ATLA Little Bender

The Deserters Arc-2

The next morning was strange for Elaria. There was a tense moment when she left their campsite to go to a nearby river, she was on a path surrounded by all these straw and wood huts when she realized she left her mask. It might've fallen off her face during the night.

Elaria fidgeted in place, slowly coming to her conclusion.

Nobody was outside.

She looked around and broke into a sprint.

Without realizing it, she airbended. Using a force of air to propel her on her toes.

In running back, she dived into an old man. Elaria can barely remember the words she spilled. Only that they ranged between apologies and excuses. Things like "Why didn't you see me in the first place? You used to be a Fire Nation Soldier," to "How did you leave you're Coalition if you hadn't even seen me?"

Elaria had been taught the value of her elders but it was hard to search for it when she knew this man is a deserter.

Her hands were focused on hiding her lower face.

She felt a concoction of sour disgust turned to chilling anxiety.

The man said nothing, the moment tense and still. Elaria decided to look at him.

Her fear was unwarranted.

The man had narrow eyes and a slim tanned face. His hair was already grey, had it not been for this situation and his ragged clothes, Elaria could swear that he belonged among the Fire Nation nobility.

She couldn't hide the glimmering hate in her eyes.

Her thoughts betrayed her. There is nothing pleasant about a man who abandoned his home and country.

Elaria's defenses reared themselves ahead of her awareness. To her sudden opponent, it looked as though she had become possessed. Her state of being converted from wary and unassuming to that of a dragon ready to breathe flames.

It reminded him of . . .

The man glowered at her. Before he stood and walked off. Deserters exiting their homes and greeting him. They glanced her over before continuing to ignore her existence. Given the last encounter with Bato, Elaria found value in the lack of attention. Particularly from men like these.

With a sigh of relief, she stood. Brushed off dirt on her clothing and carried herself with more dignity than these men had left.

The others were shocked when they stumbled on Elaria without her mask on, but Sokka and Katara weren't phased for long. Aang refused to let Elaria go out again until she wore her mask.

"You have no control over what I wear Aang!"

"We're in the Fire Nation!"

"This isn't the village!" She retorted coldly, "Besides they know you're the Avatar, they don't care to notice the rest of us!" She went around him,

Aang blocked her before she left the camp.

"Do you want them to notice you?"

Silence. She scoffed.

Katara winced she'd been practicing her waterbending with a bowl but now she wished she was elsewhere, while Sokka grumbled from his sleeping bag.

"Elaria?" He moved into her sight as she turned away. She did it again.

"Elaria!" He repeated after several more attempts to face her.

"They don't know anything Aang!" She yelled,

"Will you lovebirds shut up!" Sokka exclaimed from his sleeping bag.

"You shut up!"

"Enough!" Katara interfered with the ready blood bath. She'd gotten between them,

She glanced over at Aang. "Aang, think about it If they didn't recognize her before they'll find her more suspicious if she wore that mask now,"

His face went through a myriad of emotions, surprise, fear, worry, to reluctant acceptance. Aang thought about it before he was forced to agree. "You're right Katara,"

He glanced at both girls, eyes remaining on Elaria's turned back.

He'd been overzealous in his attempts to make sure Elaria wasn't snatched away.

He thought back to the night before.

When he returned from his meeting With Jeong Jeong, Elaria and Katara held one another in their sleep. While he was content. There was also a lodge in his throat at seeing them so cozy with one another.

Sokka woke the moment he felt movement. Aang had chosen to lie on his right so that Sokka was in the middle of the group.

"How did it go?" He asked Aang.

"He agreed to be my teacher." Aang's response was near morose.

Sokka had a feeling why, "You know she's in danger here more than ever before. "

"I'll do everything to keep her safe."

"Even fight against your master?"

He didn't answer.

The amount of times his friend nearly slipped into the Avatar State because of Elaria was enough proof. Sokka hoped he wouldn't have to add to the tally.

To Sokka it was another peaceful morning lost.

He sighed. The two airbenders had another argument, whoop-di-doo, it would have worsened had it not been for Katara tranquilizing Elaria.

"You should go ahead Aang," Elaria sighed. Already trying to get over her minor headache from dealing with the constant stress that is known as Aang. "You have to meet Jeong Jeong soon, Katara and I will follow behind you,"

Sokka scoffed from his place, "Don't forget me too!"

"You counted yourself in, for all I know you'd want to sleep more," Elaria pointed out for him.

She proceeded to ignore him in favor of starting another conversation with Katara. Particularly on how the waterbender had gotten immensely better in her abilities recently.

Aang sighed and left.