family when we're ready. We've already talked about this, we both want it. We don't need anyone else." Zuko spoke up again. "And that's a huge burden on any one woman. I don't doubt that you will be an excellent mother, Katara, but do you really want to spend the rest of your life constantly pregnant? We can't know how many of your kids will be airbenders. And the world will need many. What if Aang dies and none of your kids have mastered airbending? Or one has, but then they die too? Who will the next Avatar learn airbending if there isn't anyone to teach them?" The anger in Aang's eyes flickered briefly. "W-We'll figure out a solution! It wasn't THAT long ago that everyone told me that I HAD to kill Fire Lord Ozai to end the war, but I found a way to do that while sparing his life! There has to be another way!" The avatar said, defiant.

King Bumi, who had been sitting calmly through the whole exchange, finally spoke up. "The world sits in precarious balance, young Avatar. A delicate push in the wrong direction may send it falling into turmoil once more. The world needs airbenders to restore balance, and to push it towards harmony. He paused. "I'm not sure there's any solution that doesn't involve you getting a lot of pussy." The old king cackled.