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Avatar Returns	By : ExileAshlan Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 6959 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or make no money/profit.

Chapter List
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Aang as usual was flying upon Appa to save his friend and as was the usual it was Sokka. Sokka had finished an argument with Katara about their lack of money so he had taken a job with an old fisherman. Of course the weather went from not a cloud in the sky to a full blown cyclone. So Aang and Katara were narrowly avoiding waves and lightning alike whilst battling the wind all the while searching for a small fishing boat. Finally spotting the small fishing trawler Appa dived and Aang swept them up onto his flying Bison’s back. Unfortunately a large wave collided with them, knocking them senseless and pushing them into the ocean. Aang felt himself slipping into unconsciousness as his lungs burned to breath. What happened next he could only remember as a vague dream, he saw Sokka, Katara, Momo and the fisherman float away and then he was moving he didn’t know how but he formed a pocket of air around himself and then froze the surrounding water. He had done this once before a hundred years ago.
Aang awoke from his slumber with a gasp followed by a bout of coughing as he expelled the sea water from his mouth. He pulled sharply on Apa’s reins just in time to crest a cliff that the waves were pushing him to collide with. They flew up into the night air and over trees but Appa was weakening quite severally before he landed Aang spotted a town on the edge of the woods. His bison landed next to Small River and promptly collapsed.
“It’s ok boy” Aang said whilst running his hand over Apa’s flank noticing the obvious rib bones ” Man I need to feed you more” he said “and myself” as he felt his own sunken stomach. “I’ll go to that town as ask around see if we can find our friends you rest and eat when you feel up to it” Appa just let out a grunt and fell asleep.
Aang took off sprinting through the forest glad for the excuse to stretch his legs. “Man, I must have been in that bubble all night, my legs feel like they haven’t moved for hours. I hope Sokka and Katara are alright” He thought to himself. He tried thinking what had happened out at sea but he just couldn’t remember. The sun had risen by the time he got to the small town. He slowed his pace so not to give away he was the Avatar. He then pulled off his orange over shirt and folded it into a hat to cover his tattooed arrow.
“Huh, I’m sure Katara would have expected me to just walk into the town like a fool” he spoke to himself as he walked in through the gate. He was thankful he covered up because there were fire nation guards at the front gate. Thankfully they weren’t paying attention so he slipped by unnoticed. Once inside the city he noticed the fire nation had really taken control of the area. Posters and fire nation flags were everywhere. Several of the town’s people were walking around bent over like they carried a great weight Aang tried to talk to them and ask them where he was but his words fell on deaf ears as they simply walked off at a slow gait. He then heard laughter from a building just north of the square, smiling that there was still some people who had some life in them he ran towards the musical sound of joy. He realized as he got closer that the building where the laughter was coming from was a bar. He had never drunk a drop of liquor in his life but some of the other boys at the air temple he came from once stole a bottle and were sick as dogs the next day so the monks knew exactly who had stolen it. He peeked in through the window and immediately ducked down as he saw it was filled with fire nation soldiers. He slowly rose and looked in, they had all removed their helmets to drink. He heard one particular soldier talking quite loudly and with a slur.
“Why the hell do we have to go save some people from some thieves? We’re soldier Ozia damn it! S-shouldn’t we be hunting those rebels or something not chasing after little cut purses!”
“Look! Those cut pursers as you put it have killed several fire nation soldiers guarding the city and stole several thousands worth of gold in food, liquor and cold hard gold! So stop your belly aching and be thankful for this stop before marching further south” An elderly soldier replied
“Captain, is it true that HQ also wants us to try and capture some pirates that have be seen ravaging the coastal cities occasionally?” Another soldier spoke up.
“Our orders are to enter the city secure order, hunt down and execute the murderous thieves. Defend the city from any attacks from an external force and give weakly reports back to HQ, besides pirates haven’t been spotted there for several years”
The drunken soldier spoke again
“Hey isn’t that the city the avatar was last seen in?”
