NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: 18. Rescue and travel.
Here is a new chapter, 3 thousand words (I finished it at 3 AM)
To clarify (again) and in case you missed it in the previous chapters, during the year that Skip Sokka lasted, relaxing more, all his seriousness, coldness, and calculating attitude still remain. But they are not the default personality, that's why I added things in previous chapters like saying EXPLICITLY several times that Sokka was relaxing more, that he was already more of a joker.
His development has not been lost, and I do not intend to follow the canon as is, but there are things that should be followed to In order for the plot to move forward, and Sokka doesn't do things without planning, Literally in chapter 16 I wrote a part where Sokka was planning what would happen to the ship and the flare.
Whatever the case, this chapter will reinforce some of these points and, of course, it will have action.
Well, I can't skip important dialogue or events to just add action. I hope you understand and enjoy this. Thanks for the support.
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Katara ignored my question about her opinion of Aang. Did she like him? Did she have feelings for him? It really intrigued and amused me. Going years without any romantic drama can be incredibly boring.
"Do you have a rescue plan?" Katara asked sharply.
"Yeah, I've got something... but I wouldn't call it a full plan."
Katara watched me with narrowed eyes, waiting for me to continue. "Come on, little sister, a little humor never hurts. And the plan is simple, really: I told Aang to go with them because we'd rescue him. So right now, he should be about to escape, we show up, knock out the bastards, and make sure they follow us."
"Why let them follow us?" she asked, skeptical.
At her words, I could only stare at her in disbelief. "What?!" she snapped, crossing her arms.
"To draw them as far away from the tribe as possible. You just hit and try to freeze as many as you can."
"I don't know how to freeze," she grumbled, puffing out her cheeks.
"You would if you'd kept training with me, but hey, it's never too late: it's all about intention. If you want to freeze water, guide it to your target, hold it there, and think about solidifying it. Clenching your fists helps."
Katara looked at me like I'd grown a second head. I just shrugged.
Our improvised planning was interrupted when Appa roared, and we saw Aang dodging Zuko's fire. The monk wasn't attacking—just evading and occasionally deflecting.
Quickly, I steered Appa toward the ship.
"Come on, Katara, don't forget what I've taught you."
"You literally taught me something a minute ago!"
"Exactly! And use your fists."
I jumped off Appa, landing on the ship's deck. I assessed the situation: Iroh sipping tea like nothing was happening, and Zuko, soaked and furious.
"We're here, Aang," I said, spinning my spear between my fingers. "But it looks like leaving won't be easy."
Aang nodded seriously just as my danger sense made the back of my neck tingle. I ducked, letting a stream of fire graze over my head.
"Alright, who wants to dance?" I said, twirling my spear.
Two soldiers charged at me head-on; I deflected their flames and forced the closest one to crash onto the deck with a knee strike and a kick to the stomach. Aang leapt toward Appa, but I grabbed him by the scruff and yanked him back.
**BOOOOM!!!**
A wall of flames rose between us and Appa, who, startled, ascended with Katara still on his back. He hovered in the sky, hesitating.
I studied the fire wall. It looked like a Waterbending technique, but inverted.
"I must apologize for my nephew's temper," said Iroh, stepping forward, his teacup still in hand. "But I can't let him fight alone. So I'll join in."
"You had no qualms when you came to my tribe thinking you outnumbered us," I retorted, tilting my head. "Where was your sense of honor then?"
Iroh shrugged. "I never said I was perfect," he replied, shooting a column of fire at me. "So, how about a little sparring?"
**BOOOOM!!!**
Seeing the flames coming straight at me should've made me tense, but I stayed calm. I spun my spear and deflected the blast to the side. It was easier than it should've been. Iroh just winked at me.
"It seems the Southern warriors are quite capable," he praised, launching another wave of fire with a smile. This old man was really enjoying himself.
I closed the distance with a leap, cape fluttering, and began attacking while dodging with surprising agility.
"Old man," I said between strikes, sweeping my spear at his legs, "if you guarantee my tribe's safety, I promise I won't kill anyone here."
Iroh stopped my spear with his palm, surprised. I saw in his eyes that he understood I was serious.
