Sound Bender (Avatar: The Last Airbender) #Wattys2017

||Chapter 16 - Fall||

Himoko's POV

An hour later, after my confrontation, we finished packing up and headed to follow where Katara was going on a Fire Nation Ship. Aang was antsy with worry of what could happen to Katara under the Fire Nation's Authority. I could tell Sokka was worried as well but, did his best not to show it

"She is going to be fine, Aang." I heard Sokka state, his voice calming while Aang let out an exasperated breath, watching at the Fire Nation Ship drifted through the sea. I felt Alea make herself comfortable on my back as I laid out flat on my stomach, my eyes watching the water down below make small waves with the movement of the ship and wind. This would be the first time I would be near Fire Nation Soldiers since my parent's died, not a pleasant thought but if it were to come down to it...

"Would we be able to fight them off?" I asked myself outloud, "What do you mean?" Aang asked me, catching my question with his elephant hearing

"If it came down to it, if someone saw us and alerted the rest of the soldiers about us. Would we being able to fight them off?" I asked him, turning my head to rest my cheek against my forearms. Aang hesitantly nodded

"Yeah, with three benders it wouldn't be a problem."

"And Boomerang Guy!" Sokka shouted to add in, looking as if offended that he wasn't included. I shrugged, blowing dark hair out of my eyes

"But the thing is, they know the Avatar is back. But... They don't know there is well... Me." I informed him, briefly gesturing to myself

"So?"

"I can Sound Bend, but I can't use it forever because after awhile of using it, I would have to take rests on using my voice days at a time, while it can also become painful to use it, and when it comes down to Air Bending..." I trailed off, pursing my lips as my silver eyes went back to looking down at the water. I felt Aang clap his hand on my left shoulder, seeing him grin at me from the corner of my eye

"Hey, don't worry! How about while we wait for night to come, I can teach you some defensive stuff. Maybe that will come your worries and keep us occupied." 'And keep your mind off of your worry about Katara.' I added in my head as a second thought. Aang stood up, Momo wrapping himself around his neck before sitting on his left shoulder. I sighed deeply, glancing over my shoulder at Alea who stared back at me with big eyes, pleading me to not get up so she wouldn't lose her comfortable napping spot on the middle of my back

"Don't give me those eyes." I asked her which she blinked at me innocently, trying to cute her way to get me to stay laying down on my stomach. I gave her a pointed look, chewing on the insides of my cheek

"Alea." In a warning tone, I stated back at her, not letting my defenses down. Her big floppy ears drooped down in disappointment before reluctantly getting off of my back and instead made herself comfortable on Sokka's lap. Sokka went to argue but when I sat up and gave him the same pointed look I gave Alea, he quickly closed his mouth and continued to look forward. I smirked in triumph before getting up to my feet, almost losing my footing when Sokka suddenly made Appa jerk to the right. Once I regained it, I glared at him while he innocently smiled at me

"Jerkface." I grumbled to myself before looking at Aang who silently laughed behind his hand. I gave him a deadpanned look. He coughed to cover up his silent laughter and cleared his throat

"Well, let's see what I can teach you..." He bit down on his bottom lip, tapping his chin with his index finger in thought. I looked around at my surroundings, watching the many clouds in the sky as we passed through them, the wind whirling my hair around which constantly got into my face. 'Seriously wind? You gotta pick up now?' I asked the wind in my thoughts, not appreciating tasting my own hair that I haven't had a chance to wash in a while from constantly traveling, how does Katara deal with this every time they go somewhere I will never know. Wait... Doesn't she have her hair down like I do... I think I have a ribbon somewhere... Or at least some string. I looked down at my pants before rummaging through my pockets, turning them inside out before I grabbed hold of a green ribbon. 'This will suffice for now.' I thought to myself before roughly putting my hair up in a ponytail, turning around so the wind wouldn't slam against my back. My bangs were still a problem but not much you can do there

"Aha! I can teach you-!" Aang stopped once his eyes laid onto me, stifling backwards in... Shock?

"WHO ARE YOU?!"

"Aang, it's Himoko." I gave him a tired look at his confused face that was filled with shock

"Aang, she just put her hair up." Sokka told him, briefly glancing over his shoulder at him

"B-But... She looks-"

"Like a presentable girl, yeah I know it sucks." Aang gave me a look

"I can actually see your eyes!"

"And that's a good thing?"

"Himoko!"

"I'm joking, I'm joking!" I put my hands up in defense, "I don't like having my hair up, that's all."

"Why?"

"Because I prefer people to not see my face, that's all." Before he could question me further I continued, "Anyways, what were you going to teach me again?"

"Oh yeah! Well it is sorta like a shield of air that reflects objects thrown into it."

"Like a Tornado?"

"Yeah!"

"Tornado Shield?"

"Yep!" He chirped before walking over to me and putting me in the correct stance

"Relax your muscles, Himoko. You are too stiff."

"Just like Sokka's personality."

"Hey!" Sokka yelled at me, his voice sounding very offended, "My personality is not that stiff!" I snorted, what if... No, Himoko stop, get your mind out of the gutter. I blew my cheeks full of air before blowing it out in a small puff of air

"Now, watch my hands." Aang instructed me calmly, a faint smile on his lips. I watched his hand movements before seeing a faint Tornado Shield form in between us, "Mimic my movements." He switched stances slowly to stand beside me. I began to mimic his movements, careful not to mess this up like I usually do. My eyes trained on his hands and would jump back and forth to look at his to mine to make sure I wasn't doing it wrong. In a few minutes, his Tornado Shield was in full blast while there was still nothing on my end

"Okay umm... Try to focus more on your own movements and think about thrusting air through your fingertips." He instructed me, looking a little unsure of himself but I paid no mind to it, my main focus was on creating even the smallest of shields. I need to do this if I want to help, because even though Sound Bending is useful to know and use, it is also dangerous for my own health and I don't want to risk using it way too much. With a deep breath, my eyes narrowed in pure concentration. Aang watched me intently, his eyes practically burning the side of my head with his gaze which slightly bothered me. I hate being watching, it made me feel uneasy and sick to my stomach, as if whoever is watching me is out to get me.

"Momma! Momma!" A memory rang through my ears and I shook my head, no, that is in the past now

"I can't get down!"  No, no!

"MOMM-AHH!" Without control and realization, a burst of wind escaped my fingertips and swirled into a shield in a matter of several seconds. Aang stopped what he was doing to fling back as a light as a feather, his mouth gaping in shock.

I fell out of the tree, with nothing to catch me... Except for the blanket of air I created as a child, the first instance of being able to bend air at the age of 4.

To Be continued

Heyo! Yes it's been about... Two months since the last update which I suck! I know I suck, I just lost track of time and been working on things over on Quotev than I took a month off from writing and... Yeah. XD, I suck as a writer but hey, not much you can do!

Thank you all for being so patient with me and I will post the next chapter tomorrow! Talk to you all later! -Golden