“That must be where Katara and Sokka are!” Aang excitedly exclaimed accidently drawing the attention of a soldier who was leaning on the wall left of the window out of Aang eyesight.
“Huh?! Got a bit of a snoop here have we?” He said wile turning and leaning out the window. Aang stumbled back and tripped over a loose stone.
“Get outta here” he said as he shot a bellow of flame from his mouth making Aang flip onto his feet and flee running straight for the city’s gate and out of ear range
“But he disappeared like seven years ago”
“Yeah, hey Lee you were on a boat with the prince when he disappeared right?”
The man pulled himself away from the window.
“Yeah what of it?” satisfied that the kid was gone
Aang ran out of the city passed the dozing guard and into the forest. He stumbled into the clearing where he found Appa still asleep but he saw purple marks on his lips where he had obviously eaten some berries. He rushed over and shook him awake.
“Come on boy Sokka and Katara are just south of here, lets go!”
Apa slowly rose and let out a giant yawn as Aang jumped onto his back and grasped the reins.
“Come on yip yip!” He encouraged as Appa leaped into the air and took flight.
It was about high noon when Aang spotted the town on the water’s edge. It looked bigger and a lot more populated then he remembered but that could have just been because last time he was here everyone could have been inside their houses because they didn’t want to be caught in the storm and he didn’t study the city that hard. He landed Appa just outside the city far enough away that no one would see him and jumped off his life time friend.
“Sorry for making you fly even though you’re tired but you can rest here for as long as you need I’ll go find Sokka and Katara” He rushed off glad to make sure they were ok and vise versa. He didn’t cover up this time and simply ran into the city too focused on finding his friends to notice a stained and torn fire nation flag on the ground near the gate.
He ran for the docks hoping to find the fisherman and ask him if he knew where they were but to no avail. He mustn’t be working today Aang reasoned, looking around the city he noticed the mountain and the trail leading up to the cave him and Katara stayed in last time.
“Hey! They must be staying there so I know where to find them” He could have had had Appa fly him up but he needed rest and beside if and old lady can do it during a storm surely the Avatar can do it on a sunny day. Running through the city then forest he found the path at the bottom and ran along reflectively pushing air behind him for extra speed. As he sprinted up the mountain he thought he could feel eyes on him but he couldn’t spot anyone so he continued on oblivious to the several ruffians watching him from hidey holes. Finally rounding the last corner he saw a small rooster pig pecking around for food but was unprepared as he tripped and nearly fell of the path. He caught himself and turned to pet the creature but was hit hard over the head with a stout log sending him into a deep sleep.
For the second time that day Aang awoke to water being thrown in his face causing him to cough and splutter. Shaking his head realizing his hands and feet were bound to the chair he was on. Looking up he saw it was a kid about his age was holding a small bucket looking at him expectantly. The kid had a small leather cap on his head and what looked to be cheap and dirty clothes on. The room was obviously inside the cave. The only furniture apart from his chair was another chair opposite of him.
“Are you with the Fire Nation?” He shouted at Aang
“W-what? No My name is Aang, I am the av…”
“Liar!” The kid shouted as he threw the bucket at Aang catching him in the face.
“We’ll see how truthful you are when the leader gets back, try lying to him!”
And he ran out leaving Aang with a bleeding nose and no way to stem the blood as it ran down his face.
What was at least two hours later the door opened again by now the blood had dried and Aang’s stomach was growling as loud as Apa’s. An imposing figure walked in his clothes were pretty average for this area, what caught Aang’s attention was his left eye had a nasty scar over it though the eye was covered with a patch he could still see the mark. It ran diagonally down from the middle of his brow down through his left cheek. His medium length brown hair was in no style as far as Aang could tell. It was longer in the back than the front but not enough to really make a difference and was cut rather crudely.
“So Avatar you have returned again though I honestly didn’t think you would in my life time” His voice was slow and steady and his eye never left Aang’s face as he spoke.
