All's Fair in Love and War |ATLA| |Reader Insert|

The Northern Wind Sanctuary

"So, travelers, the next time you think you hear a strange, large bird talking, take a closer look. It might not be a giant parrot, but a flying man, a member of a secret group of airwalkers who laugh at gravity and laugh at those bound to the earth by it!"
You held back a yawn.

"Aren't airbender stories the best?" Aang asked, who was sitting next to you on your right.

"I suppose," you replied, watching the storyteller man walk around the large group of people with a hat.

"Was it realistic? Is that how it was back then?" Katara asked.

"I laugh at gravity all the time," Aang replied before laughing lightly. "Gravity."

"They're certainly interesting, just not my cup of tea," you said, leaning back on the log.

"What stories did you grow up with Y/n?" Katara asked. You blinked.

"Oh, uhhhhhhhhhh you know, the usual ones you hear within the Water Tribes."

"That's actually something I've been curious about," Katara started. "What tribe are you from? Because you're not from the Southern Tribe, but if you're from the Northern, then you could help us get Aang a teacher!" You clammed up at the bombardment of realizations from her.

"My father was from the north, yes, my mom... wasn't a bender and didn't want to mix in with that kind of stuff. She was happy in her own town, so we lived there with my father going back and forth... yeah."
Katara stared at you.

"Oh. Well, I guess it makes sense that you don't know much of the culture if you weren't born and raised there."
You chuckled at her before nodding, swiftly looking away and exhaling a bit.

"Jingle jingle," the storyteller said as he held out his hat to Sokka. Said boy reached under his clothing and pulled out some crumbs and a half-dead bug.

"Sorry," he said.

"Aw. Cheapskates," the man said walking away.

"I WILL LITERALLY ROB YOU."

"EEK!"
Aang ran up to him to thank him for the storytelling.

"When do you think we're going to the North Pole?" You asked. Sokka hummed uncommittedly.

"Who knows--we keep getting sidetracked by every little thing."

"Aang only has so much time to master all four elements," Katara added. "I'd rather we go for it."
Aang ran up to all of you with a grin on his face.

"Guys! We're going to the Northern Air Temple!"

~
All of you were flying on Appa to the Northern Air Temple, an impromptu trip thanks to Aang.

"We're almost to the Northern Air Temple!" he said. "This is where they had the championships for sky bison polo. "

"I'm glad you're going to see this, but Aang, we will have to get to the Northern Water Tribe sooner or later," you said from his side.

"I know I know; this'll be the last pitstop we make, I promise."
You sighed quietly and decided to believe him for now.

"Hey guys look at this!"
At Aang's exclaim, you focused your vision on in front of you. A temple rested at the peak of a mountain where you could see multiple tiny things flying in the air. When you got closer, you could see the flying things were people, who were using large gliders. From the corner of your eye, you could see Aang's face drop.

"They really are airbenders!" Katara exclaimed from the back.

"No they're not," Aang replied, leaning back on Appa and crossing his arms.

"What do you mean they're not?" Sokka asked from farther back. "Those guys are flying!"

"I don't think airbenders used giant gliders to fly," you commented, still watching them.

"Gliding maybe, but not flying," Aang replied. "You can tell by the way they move they're not airbending. Those people have no spirit."

"That's a bit loaded," you said in slight surprise. From the side, a person glided right above you and you could hear his laughter from up in the air.

"Want me to kill him?" You asked, beginning to drag your water out from your pouch.

"No, Y/n," Katara scolded. "I don't know Aang, that kid seemed pretty spirited." she pointed at said kid who was gliding around above ya'll. When the kid flew in front of you, he looked back and smirked. Aang took that personally. So he jumped off of Appa and joined him in the air. That's when several other gliders joined you all in the air. Appa got spooked by a glider coming in front of his face and jerked his head up, sending Katara flying into Sokka. You managed to grab hold of the saddle, but probably tore a few shoulder muscles in the process.

Appa flew around the temple and landed on a portion of the temple. You and the other two watched Aang and the kid compete against each other in flying.

"He really challenged an airbender to a flying competition?" You deadpanned.

"He probably doesn't know," Katara replied. You watched the two fly past each other and weave to and fro. After Aang ran across the side of the temple the kid took that personally and used a gas to create an image of Aang's face in the sky. Though a bit derpy looking. Aang flew back to the ground next to you all and the kid also came in for a landing. When he was properly situated several people came and removed the 'gliding' parts, leaving on his wheelchair.

"Oh, the child can't walk," you said, blasé. Katara nudged your side. Teo rolled up to you four.

"Hey... you're a real airbender," he said to Aang. A second then passed. "... you must be the Avatar! That's amazing! I've heard stories about you!" Aang rubbed his head awkwardly at the sudden comments.

"Thanks..."

"Wow! This glider chair is incredible," Sokka said, walking up closer to it.

"If you think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my dad designed," Tea replied before rolling to the entrance with you four following him. When you got inside the temple, it was pretty industrialized. With pipes and steam hissing every so often and lifts going up and down the room. You looked around the room with slight awe, as you've never seen anything like that before.

"Wow!" Sokka exclaimed before taking off deeper into the room.

"Yeah, my dad is the mastermind behind this whole place," Teo replied. "Everything is powered by hot air. It evens pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift when we're gliding."

"It's certainly impressive," you spoke.

"This place is unbelievable," Aang spoke. Your gaze moved to him.

"Yeah, it's great, isn't it?" Teo inquired.

"No. Just unbelievable." Aang walked away.

"Aang used to come here a long time ago," Katara offered Teo an explanation. "I think he's a little shocked it's so different."

"Little is an understatement," you commented. "100 years to us was probably only a moment for him. He's still somewhat stuck in time before the iceberg." You and Katara caught up to Aang who was looking at murals on the wall which was now contaminated and cracked by metal piping.

"This is supposed to be the history of my people," he said before walking away. Katara followed after him and you stayed put. Looking up at all of the piping and whatnot, your thoughts began to wander.

'Things are bound to evolve, but this is like... an explosion of machinery.'

Ja ne!

{Ruby Red}