"My nephew won't pursue your tribe," he assured. "And its location will remain unknown."
Perfect. That was all I needed. I retreated while dodging another fire wave, taking down two more soldiers with a spinning spear strike and an elbow. Alive, but in pain.
Suddenly, a scream. **"AGHHH!!!"** It was Aang. I saw him flung overboard.
I ran toward him, but Iroh raised another fire wall, blocking me. The heat burned my arms, but I reinforced my body with chi and charged through with my spear, forcing an opening.
Iroh shook his head. "I'm sorry, but you're too dangerous for my nephew."
*Hmph?* I thought. *Dangerous?* I didn't have time to dwell on it when a fireball forced me to roll aside.
Zuko was furious, hurling fire relentlessly. Between deflecting and keeping Iroh at bay, my spear began to give way—small dark scorch marks marred the metal.
"You're good," Iroh told me. "Maybe not the best… but you learn fast."
"Not the time for lessons," I replied with a half-smile. What followed was a whirlwind: Aang, standing atop a water vortex, eyes and tattoos glowing.
Zuko let out a **"What is that?!"** just before Aang created a ring of water around himself and expanded it, sending everyone flying across the deck.
Even Iroh was swept away by the cold water. When the current hit me, I felt the sea approaching. I jammed my spear into a crevice to stop myself, pushed back, and landed firmly on the deck just in time to see Aang collapse.
I hauled him over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes, whistled for Appa, who descended with Katara gripping the reins.
"Good boy," I told Appa. The bison snorted, as if saying *"You're welcome."*
I loaded Aang, settled in, and shouted, **"Yip yip!"** Appa took off, leaving the dragon and his prince behind.
Aang opened his eyes. "Katara…" he whispered, looking at her with those puppy-dog eyes.
---
As we flew, Katara revived her hope of "saving the world." I just tossed in my comments.
"I don't expect a twelve-year-old to magically solve all my problems," I said, glancing at Aang.
Aang looked surprised. Katara glared at me, but she couldn't argue.
"Then who's going to save the world?" Aang asked, his voice almost childlike.
"I'm not saying you *shouldn't* save it," I clarified. "I just think you should have a choice."
Aang inhaled, regaining some of his spark. "Running away once didn't do anything for me. I won't run again."
I smiled. "Well, I can't let a kid do all the hero work alone."
"Technically, I'm 112 years old," Aang retorted, puffing out his chest. Then he muttered, "Ugh, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years…"
I chuckled under my breath. At least one thing was clear: I'd be the comic relief and, incidentally, the voice of reason.
As Appa soared through the sky, I thought about what I needed: a better weapon, refining my chi, preparing for what was coming. And, of course, enjoying what was left of my youth. If I was going to save the world, I might as well have fun doing it.
Analyzing my situation, I concluded that I needed to polish my skills and shake off this neutral luck I carried around. It was that same luck that made my danger sense fail when Aang entered the Avatar State and nearly sent me straight to the ocean floor.
My chi control was decent—I could do useful things like change the texture of paper and fabric to something resembling leather, reinforce my body… but I lacked something offensive. Something that would make a difference when it really mattered.
I also needed a better spear. This one had served me well for three years, but its limitations were becoming more obvious than I'd like to admit.
Sooner or later, I'd have to go to the Spirit World and get a proper weapon, something like Avatar Kuruk's spirit-damaging knife. That'd be ideal.
But entering the Spirit World wasn't a small thing. If anyone noticed or mistook my consciousness for a possession in Sokka's body, I'd be done for. I didn't want to imagine the Avatar trying to exorcise me like some demon.
Anyway… my personality was still my best card. I'd be the comic relief, the voice of reason, and, incidentally, the one stirring up chaos when needed. To be honest, years of constant work had made me more serious than a guy my age should be. Jokes and sarcasm brought back some balance. After all, what's the point of a second youth if I'm going to live it like a boring adult?
So yeah. I'm going to enjoy it. And, hey, maybe take advantage of this body's luck with the ladies. Because, well… someone's gotta have fun, right?
We traveled during the day, and Aang and I got to know each other. Though he was still a kid, there was definitely a sense of wisdom in him. Growing up with the old monks must've instilled a lot in him.
