The Avatar's Guardian: The Lost Story (Avatar the Last Airbender fanfic)

Chapter Sixteen

Satomi's P.O.V.
The flight takes seventeen hours, but I stop to rest for a few every few hours or so into the flight. I get no sleep or rest on my journey to the Northern Air Temple, but I don't plan on it either. I make the trip without trouble although it is around midnight when I reach the Northern Air Temple. Aang is up though. I greet him normally and show no signs of injury or my dehydration. He leads me to the dining hall, and I eat and drink while he tells me of everything that happened in the battle. I listen closely and carefully. I smile at his account of the sea spirit joining with him to avenge the moon spirit.

"That's good. You're improving and becoming a better Avatar," I say smiling faintly. He nods.

"Pakku told me that I'll learn from Katara now," he beams ecstatic. I smile too. I nod.

"Yes, and I will teach you both as well, but more specifically with Katara. I will teach you how master the elements together as a whole and the ways to make your own moves and such. The things only few people know of," I explain to him. He nods beaming.

"You're still going to teach Sokka right?" he asks. I nod.

"I will teach all of you what I know. Sokka fighting, you bending, and Katara waterbending, but now we must find you an earthbending teacher," I say he nods.

"Are sure you can teach all of us?" he asks. "It must be tough," he adds as an afterthought. I shrug.

"I will be fine. You are the one that is under pressure," I correct as I finish my meal. He nods uncertainly. I stand and dispose of the tray and cup before returning. "The real training will begin in a few days. I need to recover my strength and so do you and the others." He nods. We converse idly from here as he leads me to our quarters and from there to my room.

"Goodnight Satomi, and may the stars smile upon you," Aang says. I smile at the familiarity of the words. They wrap around me and feel like the closest thing to home I'll ever have.

"Goodnight Aang, and may the moon guide your path," I say softly a smile itched on my face. Aang nods before pulling me into a bear hug. I clench my teeth at the sudden contact. I nearly shove him away from me, but then I remember it's only Aang. I wrap my arms around him awkwardly. He's a good half foot or so shorter than me. I fight the urge to push away from him as my skin crawls. I wasn't always so sensitive to people touching me, but my last two encounters with Zhao have left me avoiding human touch as much as possible.

"Please, don't do that again," he whispers against my shoulder. "You scared me," he says his fingers digging in my skin. I relax and pull him closer to me with a small smile.

"You won't get rid of me that easily," I reply rubbing his back gently. He chuckles lightly. "I won't be able to be with you every step of your journey, you know? Sometimes it will be you and Katara or you and Sokka, but sometimes you'll be alone. You need to be prepared for that," I whisper. "I'll be with you for all of it that I can though, and when I'm not there you will have my strength," I smile pulling away from him. "Alright?" I inquire. He nods a smile on his face.

"Alright. I'll see you in the morning," I say slipping into my room for the night. I close the door and press my back against it. I press my knuckles to my lips in an attempt to keep from crying. It does little to help. A few tears manage to slip down my face as I slide down the door. I've always been able to touch Aang without feeling the urge to pull away. So much has changed already. He's growing up and further away from me. I choke down a sob as a few more tears escape my tight hold. I squeeze my eyes shut and stop any more tears from falling. I shove away the feeling and tie it down in a far corner as a cool calmness settles over me. I breathe out a long sigh and take in a deep breath. I just need some sleep, that's why I'm acting so irrationally. I nod agreeing with myself. I pick myself up and fall on to the bed. I fall asleep quickly, and I wake up on the floor not thirty minutes later. Maybe, I should have drunk more of Psycho's tea. I pull myself back on to the bed, and begin to meditate until the first rays of sunlight hit my closed eyes. I stop meditating and move to the balcony. I don't think meditating suits me any more. It no longer brings me any peace or closure. Gyatso said it wouldn't eventually. He said that since the monks had set me so far apart from the others that there would come a time that it would no longer work for me. He said air bending would always be with me, but the things the air nation did would not always carry because of the separation. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. I push the thoughts away and begin moving through the air bending forms slowly. My muscles are sore and ache with the movement, but they loosen up as I get to the harder sets. My abdomen is the worst followed by my shoulders and lower back. I can work my back out with Sokka's lessons, but my abdomen will need to heal a bit more. My ribs did almost break as Psycho told me before. They are bruised pretty good. I'll have to be careful when I fight Sokka. If my ribs break, it will delay my training along with everyone's. I move to the waterbending forms satisfied with my airbending forms. The waterbending forms finish loosening my tight muscles and ease the soreness in my body. I don't get to move to the earthbending forms as I hear a knock on my door. I pull my water back into its container and stride to the door. Katara waits on the other side.