Inner Fire - ATLA fanfic

The Deserter

Zira smiled at Momo when the lemur landed on her shoulder chittering as the group walked up to a kiosk. 

"This should give us a good idea of what's around here," Katara said, looking at the posters

"See if you can find a menu. I'm starving" Sokka grumbled 

"Do you ever stop eating?" Zira questioned

"What? I'm hungry" Sokka shrugged

Zira rolled her eyes, giggling as she looked at the other side of the kiosk.

"I bet we'll find something to eat here--The Fire's day Festival" Aang pointed to one of the posters

"Aang, as much I loved the Fire Festival when I was little, I don't think going would be such a good idea. Look at this" Zira stated, from the other side.

The other's walked around and saw a wanted poster of Aang.

"Hey, it's a poster of me!" Aang grinned 

"A wanted poster, Aang. This is bad. " Zira sighed as Aang took the poster down

"I think we better keep moving" Katara suggested 

"I have to learn firebending at some point and Zira's not a master yet. This could be our only chance to watch some masters up close" Aang stated 

"I guess we could go check it out" Katara gave in.

"What?! You want to walk into a Fire Nation town when they're all fired up with all their ...you know, fire?" Sokka questioned, looking at the others like they were insane. 

"Well, a big part of the Fire Festival are masks, so we could wear disguises" Zira suggested  

"And if it looks like trouble, we'll leave" Katara added, as she and the two kids headed towards Appa. 

"Yeah. Because we always leave before we get into trouble" Sokka grumbled, following after them. 

The kids made it to a cliff, overlooking the Fire Nation town as the sun was beginning to set.

"You guys stay out of sight here while we go to the festival" Aang turned and told the animals 

Momo chittered, hiding in a bush. Appa groaned and hide behind it, but the bush did little to hide the giant bison.

"Ready disguises" Aang grinned 

Sokka and Katara both wore black hoods to hide their faces.

Zira had changed back into her Fire Nation clothes, adding a hooded cloak to hide her face.

And Aang. . . Aang pulled his shirt over his head to hide his tattoo. 

"It's like you're a whole different person" Sokka sarcastically resorted making the girls giggle. 

"Let's go!" Aang exclaimed excitingly  

*

Night fell when the kids finally made it to the festival. Zira took in the familiar sight with a huge grin.

"It's just like I remember" She gasped 

"Okay, Zira where do we get the masks?" Sokka questioned, glancing at all the figures in red with masks covering their faces. 

"Over here" Zira led them over to a stand where a man was selling masks. Zira handed the man the Fire Nation money she had brought with her to pay for the masks.