Like Me

Forgotten Flames

I know kaleidoscope is not a real color...but it's a bit more mature than rainbow.

KAORI
Katara grabbed Aang and me, pulling us up. "We can't worry about that right now. Aang found out in the spirit world that we're supposed to meet avatar Roku here."
My eyes widened in surprise and the others took notice. They tried not to stare too long at my new eyes.

"Aang is going to meet a real past avatar? But...wasn't Roku a firebender-the people trying to kill us? And isn't he kinda...well, dead?" I bit my lip, expecting something weird.

"It's the winter solstice. The door to Roku will open before sunset. We have to get those doors open before then." Katara explained.

I stopped moving as something occurred to me. "Aang, before you found me, do you know what happened?"

His face turned confused as he thought about it. "Actually no...I was so glad you were alive I didn't think about anything else."

Our attention turned towards the window as a hand appeared in it. Katara got out her pouch and Aang shoved me behind him.
"Will somebody help me up from here? It's kind of hard hanging from one hand."

Sokka's annoying voice reached my ears and the sudden smile that formed on my face surprised me.

I smacked Aang in the back of the head. "You forgot about Sokka?" Aang turned around, giving me a sheepish grin, and airbended him up.

Sokka saw me and his face lit up. He didn't take any notice of my eyes and ran towards me. I was crushed in a hug by his strong arms.

"Kaori?! We thought you were dead!"
He pulled back and his lazy smile that I loved-er, I mean hated, disappeared and a frown took its place. "Wait, how did you get here? And why didn't you contact us?"

I looked down ashamed. That was the first thing I should have tried to do when I woke up. Tears filled my eyes, threatening to fall. I was so stupid, putting myself before my family and friends.

A hand softly grabbed my chin and lifted it. Sokka took in my expression and sighed. He wiped away a stray tear, one I didn't even knew fell.

"Do you even know how you got here?" He asked softly. I nodded and he pulled me into another crushing hug. "I'm just glad your okay-even if I missed lunch to look for you."

I felt so safe and comfortable in his arms, and I rested my head below his, on his neck. It was almost like the warmth from a fire-ohmygosh. I completely forgot!

My head bolted up so fast I smacked Sokka in the chin. His muffled curses brought up a twinge of pity. Oops, I guess I don't know my own strength.

"Aang! You know how I was kidnapped? Well a boy who could turn himself into animals did it, and I accidentally got mad when he tried to take my staff, and I went into the avatar state..."

The group looked at me with slack jaws. I sighed. "There are some things you should know about me. I can go into the avatar state like you, and I learned at Kyoshi Island that I can bend water. And while I was fighting the boy, I firebent. I can bend three elements!"

Aang looked shocked. He just knew air and some water. I was already surpassing him.
A sudden thought occurred to me. "No offense or anything but you guys are a little slow. It's sunset right now."

Nobody moved from where they were standing. "Uhhh...I have to do everything now."

I jogged over to the heavy oak doors and grabbed the handles. Just as Katara shouted 'No!' I swung them open and what I saw nearly made me scream.