"Young man, you shall bow eighteen times to your elders," Aang mimicked an old man, using some of Appa's white fur to fashion a fake beard.
I also took some of Appa's fur and made a mustache.
"Young Aang, technically you *could* be my elder, but in mind, *I'm* older. For your insolence, bow nineteen times."
"Young Sokka, I'm 112 years old. Even your grandmother wasn't born during my time."
"Young Aang—"
"Will you two stop wasting time?! You've been doing this for three hours straight!" Katara complained, ruining our bonding time.
"Yeah, sorry~" Aang scratched the back of his neck nervously. The kid was already head over heels for Katara. I doubted his temple had any female disciples, since the nuns lived in their own temple.
As for me, I just stroked my newly acquired Dumbledore beard and insisted.
"Sorry, sis, but my beard tells a tale of wisdom. Listen to your elders. Besides, it's been a while since I've had this much fun."
"I also apologize. My enthusiasm for learning Waterbending got the better of me."
Katara ignored me and only apologized to Aang.
"Yeah, you're ruining our sibling time. Plus, my feelings were very hurt."
My comment was ignored again as she went back to comforting Aang.
Though I saw her clench her fist—she probably really wanted to hit me. But she had to keep her composure in front of Aang; after all, she didn't want to lose her temper and look bad in front of someone she hadn't known for long.
The TV show skipped most of this stuff, but the Southern Air Temple was about a day away, even with Appa. So we had to stop at a nearby island—I think they did something similar in the show. My presence might change things, but it'll be logical, and the world won't end just because I sneezed.
When we stopped and set up our sleeping bags on the beach, I called Aang and explained that we needed to keep watch. Zuko was still after us—he wasn't the type to give up after just one defeat—and Aang had the same impression of him.
"Sokka…" Aang spoke with that cautious tone of his. "Can I ask why you don't expect someone to come save you… like, magically?"
I looked at him for a few seconds, weighing his gaze, how he held my words. Then I answered.
"You saw there aren't any other men in our tribe, right?" He nodded silently.
"Our tribe was attacked over and over by raiders from the South. Every couple of years, they'd show up. One day, when I fought back, I ended up hurt. After that, my father decided to leave and fight in the war. During that time, I spent months enduring the pain, with no one to help me. And I had too much time to think."
Aang lowered his gaze, as if my words had struck a nerve.
"I thought about how this war lasted longer than it should have. Regardless of the Avatar, the nations could've united to win. The Northern Water Tribe—where we're headed—and the Earth Kingdom, full of earthbenders… they all could've done it. But they didn't. They grew blind and dependent, waiting for the Avatar to do everything for them."
I saw his expression fill with doubt… and something that looked like guilt.
"But I don't blame you, Aang," I said, serious but not harsh. "You're just a kid." I let out a small sigh. "When I realized no one was coming to save us, I made a decision: if I wanted a better life, I'd have to build it myself. And so I did. For years, I worked to be the leader we needed… until I was."
As I spoke, I placed the fish over the lit firewood. The smoke rose quietly, as if accompanying my words.
"Sure, all that work made me more serious, colder. I set aside my sense of humor. But this past year, I started remembering it again—what it was like to have fun teasing Katara, singing with the tribe, playing without feeling like I was wasting time."
Aang stayed quiet. Then, in a small voice, he said:
"I'm sorry…" He swallowed. "Because of me, you left your tribe… and now you're caught up in this war again."
I shook my head slowly, not taking my eyes off the fire.
"You don't have to apologize, Aang." I let out a small laugh, just a breath of irony. "For years, I've been planning how to end this war. I was just waiting for the right moment… and your arrival was that sign. When Zuko captured you, I knew it was time to move. Like everything I'd planned was finally falling into place." And yeah, that's exactly what it was. "I rescued you, left… and in doing so, drew attention away from the tribe. You might think that with me gone, they'd be in danger… but no. There are no enemies left who know their location, and now there's plenty of food."
I looked at him for a moment, seeing understanding dawn on his face. "Now eat," I said, handing him a grilled fish salad.