“D-do I know you?” Aang spoke trying to picture where he had seen this man who was strikingly familiar.
“I dunno Aang do you remember me? Or are you just bad with faces?” He spun the chair around and sat on it, resting his arms on the back as he continued to stare Aang in the eyes.
“Would it be easier if I reversed aged seven years and still played with a boomerang?” He said with still no facial expression.
“B-boomerang…” then it clicked “Sokka!?” Aang shouted as he realized who it was.
“By the spirits I think he’s got it” Sokka said maintaining his expressionless face.
Aang leapt forward tearing his bonds and grasping Sokka in a bear hug. Sokka was taken aback he raised his arm over the defenseless avatar’s head, his teeth bared as he resisted the urge to strike down the boy he blamed for the past seven years. He calmed himself and unclenched his fist and patted his long lost friend on the back. The internal struggle had taken only seconds and Aang was none the wiser.
“Sokka! Wow that’s a great disguise, you look way older! What are you doing here? Waiting for me?” Aang spoke excitedly, perplexed as a look of anger flashed across Sokka’s face.
“You could say that but Avatar this isn’t a disguise, I wish it were” He spoke with a deep sadness. Aang could see despair in his eyes when he raised his hand to his chest as he looked away from Aang.
“Aang you have been gone for seven years, don’t you remember that huge storm that hit us just off the coast of this town, do you remem…”
“W-WHAT!? SEVEN YEARS!” Aang’s mind raced as his eyes flew about the room looking Sokka over noticing he was easily several feet taller than Aang. He needed air. Aang sprinted out of the room and into what looked to be a cave, he looked both ways even though it was lit there was no obvious way to the entrance. The guards on the side of the door drew weapons but a short command from Sokka stopped them from going any further.
Thankfully a breeze of fresh air washed over him from the left and he took off in search of freedom. Sokka walked from the room slowly, shot the fleeing avatar a look of pure venom and then followed at a measured pace.
Aang ran past several other people who looked at him weird but they paid him little mind until he reached the entrance. Two guards crossed spears as he tried to run past forcing him away from the open air.
“N-no I gotta get out” he yelled as he tried to push past them like a trapped animal trying to flee a cage. He was about to blow them away with some air bending when they released him and stepped aside. Unprepared for their sudden step back, Aang fell forward luckily catching himself with his hands, stopping himself from face planting into the dirt. Sokka walked passed him and out into the light, Aang quickly followed glad to be out of the cave finally and into the open air. He felt himself hyperventilating as he looked at what was once a small coastal village, now a large city full of people. He stumbled to his feet and grasps the front of his friend’s tunic.
“No! It can’t be true, not again, come on Sokka don’t joke with me” He knew Sokka wasn’t lying but for some reason his brain wasn’t accepting the information. He fell to his knees and scrunched his hands in the dirt.
Sokka simply looked out to the sunset over the sea with his arms folded obviously waiting for it all to sink in. Aang’s brain finally click over and he came to his senses.
“W-what about Katara?” Aang spoke in almost a whisper almost afraid of the answer though Sokka still heard him.
Sokka didn’t speak for what felt like hours, Aang clenched the dirt between his fingers, tears welling up in his eyes as he thought about all the people he had let down again. He almost scream out in anguish as the image of Katara rose in his mind like volcanoes threatening to spew out all his despair.
“She is alive though I haven’t seen her in several years but I sent her a messenger hawk when I was informed you were here. I don’t know how long it will take her to sail here; she could be on the other side of the world for all I know”
“Other side of the world? What was she doing there?”
“Same thing she’s being doing for the past five years years, looking for you, I stayed here incase you came back”
“She’s been looking for me for seven years?” Aang ask whilst looking at the ground imagining being at sea searching for so many years. Tears dripped from his eyes as he picture Katara all alone on a ship searching for him. She battled the elements for years and years just to find him; he once again failed the world and let everyone down again.
