Accidental Avatar

Back on a beach...

It was early evening, and we had decided to set up camp next to the boat. We were all off in dreamland when Sokka woke us up shouting. He was on the first watch, so I got to my feet with a start, my fists catching fire.
"Bato!?" At the sound of astonishment from Sokka, I let the flames die out and come to stand next to him.
"Who-the-what-now?" Aang asks as he wakes up.
"Bato!" Katara says excitedly, climbing out her sleeping bag quickly to get to her feet.

He greets them both happily, embracing them as they run into his arms. Sokka only comes up to the guy's chest, making me realise just how short they were.
"It's so good to see you two." He chuckled. "You've grown so much."
Aang and I came to a small distance from them and bowed a little. "Hi, I'm Aang."
"And I'm Mogui." We introduced ourselves, but the two siblings seemed to forget we were there.
"Where's Dad?" Sokka asked.
"Is he here?" Katara interrogated
"No, he and the other warriors should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now," Bato explained. A cold gust of wind blows over the beach. He shivered. "But this is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside." He put his arms around Katara and Sokka while nodding to Aang and me to follow.

♍

"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey," Bato explained to the siblings, guiding us into an abbey where random women wandered around and made perfumes. Bato introduces us all to one of the women he calls "Superior" and tells her that Aang was the Avatar.
Aang was in the middle of graciously thanking the woman when Sokka cut him off with a "what smells so good, Bato?"
This was going to get real old, real fast. Bato explains how these women craft ointments and perfumes while Sokka tries to crack a lame joke. Bato stares at him. "You have your father's wit." He says lamely.

♍

He takes us to his quarters, where Katara and Sokka happily exclaimed that it was like home.
"You even have the pelts!" Sokka said, stroking one of the furs that were on the ground.
"Yeah..." Aang said sarcastically. "Cause there's nothing cosier than dead animal skins..."
Momo started swiping at the nose of a bearskin rug. The mouth closed, startling the lemur, which darted back up Aang's leg to perch on his shoulder. Katara opens the pot, and I find myself wrinkling my nose at the smell.
"No way!" Katara says excitedly. "Stewed Sea Prunes!?"
"Help yourself," Bato said cheerily.
"Dad could eat a whole barrel of these things," Sokka said with an amused sigh.

Aang took a bowl, and we shared a look. This smelt revolting.
The siblings start asking Bato for stories of their dad, Aang tried to get in on the conversation by sharing something of himself, but again, Sokka cuts him off, asking another question.
"You knew about that?" Bato asks, mildly embarrassed.
"Everyone does!" Katara responded, smiling.
"What's that story?" Aang asks, curious.
"It's a long story Aang, some other time." Sokka waves him off.
"Don't take it too hard," I tell him. "They're just really excited to see someone they know."
I decide to lean back and get back to sleep. I was sure that by tomorrow we'd be preparing to head off again.