---
Once we arrived at the Southern Air Temple, it was a rather pleasant structure—majestic, even by modern standards in a world with skyscrapers. The towers seemed fused with the mountain itself.
"This is the Southern Air Temple!" Aang pointed as Appa landed on the ground. "But… there's no one here…" He looked around, disheartened. "Where is everyone? There aren't even any Fire Nation soldiers. So there should still be some Airbenders around…"
I slung an arm over his shoulder and asked:
"How about you show me those games? Even if I can't Airbend, I bet I could still beat you."
"I thought you'd be hungry by now," Katara remarked with a knowing smile. There was nothing that needed to be said between us—we both wanted to distract Aang from whatever sadness he was feeling.
"You have a low opinion of your cool brother. If only you knew how cool I really am…" I sighed, shaking my head with a look of disappointment.
"You? Cool? You're the opposite of cool."
Katara took the bait and played along. Thankfully, it was just us trying to distract Aang, and she didn't think of me that way… who was I kidding? Sokka left me with heavy baggage—his sister's opinion of him was rock bottom.
Though all younger siblings think their older brother is lame, they knew too much about each other.
"Come on, guys," Aang, ever the pacifist, intervened to stop any fights. "Sokka, how about we try those games?"
The playing field was just a set of poles where Airbenders could stand, and on the opposite side, there was a target called a "goal." It looked like some kind of soccer made for benders.
I sat across from Aang.
"Ready?" he asked, but before I could answer, he launched the ball with his Airbending.
**Fwosh!**
I barely dodged, and the ball hit the goal behind me.
"Dang, that's fast."
"Yes!" my Airbending friend cheered. "Aang 1, Sokka 0."
"I was just getting warmed up. Katara, hand me my spear." A mischievous grin spread across my face as my sister clumsily passed me my spear. "Aang, let me show you how to win against an opponent who has an advantage over you."
My words caught his attention, and my grin widened. Then I feigned surprise, looking at the sky.
"What?! Appa's eating a tree!"
"Where?" Aang asked, turning around.
With that, I used my spear like a baseball bat and smacked the ball. Distracted, Aang couldn't react in time.
"Hey! That's cheating!"
"Yeah, and that's my secret to dealing with opponents who have an edge over me… just cheat." I shrugged with an air of indifference. "Don't be mad just because I'm good."
Aang got riled up, his competitive spirit flaring.
"I'll show you how to win fair and square."
In the end, we played for hours, and he won by three points. It was exhausting, and Aang could get *very* competitive. Maybe because I was winning at first, but after a while, he learned my tricks. He didn't fall for the same ones twice, and it wasn't easy coming up with new tricks for a game I'd never played before.
Still, the game was worth it—it was amazing.
By the end, Aang was tired and lay on the ground.
"Sokka, you have more stamina than a Turtleback Snorkel."
…I have no idea what that is.
As Aang rested, I walked to the edge of the playing field. Nearly buried in snow was a Fire Nation soldier's helmet.
"What's…" Katara started before her eyes widened at the sight of the helmet. "No… Aang…"
"Should we tell him?" I asked, not as bothered as she was by the revelation. After all, the Air Nomads were already gone—mourning wouldn't change anything. He had to know. He'd figure it out himself soon enough.
"Not now. Let's ease him into it along the way," she murmured, using her Waterbending to push the snow aside.
I agreed with her decision. I didn't want to be the one to tell a twelve-year-old that his entire family and everyone he'd ever known were dead. At this point, Aang was probably in such denial that showing him a Fire Nation helmet wouldn't be enough to convince him.
"Well, let's have our Avatar show us around this place," I insisted, taking Katara's hand. She was still a kid whose mother had been killed by the Fire Nation. As much as I worried about Aang, compared to how much I cared for Katara, my concern for him felt insignificant.
"Hey, Sokka," she wondered as we walked together, "do you think we can win this war?"
Looking into her eyes, the uncertainty in them was sad. So, to lift her spirits, I patted her head.
"Don't worry. As long as you've got me, victory is pretty much guaranteed."
Katara laughed at my confidence, but at least it distracted her from the darker thoughts. Having a reasonably smart brother was a pain—they always thought about depressing things.