ATLA Little Bender

Echoes

She didn't want to support the chase any longer, she felt bitter, tired, and annoyed of the nasty comments her cousin made. Aang was just a kid, naive, simple, and sweet. Yet her cousin was determined to hunt him down as if he were an animal. Maybe that was what made him feel better about chasing a child around, pretending he is just a ticket home.

Zuko seemed to realize her disdain but he kept thinking that it had to do with her being homesick, every time she would walk to greet him each morning he would assure her that they were on their way home. Same as today, Zuko and Iroh had just left the ship with their soldiers, while Elaria favored separating from them, not wanting to see her family as they targeted and interrogated the people. Yet they wouldn't relent or cooperate yet which meant her cousin was justified in threatening to burn their homes for the sake of progress. 

For once Elaria thanked her father for keeping him restrained, it was one thing to say it and another thing to complete his word. She'd rather not get more involved after the events of the South Pole. She wanted to forget her interaction with the Avatar and distract herself by completing the purpose of her travels with her cousin. To see new places like her Uncle Ozai said she should.

"Milady please don't go too far ahead." A soldier from behind her spoke, they were riding on their Komodo Rhinos to a nearby forest, "Yes, please be careful your grace, if you were to hurt yourself-"

"I can take a scratch thank you," Elaria craned her neck to them, looking behind her and shifted her Rhino closer to them to ease their worries. "Do forgive me, I don't mean to cause you more stress," She continued after thinking for a second more, thinking on her words "I am grateful for the care of my safety, what are your names?" Elaria didn't care to be overly familiar with them, but if they cared so much she could at least learn their names now.
The soldiers puffed their chests as if they accomplished something monumental. Then the one to her left spoke, "My name is Mako, he's Uru, we came to serve the palace years ago."

"Never thought we would have the chance the be even near you," Uru cut in, "Yes well I knew one day I would serve the Fire Nation with honor," Mako tried to make himself bigger. 
"Agni would set you in flames for the lies you tell" Uru cut in again.

"What do you know about me Uru?" Mako said annoyed with the constant interruptions, "Milady you should have seen Mako when we guarded you against the Avatar, he was practically shaking in his boots!" That was them?
"I was not!" Mako defended himself.

"You definitely were, you were spasming as if you were shot by lightning,"

"As if you know what that looks like," Mako said, wanting to end the bickering, it was an embarrassment for him to be made a fool of in front of her grace!

"I could only imagine tales." Uru continued to pull on him. 

"Let's stop here," Elaria said, uncomfortable with the direction of lightning bending, she bunched her dress so that it rid higher on her legs and wouldn't get in the way of her descent, quickly she landed harshly on the ground, wanting to ignore Uru and Mako trying to help her. The two followed behind as they continued with their bickering.

She came across a field of flowers, eager to simply lay in them and feel the heat from the sun. Beneath her, the ground molded to her weight, comfier the longer she laid; a halo of flowers popped through the strands of her hair, the typical braids, and her topknot of a noble lady messed by the long day; the ornaments in her hair marking her place and telling the journey of her life glinted gold under the sun, luminescent and difficult to ignore like the Fire Nation tiara she wore in her bun. Her red dress was wrinkled and stained by pollen and petals, even if she looked like a mess she never felt calmer. After all, there was only Uru and Mako to see, and they both were wrapped in their bickering.

She can remember the way Azula and Zuko bickered, and Ty Lee and Mai, she only ever watched from the sidelines, too embroiled in the weight placed on her by her Grandfather. When he died she lost him, her childhood with Marla, the close family that Ursa held together, and the memory of being able to ignore the ticking of each second. 

Now they were here, separated and at a distance with one another, and while she did have the admiration of her people, she never felt more alone than when she was surrounded by them.

Mako and Uru silenced their bickering in favor of simply gloating about their talents both having a silent bet to swoon the lady they were protecting first. Yet she paid little attention to them, not even knowing the silent competition they had.

"I've been able to take on ten earth benders!" Mako called as Uru continued to take his friend down several notches. "He lies! They were all earth kingdom non-benders!"

"Would you shut it!"

Oh, spirits, Elaria rolled her eyes, how could some people be so simple-minded? These were the best of her soldiers? Or were they simply the most eager to protect her?

Elaria favored pretending she fell asleep; she closed her eyes and felt the wind caress her face.

She could have sworn in the wind she heard the faint whisper of a mourning voice, a kid admonishing defeat from the cruelty of the world that ripped away the people he loved, and his nation.

The voice continued to persist, an echo, or signal in his best attempts to be heard.

"You were right, Katara."

The echo faded before returning to ring in her ears and thoughts.
"I really am the last Airbender."

She blinked; the harsh sunlight attacked her eyes, after a hiss at the sudden invasion of its rays, she looked around her. Head still on the ground, it only caused more flowers to gather in her braids and tie into her hair ornaments. To her left was the Komodo Rhinos, as well as Mako and Uru favoring silence to not wake her, they had taken off their uniformed masks, seeing no need to wear them without a nearby danger, their faces were slightly blurred from where they stood, yet she could make out the pale skin, and facial hair on who she guessed was Uru, as he leaned against the right rhino. Mako seemed to be younger by several years in comparison to Uru, yet he still had a good number of years in comparison to her. They whispered on the occasion, yet neither was close or matched the voice of the kid.

I really am the last Airbender. It had to be him, yet how could she hear him?

Elaria quietly slithered, dress dragging against the ground, having the idea to use the tall grass and number of flowers to disguise her. 

Once far enough she crawled faster until she was out of the clearing of flowers, not bothering to fix her appearance, she left the mud and dirt to cake her dress and hands, not even knowing of the numerous flowers and petals that fell from her hair.

Walking into a forest beside the clearing Elaria began her search. "Aang!" She did her best to yell, though it came out more of a call, the trees were tall, branches swaying, slighting in the wind.

Where was he? She knew it was his voice, he could be flying on that staff, but why would he come here? There was too much of a risk to follow the ship, and he didn't know who she was last time they spoke.

"Aang!"

Should she venture deeper? There was no point if he wasn't really there in the first place. Then what was it that she heard? No, it might have just been a dream, it had to be. Elaria convinced herself yet hesitated; looking through the trees. She turned around, having gotten over the idea of finding Aang.

There was no one here. Arriving back to the clearing, Elaria did not bother hiding that she left, much to the chagrin of Uru and Mako who scrambled into places and wore their masks to hide their red faces. 

The ride back to ship was silent as they tried to maintain their dignity, "Er- Crown Princess, your dress is caked in mud and dirt-"

"Not now Uru." Elaria deadpanned.