When he finally looked up he noticed a bird flying directly towards them. Sokka raised his left arm as the hawk swooped and landed on it. He gave it a quick scratch on its chest then reached behind and pulled out a piece of paper that was inside a pouch that was somehow strapped to the birds back without hindering its wing movements. With a quick flick Sokka undid the knot and the paper unrolled down his arm. He creased his brow as he read the note then let go of the wooden stem that the paper was wound around, the spine rolled along his forearm rewinding the paper then with dexterous grace Sokka knocked it into the air with his elbow and caught it before it could unwind again. Aang was perplexed by Sokka’s obvious dexterity but was more focused on the message.
“Well, where is she?!”
“That wasn’t her; it was a message from one of my scouts saying some fire soldiers are marching in from the north” Aang recoiled like Sokka had just slapped him but in truth it was his even tone of voice that calmed him.
“Oh,… yeah I saw them at the other town”
Sokka’s eyes darted to Aang’s face though his relaxed stance never changed.
“Did they see you?”
“Uh, yeah but I had my Head covered so they didn’t recognize me” Aang replied simply staring at the ground unable look his friend in the eye.
“Hmm, we’ll see what Katara’s reply is and plan based on that. We need to get you back inside, don’t want you to be spotted by some fire nation soldiers or some village rat” Sokka turned to walk back into the cave pausing to turn back to the young avatar. Aang hadn’t moved yet and was staring out to the sea.
“Come on Avatar, Her reply will arrive long before she does”
“Umm, Sokka can I just stay out here? I’ll sit down against the wall so no one sees me; I just don’t want to go back… underground”
Sokka’s shoulder’s shrugged as he walked further into the cave.
“Fine but we can’t light any fires otherwise they’ll see the light” He continued to walk further into the cave as Aang walked to the wall beside the entrance and sat down looking out to sea once again his mind miles away.

Inside the cave Sokka continued to walk further into the mountain making way to his room when a figure ran up beside him though keeping a respective distance. They were distinctively short as they passed a torch revealed the face of a boy no more than Aang’s age with short dirty brown hair and hazel eyes.
“Leader, is it safe to leave him out there? Some snitch could see him and report it to the fire soldiers that are coming”
“Don’t worry it is too dark for them to make out his tattoo’s, I want you to go into the city tomorrow and keep an eye out for anyone that goes to the soldiers when they arrive but be careful they were probably sent with the express purpose of dealing with us” Sokka replied not even braking his stride. He turned a corner; Lee did a complete reverse and headed back the way they had come
. Sokka pushed open the crude wooden door to his quarters. Quickly surveying his living place for the past five years, he thought he would have accumulated more possession but then again he never though he was going to be here that long. A year turned into two then three and so on, all the while he refused to accept that Aang was gone and in a way he blamed the child avatar for the past seven years of misfortune. Again in another he envied Aang’s innocence and that he didn’t experience them, he wasn’t sure if Aang could handle everyone expecting him to save them, failing and how it fell to Sokka and Katara to try and pick up the slack. His bed was a single mattress; he had his clothes inside a bag in the corner of the room next to his weapons which had grown considerably. His boomerang was destroyed along with his water tribe sword. He was equipped with two identical straight swords with distinctly hooked cross guards he had picked up from a pirate ship along with several smoke bombs. For some reason the Fire Nation had considerably more benders than any other nation so fighting soldiers on even ground was unwise. Sokka could fight them but would prefer to either use his blow pipe or his treasured throwing knives. Thrown well a knife could cut through flesh and muscle easily; He had grown quite talented at aiming for the defenseless space on the soldier’s throat between the armour and helmet. He allowed himself a small grin as he armed himself, giving his body over to habit his mind wandered to the future and all the plans they had formed in case Aang returned. Slipping the last knife in he strolled out the door pulling it shut on the way out.
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Avatar Returns