Chapter 30: Accepting Burdens (1)

Chapter 30: Accepting Burdens (1)Chapter 30: Accepting Burdens (1)

"I cannot believe I missed Avatar Kyoshi's presence!" Suki's loud groan reached the rest for the umpteenth time despite the whipping wind around them as Appa flew through the air at a shocking speed! She sat beside Nik, gently placing the cushion on her left thigh, keeping it warm since she got injured during the fight.

"Yeah, we all saw Aang turn into a woman," Sokka chuckled again as Aang's shoulder hung low even more.

"A woman who scared the Sokk-out-of you!" Katara smiled as Suki looked at the woman with an impressed expression, "That's a good one. But tell me more. What was she like? We left too quickly, and I couldn't even bid a proper farewell to others..." Suki inquired curiously.

It was as she said. The group left a little while after the Unagi retreated. Other villagers still doubted that Unagi might return to hound them. Sokka quickly quelled public unease by admonishing that it was the Islanders' desires in the first place that drove the Elephant Koi's number to descend. And as long as they kept some of it to share with the Unagi, it won't attack them unnecessarily. With the supplies gifted to the group, they left on Appa as Suki joined without Aang raising any problems. He was happy to have another companion.

"She said that I can't train in your techniques," Katara grumbled as Aang looked back.

"I think Avatar Kyoshi was right about that... I didn't want to say it because you're a little... scary," Aang breathed the last word meekly, his voice not even reaching the group behind.

"I didn't hear you," Katara spoke up.

"I mean that bending techniques follow a philosophical and a physical path. These two are needed, and no one should try walking this path without a master."

"Fine, I'll just sit back and keep on pitching tents... No!" Katara snorted angrily as Aang's lips twitched—see? Scary.

"What else?" Suki felt completely unbothered and questioned further.

"She asked me not to touch her sword again," Sokka shrugged.

"You-- what?" Suki flared as Sokka crossed his arms. "Hey, it's because of me bringing the sword that Aang could womanize."

"I didn't turn into a woman!" Aang finally scowled, "Avatar Kyoshi simply possessed me."

"About that..." Nik looked at the boy in wonder, more confused about the Avatar than ever, "How did she do it? Did you call her? Can you do that again?"

"No," Aang shook his head, "I feel that Kyoshi left me with an answer, but it feels too vague. All I know is that being close to the possessions of the past Avatars can help me contact them... probably."

"Here's a thought... why didn't you take something from Kyoshi's Shrine then? You could always call Avatar Kyoshi when things turn dangerous." Sokka posed as everyone looked at him. Once again disregarding Sokka because he did get it somewhat right, Suki looked at Nik, "And you? Did Avatar Kyoshi say something to you? The villagers said that she was right in front of you."

"Er... she said I did a good job saving you and can learn from you." Nik smiled at Suki.

"She called him a warrior," Katara lost her anger and supplanted his words with a smile as Nik shook his head. "Don't sell yourself short, Nik. A full-fledged Avatar returned from the dead to praise your actions!"

Nik shrugged. Kyoshi stated he possessed honor—something Nik didn't think twice about after the act itself. It's not like he would send himself to the jaws of a giant beast again. An Honorable man would act the same way again, right?

"Man... getting your honor praised even by an Avatar, hey Aang, say that I've got a warrior's honor!" Sokka spoke with envy before he looked at Aang as the boy looked back, cocking his head sideways.

"You do?"

Sokka's expression turned bleak as Nik couldn't help but chuckle and question, "Is it even important? Honor, I mean."

As he said this, everyone looked at him. Even the chittering Momo seemed infected by the silence and the staring as he looked at him with round green eyes. Feeling a little weirded out, Nik couldn't help but question again, "Did I say something..."

"Strange?" Suki completed his sentence and answered, "Very."

"Don't you feel the least bit honored an Avatar approved your actions?" she questioned.

"What's Kyoshi got to do with my actions?" Nik wondered, "I wouldn't have cared even if she didn't praise me. Kyoshi wasn't there when I picked you out of the water, right?"

Suki flinched and dodged his gaze. Brushing the strands of her hair behind her ear, the blue-eyed girl coughed and exclaimed, "A warrior without his or her expression of honor is simply an empty shell!"

"So it's unique to everyone?" Nik inquired. He was rightfully ignorant about the concept of honor, but Nik was also aware that he would never willingly try to save a stranger in such a situation. He would if he could kick a monster's ass with a flick of a finger! But as he was now? No.

"It's hard to describe," Sokka spoke up. "Father used to say it is his honor to fight in the war. But the other warriors said it was their honor to serve my father since he was the Chieftain before me. You're right, I guess. Until now, I didn't consider honor as anything more than just a word."

He looked at Nik, his eyes flickering with admiration and slight envy, "But I would be so happy if the next Avatar I encounter doesn't say—don't touch my sword."

Katara looked at Aang, smiling and changing the topic. "Aang, we should return to Kyoshi Island after a while. Maybe then you would find Elephant Koi Fishes to ride."

Visibly roused by Katara's words, Aang nodded and grinned.

"Anyway, where are we going?" Suki looked down, seeing they were getting close to the edge of the Earth Kingdom.

"To Omashu—"

"What?!" Suki instantly snapped, scaring the boy.

"Uh, I mean, you can't," Suki blushed, "Fire Nation controls Omashu... going there is bound to be far more dangerous."

Aang deflated visibly once again.

"Do you have the updated map?" Sokka inquired as Suki nodded.

"I thought it would be useful."

She fumbled through her baggage before tying it back to Appa's saddle and unfurling the scroll. Aang jumped back to land on Appa's back, too. Suki began explaining, "The Phoenix King controls most of the important territories as his fire nation soldier stationed in these locations alongside important nobles of the Fire Nation keep a check to political power."

