The Avatar and the Fire Prince

Book 2: Water, Chapter 13: Return to the Northern Air Temple

"So... where are we going again, exactly?" Sokka asked as he lazily gave Momo, who was fast asleep on his lap, a few scratches behind his ears. "We've been flying through these same mountains for days now."

"We should be arriving at the Northern Air Temple soon," Aang replied over his shoulder.

Iroh nodded. "It's the last point of civilization on the Earth Kingdom mainland between here and Agna Qel'a. We'll rest and restock on supplies there before setting out over the North Sea."

"Last point of civilization?" Katara repeated curiously. "I thought all the Air Temples were abandoned."

"Our friend Teo lives there with his father and a group of other Earth Kingdom refugees," Zuko explained. "It's been a little over a year since we last saw them."

"Speaking of Teo and his dad... this is also my chance to do what I should have done a year ago," Aang said with a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. "Last time we were here, we didn't exactly leave on a positive note."

"What do you mean by 'didn't exactly leave on a positive note'?" Sokka asked, sitting up and raising an eyebrow. "Do we need to be prepared for anything?"

"Well..." Aang began to reply, when suddenly, he spotted the familiar shape of the temple through the haze of clouds ahead of them. "We're here!" he exclaimed, feeling a strange mix of excitement, homesickness, and apprehension swirling in his stomach.

"No way... " Sokka said, skepticism forgotten as he marveled at the temple. "There's people flying around up there!"

"They're flying on gliders just like yours, Aang!" Katara gasped. "Are they...?"

"Actually airbenders?" Aang said, finishing the sentence for her. "That's what I thought at first, too."

"So... they're not?" Katara asked, brow furrowing in confusion.

Aang shook his head. "They're gliding, but they're not airbending. You can see it in the way they move. The air controls them, they don't control it."

"Oh," Katara replied, wilting slightly. "I'm sorry, Aang..."

"It's okay," he replied kindly, giving his friend a small smile of reassurance. "At first, I was disappointed, but a lot of the people who live here now do a good job of keeping the airbender spirit alive. Especially Teo."

Almost as soon as he had mentioned the Earth Kingdom boy's name again, one of the gliding people soared towards them. As the person grew closer, Aang felt his smile widen as he recognized who it was.

"Aang? Lee?" Teo shouted, grinning widely as he looped around to glide next to Appa. "And Mushi!"

"Hi, Teo!" Aang yelled back with a wave. "We were just talking about you!"

"Hey, Teo," Zuko called out.

"It's good to see you!" Iroh shouted with a wave as well.

"Guess we weren't the only ones who got duped by those two when we first met them," Sokka said out of the side of his mouth in a joking tone, nudging Katara with his elbow as he gestured towards Iroh and Zuko with his thumb.

*****

"Woah, woah, woah..." Teo said as he led them through the temple courtyard. "So let me get this straight. Your names are not Lee and Mushi?"

"Lee Junior, actually," Iroh said, holding up an index finger.

"They're fake names, uncle! That literally doesn't matter anymore!" Zuko snapped, his face burning as he heard Katara and Sokka snicker from behind him. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then turned back to Teo. "My real name is Zuko, and my uncle's is Iroh."