ATLA Little Bender

Only People

Sokka, Aang, Elaria, and Katara squatted on the metal perimeter. They carefully looked around for guards. Since Katara already had the support of Elaria, she only needed Aang and Sokka to agree. Chances were that if Elaria agreed so would Aang, that only meant Sokka needed to. 

Sokka questioned Katara, "What do you mean you're not leaving?" Elaria continued to keep a lookout, she had given her dark cloak to Aang since his nomad outfit was bright even in the dark prison rig. In this case, her dress, even with gold, would keep her safe from attention in the shadows. The irony wasn't lost on Elaria when only that very same morning she had thought she wouldn't wear this dress for a long time. 

Katara replied to her brother and Elaria felt admiration grow for her friend; Katara was one of a kind, "We can't abandon these people! There has to be a way to help them." 

Elaria curled in, "She's right, we need to do this. You with us Aang?" She hopefully waited for Aang's response. He smiled at her, "Of course I am, What do you say, Sokka?" 

Sokka looked at them all as if they lost their minds. "I say you're both crazy!" They ducked the reaching light of the searching spotlights. "Last chance! We need to leave, now!" He gestured to the direction they came in. 

"No!" Katara sternly counteracted.

Sokka was outnumbered once again, he shook his head, "I hate when you get like this. Come on, we better hide." 

Aang drifted from the group to return to Appa, "Go hide." the flying bison flew out of sight; Only to be spotted by a few guards who ran to report it to the Warden. 

The group quartet hid safely behind numerous boxes. Huddled together as they were seated on the metal ground in the shadows.  Elaria and Momo were peeking their heads over the small crate of boxes until the conversation called her attention back to the other members of their group, she seated herself beside Aang and Katara; Sokka, in front of her, was questioning his sister on her plan. 

"We don't have much time left. What are we gonna do?" He asked. Elaria thought about their choice to do this. It wouldn't harm the fire nation right? These remained innocent men locked away, and she owed it to Haru and his mother for everything they suffered; regardless if that meant by helping these earthbenders. She thought back to Haru, and the conversations with him and his mother. Regardless of their element that didn't mean they were those people in Omashu, and the benders here were only people. 

Regardless of element.

"I wish I knew how to make a hurricane!" Aang spoke from her right. He earned looks from the others, including Elaria who merely smiled at his nature. Aang defended his thought, "The warden would run away and we could steal his keys!"

Sokka skeptically replied, "Wouldn't he just take his keys with him?" 

Aang pouted, "I'm just throwing ideas around here!" Elaria besides herself laughed, she set her hand on Aang's. "It's not the worst idea I've heard today," She reflected the plan that got them here in the first place. 

"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 reasoned, Elaria shook her head. "That won't work, not when they're trapped in their fear." Her recent experiences were enough to see how fear could sway a person when she lashed out at Katara. She continued, "I do agree with you though, having them stand to fight will give them strength against the fire nation," Her tongue slipped and she backtracked. "I mean the fire benders here." 

The others observed her when Sokka spoke, "For that to work they need some kind of earth, or some rock, something they can bend," Elaria sighed when the attention was called away from her. She was relieved that the moment was gone. Her benders. The Fire Nation is strong, but there was too much harm caused here. The lord in charge of this region did not deserve the right to lead them when he only hurt them. A riot was inevitable when the people went ignored and to imprison them was to govern unjustly. Her resolve hardened.