"There are no rebels?" Sokka inquired with a frown.

"Even if there were, I wouldn't know."

The duo stopped by a stall selling rockmelons. But unlike a ripe and full rockmelon that would drip with sweet sticky juice with each bite, the ones on the stall were merely a shriveled excuse for it.

"Yous a traveler? Come, enjoy two rockmelons. Only the price of one," An old lady attended the stall, welcoming the duo with a crooked smile. Her muddy eyes remained on Nik for a few seconds before she swooned over him.

"Oh, yous a handsome laddie. Eat one on the house. Then come to the house."

She gestured for Nik to take one of the wrinkled green balls as he silently judged that his 'bloodline' may work better on old women. But a simple recollection made him realize that he had been, pretty much, freeloading from the very beginning of his second life aside from working for Yuuko, and that, too, seemed to be a work provided out of grace.

"Thank you," Nik smiled and accepted the gesture with ease. The refusal came hard for him, especially with anything related to eating. 'No matter how it looks, it couldn't taste that bad, right?' He thought to himself.

"Could you perhaps tell us the name of the village?"

The old lady snorted a cackle, "Ooh, home is called home!"

"Where are all the villagers? And the children?"

Katara inquired as the lady shouted with surprising severity in her voice and eyes.

"What men? What children? We don't have any! You get out! Laddie, too! I bark, leave!" She growled akin to a feral menace, the intensity of her glare making Katara step back. Nik looked around, finding no response to the situation as if they all were accustomed to the old woman's temperament and this wasn't her first crazy rodeo.

"And give my melon back!" She hissed, making Nik quickly place the shriveled husk back on the stall as the duo left.

"What's with her?" Katara huffed.

"Probably old age," He replied. It was a simple observation.

Rolling her eyes, Katara refuted with a snort, "My Gran-Gran never acted like this."

"It's probably because she had you and Sokka with her."

Only then did Katara realize something. The old woman did say there are no kids here.

"Let it go," one of the middle-aged men passing by the duo advised, "The men who left for the war never returned, and the children that were later born... all of them are taken away. It's not just us... everyone from the surrounding village is the same."

"Can you tell us where the prisoners are?" Katara inquired as the man waved his hand, declining to continue to conversation.

Nik and Katara tried their luck at many places but failed to find anything of value. All the villagers seemed particularly tight-lipped about the situation, and they returned empty-handed.

"It's this bad?" Suki couldn't help but reveal a sorrowful look while Sokka, who had been planning to poke for his spear, remained quiet, too.

"And you said there was another man, who walked past you two?" Sokka questioned suddenly, and Katara answered with a nod.

Finally, comparing that man to the villagers, even Nik had to say that he looked certainly different. None of the men in the village looked close to how strong that youth who passed the two in the forest.

"There was no other clue about the children?" Aang inquired once again as Nik shook his head.

"One of them did say that all kids must go through reforms... but other than that, nothing," Nik replied.

"And this is just a small village," Aang mumbled. The boy began to feel the pit in his stomach once more. Men were taken away. Children, too. Where? Why? And this was simply a small village in the vast Earth Kingdom.

As if sensing Aang's thoughts, Sokka smiled uncharacteristically.

"This sounds like a detective's job to me," He leaned back against the tree with a calm expression, "Don't worry. I will find out where the children are. You all focus on the prisoners. One thing is clear a prison holds the benders where they can't use their elements or are simply killed off—it's common sense! It should narrow your scope of search. And there's another fact that the procession was clear about. To punish the factions who took part in the war, any prisoner caught is kept close to their home just to keep the population in check. After all, those imprisoned can be siblings, parents, or many other loved ones. So... a location close but away from the land would suit against earthbenders if they are alive."

"The sea?" Nik blinked and looked at Sokka for confirmation as the Chieftain grinned, snapping his fingers in tandem, "Bingo! I will go to the town tomorrow and try to find some things. Meanwhile, you all will search for the prisoners and help them escape."

"But wouldn't that alert the Phoenix King?" Aang inquired with a worried expression.

Sokka looked at the boy strangely and grunted, "Aang, I thought you wanted to help as many as possible."

Aang stopped speaking momentarily before rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that. I... I need to poop!"

Aang stood up, walking away as he waved at Momo to stay. The group looked at each other again, and Suki couldn't help but sigh.

"It must be hard on him, too..." She whispered.

"Now I feel like a douchebag." Sokka clicked his tongue.

"I'll go—" Katara spoke up when Nik stood up, "No, you stay. I think I have more words of wisdom to offer in this situation."

"You?" Sokka looked dubious.

Smiling casually, Nik spoke with much ease, "I know a few things about being scared. Might as well share it."

"Be quick then," Suki smiled, "I still need to train you later."

"Right."

***

Alternate Title: Suki Missed Kyoshi; One's Honor; Nik Would The Same Even Without Kyoshi's Praise *Suki exe Stopped Working*; A Savior In Making; Need For Strength Over Benevolence; The New Destination; A Plan; The Destitute Village; Old Lady Has Crazy Rizz; Shriveled Balls; The Strange Youth; Aang's Conflict; The Voice Knows; Bring Peace to Nik, Aang—The Guiding Voice/ Butcher Dem Bald Orphans!—Transmigration Paradise; Aang is a Rank 2 Mission? Kyoshi is 3?; Aang: Katara, Nik, Have Fun! *Suki: Holy Music Stops Playing*; The Path of Bender is Philosophical and Physical. *Nik, The Future Woman Bender*: Ah, Yes. Bend Over Lassie, It's Time For Enlightenment; A Village Without a Future; The Next Tasks; Nik Has Experienced Wisdom; Katara is Annoyed? Why?