Accidental Avatar 3: Totally Lit

Why can't everyone just get along?

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We were meandering through town, having left Aang in the ship. Katara told us that he doesn't like the idea of hiding. Muteki was keeping an eye on Toph and Mangetsu as they walked several paces ahead of us. Mogui looked confused. But then, he always looks either confused or mischievous.

"What is up with that kid?" Mogui grumbled. "I don't get him. He doesn't make sense!"

"What?" Katara frowned at him. "Who don't you get?"

"Mangetsu," I said. "He wants to know more about the guy."

"Oh yeah," Katara made an apologetic expression as she smiled sadly at Mogui. "You haven't really met him yet. Did you try to touch him?"

"No?"

"Just talked to him," Muteki said, dropping back to keep pace with us.

"That's almost as bad," she sighed.

"He really hates physical contact," Jin confirmed. "He once freaked out and almost hit me just for patting his back."

"But, why?" Mogui asked. "It's not as if we're gonna try to eat him or anything. He'd hardly make a mouthful."

"I think he had a friend or something, who was a firebender," Katara said softly. "I think that friend hurt him really badly..."

"Those burns looked pretty bad," Mogui agreed. "But you're not talking about those, are you?"

She shook her head slowly. "He doesn't trust most people, but he at least tolerates Sokka, Toph and I. Firebenders, on the other hand..."

"Yeah, I get the picture," Mogui sighed. 

A wicked glint entered his eye. "I'll make him like us."

"Good luck," I snorted. "I was in the 'tolerated' category until he found out I was a firebender."

"Wait," Mogui looked confused again. "So he got to know you as a person and still despises you purely because fire happens to be your weapon of choice?"

"Something about where he comes from; they apparently take the whole fire versus water thing very seriously," Katara said.

"I think it's more like religiously," Mogui snorted. "Wait, where is he from?"

Katara shrugged.

"He doesn't talk about home," I sighed. "Maybe because it still hurts too much... he was the only prisoner on the ship, after all."

"Can't imagine the Fire Nation taking random people as prisoners," Muteki gazed at the group wandering ahead. "Not on warships."

"You're saying he's some chief's son who was captured recently?" Mogui asked.

"Or the last survivor of a raid..."

That sobered the mood a bit.

"I think that may have something to do with his attitude towards Firebenders," I sighed.

"Are we putting bets on the Fire Nation wiped out his home?" Mogui questioned.

"Or what, exile?" I responded sarcastically.

"I'll ask him," Katara said, skipping ahead.

"Wait, come back!" we cried, but it was too late.

Katara had caught up with Sokka, Toph, and Mangetsu. I couldn't hear what she said, but I could see Mangetsu scowl and then turn sharply away. Toph and Sokka gave Katara a sarcastic-looking lecture before they turned away to follow Mangetsu.

"Am I the only one who finds Mangetsu weirdly cute?" Muteki frowned.

"What?" Mogui asked.

"I can see it," I shrugged. "In a jailbait kind of way."

Katara wandered back after a bit.

"He wouldn't say..."

"We saw," Muteki commented.

"Please tell me you didn't walk up to him and ask him if firebenders destroyed his home," I groaned.

"Or asked if he was exiled," Mogui added.

"Or basically tell him that Mogui wanted to know," Muteki finished.

"Um..."

"You did all of the above, didn't you?" I sighed.

"Yeah..."