Sound Bender (Avatar: The Last Airbender) #Wattys2017

||Chapter 17 - Plan||

Himoko's POV

"Woah, that was so cool!"

"That was not at all cool." I muttered to myself lowering my hands in defeat, watching as my creation fell along with them. Aang returned back at my side, turning me to face him with a bright grin on his face

"Don't say that! It was awesome!"

"Aang, quiet down! We don't want Fire Nation to hear us!" Sokka scolded him in a harsh whisper. I looked over at him, furrowing my brows

"We are hundreds and hundreds of yards in the air."

"Still!"

"Stiff Personality." Me and Aang stated in sync making him growl like Pappi's Pet, Fluffy. Aang laughed at him before returning his attention back to me

"Anyways~ You did awesome! How about we try again-"

"No, I think we are done for today." I told him, not meaning to sound pushy or rude. Being able to do that didn't settle well with me, and I had a suspicion as to why. Aang gave me a quizzled​ look

"What? Why?"

"It is nothing Aang. We should focus on getting some rest." I told him before walking back over to my little corner on Appa's back, leaning up against it. Alea's ear perked up once she saw me back to lying down, flipping her ear over, managing to smack Sokka's cheek, and hopped over to me before making herself comfortable on my lap. Sokka rubbed his cheek painfully, giving her a sour look

"Well, that was rude." I ignored Aang's gaze on me, looking away to watch the passing clouds

"I can take over now."

"Okay, Aang.".

I reached behind my head, taking the ribbon out to go back to having my hair hang over my face. My silver eyes peered past through my dark locks, narrowing slightly down at the Fire Nation Ship below us

"She is going to fine, Aang. Katara knows what she is doing." I caught Sokka telling Aang ten minutes later, the sun close to setting over the horizon. I closed my eyes, taking a much needed breath. Why am I so difficult?

(Time Skip)

"I will go get Katara, wait here." Aang whispered to me and Sokka before disappearing into the shadows. I shivered at the slight cold chill in the air before noting the fact that this whole place was made out of metal

"They must be so uncomfortable having to lay on this." I whispered to Sokka who nodded in agreement

"Got to be cold too."

"So cruel to people who only use their gifts for defense, unlike themselves." I couldn't stop myself from commenting. Sokka arched a brow, noting my sour tone

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what?"

"Why did you act that way today? After you successfully were able to airbend?" I took a breath, dreading this. I need took Sokka as one to comfort but, he was a brother, an older brother in fact. Maybe that is why he was stiff when it came to doing anything really

"For years, I was referred to as The Last Airbender. But, I have never been able to bend air like a true one. My parents thought that I was just a late bloomer and would wait as long as they possibly could. At age four, I was forced to do something."

"Which was?" I looked down at my hands, pursing my lips before looking over at Sokka who stated at me curiously, "I air bended for the first time. I fell out of a tree when helping pick apples with my mom. She left to grab another pale of water from the well and after ten minutes, I wanted down but, once I looked down I went into a panic because with my mom there to help me down, I didn't know how to get down. I was afraid of falling, afraid of her not being there. I kept calling her name, jumping up and down on a branch to get her attention from where I could see her coming back from the well with the pale of water in hand. She didn't hear me, but could see me. She couldn't hear how panicked and scared I was in that moment. With one last shout of desperation, the tree branch finally broke and I fell." I remember that feeling. It was the first memory from my childhood that I actually remember so vividly, what we were doing, how the weather was outside, what season it was... I took another breath, realizing I was rambling

"I fell and found myself on a blanket of air like a soft cushion to my fall. I air bended with no control of my actions, I did it out of pure pressure of not getting hurt. My parents were so proud of me that I air bended for the first time but for me personally..." I trailed off, my eyes becoming down casted

"... You were afraid." My head shot back up, staring at Sokka in slight shock. How did he-

"Katara is the Last Waterbender in the South Pole. She was happy to be able to move water but our parents were afraid about her future. And soon enough, she became the same way but instead, was still able to express her talents while you..." He paused, pondering on what to say next, "... Were afraid of even doing it because you were watched, your every move was watched except when you were with Kaylee."

"Karlie." I corrected with no hesitation. He nodded

"Yeah, and-" Before we could continue our bonding, Aang appeared back with Katara. We must have lost track of time. We crouched further down when a spotlight briefly passed over our heads

"Your 12 hours are up, where's Haru? We've got to get out of here." Sokka asked Katara, back in mission mode, holding his arm out to Katara while Aang jumped up onto Appa with me and Sokka

"I can't." Katara stated, her firm voice showing through. Sokka gave her a pointed look

"We don't have much time, there are guards everywhere. Get on." Sokka urged her, my eyes watching where the spotlight was going

"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang asked her worriedly

"I'm not leaving. I'm not giving up on these people." Katara stated, her blue eyes vibrant in the shining of the lighthouse directed right behind her head. We jumped off of Appa, confused. We all crouched down when a lighthouse light passed over us

"What do you mean you aren't leaving!?" Sokka asked her, his eyes frantic as he worried over us being caught. I furrowed my brows, we can't stay here for much longer

"We can't abandon these people. There has to be a way to help them." Katara explained, determined to get through to us

"Maybe she's right. What do you say, Sokka?" Aang asked Sokka who quickly shook his head, "I say you're both crazy!", A searchlight once again passed over us having us hunker down to avoid being seen, "Last chance, we need to leave– Now!" Sokka urged us

"No." Stated Katara firmly, seeing her look over at me

"Katara, we can't stay here any longer. We need to go." I told her, reaching over to grab my hand to urge her. She shook my hand off of hers, shaking her head, being stubborn. Sokka shook his head, taking a breath

"I hate when you get like this. Come on, we better hide." Another search light passed over us. We all quietly sprinted off to hide, Aang staying behind momentarily to send Appa safely off without being seen. We hid behind a bunch of boxes and crates, Momo peering over a crate in curiosity. I furrowed my brows, watching a few guards pass by, doing a midnight patrol from the looks of it

"We don't have much time. What are we gonna do?"

"I wish I knew how to make a hurricane." Aang whispered and Sokka and Katara gave him unhappy looks, "The Warden would run away and we'd steal his keys!" Aang finished with a silly grin making my lips quirk up in a small smirk

"Wouldn't he just take his keys with him?"

"I'm just tossing ideas around."

"I tried talking the earthbenders into fighting back, but it didn't work. If there was just a way to help them help themselves." Katara informed us. I furrowed my brows, something they could bend...

"Maybe we can somehow bring them some kind of earth?" I asked outloud

"For that they'd need some kind of earth, or some rock... something they can bend." Sokka stated, clearly not hearing me

"But this entire place is made of metal." Katara stated, 'Yeah, we have noticed that.' I thought dryly to myself. Aang pointed up into the distance at a few swirls of smoke, "No, it's not. Look at the smoke. I bet they're burning coal– In other words, earth." I nodded in agreement, rubbing my hands together

"Okay, so how are we going to do this?" I asked Aang who smiled at me, giving me a thumbs up

"Something spectacular. Especially with two airbenders!".

To Be continued