ATLA Little Bender

There's Always More to This

Part of her had lain on the dam. Hoping against everything that the events were from a nightmare. Steadily her memories flitted over her mind. Streaks of horror that painted her an ashen grey. She had expected so much more. From them...

Katara. Aang. 

Sokka- had he bothered to go after her or did he still not care about her? 

The water tribe male's simple views of the world made everything safer. There were lines to not cross. In the beginning, he had made sure to stay on his side. While Katara and Aang continued to blur the territories. Then Elaria had removed them completely. Allowing her walls to lower so she could let them in. 

To feel for once that people were in her corner. 

 After a few moments spared- really seconds- of laying crumpled, Elaria hauled herself to her feet. Each step felt as though she'd collapse. Exhaustion anchored her, but she was thankful for the pain- the best distraction to the emotional toll that felt worse than anything before. 

Elaria barely allowed herself moments to escape, her staff gone, probably taken by Jet. She vaulted off the dam, her eyes zeroing in on the hill beside the structure. The very same outlook where Sokka had been witness to her fragile slain form. She used the air currents to soften her landing before she broke into a sprint. Her feet barely kissed the ground as she used her bending to increase her speed. If she failed, then she'd die with them.

"You need to learn to let them go,"  he had told her. 

Sokka had been walking all night and into the afternoon; Pipsqueak and Smellerbee had taken him all over the valley with his hands tied behind his back but they made sure to keep him away from the dam and their hideout. Jet gave them Elaria's satchel and her staff, which Sokka eyes angrily as Pipsqueak toyed with her staff. 

They'd steal things from a girl they executed. 

Some freedom fighters they are. There's always a fragile line between vigilantism and criminal actions. Jet had converged them and crossed whichever title he saw fit for his actions. Yet they still followed him blindly. Sokka couldn't understand how Jet had so much power over them. 

Smellerbee noticed his glower and shoved Sokka; he stumbled but remained on his feet. "Come on, move along!" 

Sokka criticized them, "How can you stand by and do nothing while Jet wipes out a whole town?" Smellerbee quickly defended their actions, not bothering to acknowledge any singe of guilt. "Hey listen Sokka, Jet's a great leader. We follow what he says, and things always turn out okay," 

While Smellerbee spoke Sokka noticed a couple of snare leaf piles covered with fruits identical to the ones that enticed Momo. A plan quickly formulated into his mind. He said to the two freedom fighters: "If that's how Jet leads, then he's got a lot to learn," Sokka dashed to the snares, he barely dodged Smellerbee's grab to stop him. "Hey!" 

The two gave chase to Sokka, sprinting after him blindly. Sokka lept over the piles in his escape,  turning around in hearing the sudden yelps from his pursuers. He recognized Smellerbee and Pipsqueak step onto the trap and, in a blink, be hauled several feet in the air. He smugly went back to their figures; standing under them.

They're hanging in nets- eyes glaring down at him. Sokka raised his hands, freed, from behind his back. "While you two are up there, you might want to practice your knotwork." He told them. 

Sokka crossed his arms at his chest, "Drop her things and I'll let Jet know where you guys are, he'll come for you two later rather than sooner but it's better than nothing." He negotiated with them.