Burning Love [ATLAB Fanfic]

Ch. 17 The Avatar State

Sokka and Katara watched Aang with concern as he emerged from his trance, the weight of his newfound knowledge evident in his eyes.

"Aang, are you okay?" Sokka asked, stepping closer, his brows furrowed in worry.

Taking a deep breath, Aang turned to face his friends, the gravity of Roku's revelation pressing heavily on his shoulders. "I'm okay," he replied, though his voice trembled slightly. "But there's something you both need to know."

Katara leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "What is it, Aang?"

Aang took another deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Kairi... she's not just your sister—she's the Avatar too."

Sokka blinked, processing the information. "What do you mean? How can she be the Avatar? You're the Avatar!"

Katara looked at Aang with mixed emotions.

"I thought the same thing," Aang explained, his tone earnest. "When I was trapped in the ice, my spirit... split. One part of me kept me alive, and the other was reborn in Kairi. We're... we're twin spirits."

Sokka felt perplexed by this new information. "Twin Spirits," he mouthed out, trying to understand what he had just learned.

Katara's eyes widened in shock. "No wonder she can bend air and water!" She realized. "She only needs to learn two more elements to become a full Avatar." She looks at Sokka.

Sokka nodded. "I wonder if Gran Gran knew, and that's why she was very protective of Kairi." He theorized. "Maybe she was planning to tell Kairi when she was of age." He murmured.

"That must be why those Fire Nation soldiers came to our tribe long ago," Katara whispered, her eyes dimming.

"Katara! Don't you even go there! I know what you are thinking." Sokka glares.

"Sokka! You and I both know that Mom would still be here if she didn't exist," Katara retorts.

"Hey!" Aang shouts, getting protective, causing the siblings to look at him. "Kairi is a part of me. So, I do not like how you speak of her that way," he firmly says.

Sokka looks at Katara, wanting her to apologize for her words about their sister. "You said you owed Kairi an apology for how you treated her and wanted to make it right. But I see it was just a facade to be away from the Southern Water Tribe."

Katara opened her mouth to say something, but Sokka cut her off.

"Don't. Say. Another. Word. I so badly want to take you back to the Southern Water Tribe. But we don't have much time. We need to get Kairi back from the Fire Nation. She doesn't even know the danger she is truly in." Sokka firmly says.

Aang nodded in agreement.

A soft humming echoed through the air temple sanctuary, grabbing the attention of Aang, Katara, and Sokka. The trio quickly ducked behind the statues, their hearts racing.

"Sounds like someone's coming," Sokka whispered, clutching his boomerang tightly. His eyes darted toward the entrance. He glanced back at Aang and Katara, determination flickering in his eyes. "Stay hidden. I'll jump out and surprise them."

"Sok-" Aang was about to call out Sokka's name when he saw the older male jump out of his hiding spot.

With a deep breath, Sokka lunged from his hiding spot, weapon at the ready. "Aha!" he shouted, attempting to catch the intruder off-guard.

But as he landed before the noise source, he realized his "foe" wasn't a firebender or a person. Instead, standing before him, seemingly unfazed by his dramatic entrance, was a tiny, wide-eyed black and white fur flying lemur, munching contentedly on a piece of fruit it had somehow smuggled into the temple.