Violent Delights, ATLA

chapter thirty four, combustion man

34
COMBUSTION MAN

THE SKY WAS BRUSHED WITH phtalo blue splattered with titanium white as the gang stayed up to discuss what happened during the summer solstice. The Avatar regaled his encounter with his past life, Roku, and the sun spirit narrated her meeting with Wan Shi Tong, not forgetting to add the new information she learned about Houto and the Ancient Ones. Even after everyone else dozed off, the pair remained lying awake.

"That owl gave me nightmares for two nights straight," a shiver ran down his spine, "I hope I never run into him again. I'm... kinda the reason why he changed his mind about humanity."

"Ah." She made a sound of understanding, "Did he have a bad impression on you because you showed him that air, er, marble trick of yours?"

"Hey!" Tone full of offence, he clutched the spot where his heart was. "That trick's a classic!"

"Right, right, my bad. Did Roku mention anything about spirits offhandedly?"

Concentrating deeply, Aang sat up cross legged and scratched his chin. "He could sense the moment you stepped into the Spirit World. Something, something, you have an important duty to fulfil... something something, did you know the first Avatar was good friends with Tai Yang? And- I think that was it."

"So nothing about Houto or the Ancient Ones." She flopped atop the bed of grass, temporarily closing her eyes and listening to Sokka's not-so-subtle snoring (she's surprised Toph hadn't stirred and yelled at him to shut up). "I had no idea Ursa was Roku's granddaughter. There was one time when Zuko fell ill and Uncle Iroh talked about him mentally battling good and evil- I thought he was just being his usual wisdom-y self but I never thought he meant it literally."

The seconds ticked by as the stars grew brighter, timidly peering down on the team as Aang laid beside his friend, grey eyes admiring the night skies. "Do you miss him?"

"I don't want to miss him." She despised how she knew who he was talking about instantly because who else would he be referring to? "But it's... complicated."

Eyes closed, all her memories involving him rushed to her head all at once. The melancholiness stained her heart and twisted it, the nostalgia made her light-headed, and the anger boiled her veins. If he ultimately decided to side with his father and his imperial nation, it meant they'd have to face him in a battle, too. Perhaps the day would arrive exactly on the day of Black Sun. Her stomach flipped itself inside out at the thought of the mere possibility of encountering him again face-to-face.

Among the silence, she realised she spent too much time pondering and noticed Aang had drifted off to sleep. With a small smile, she bid him a quiet goodnight and turned her eyes to the stars, mapping out constellations inside her head.

✷

SAN WITNESSED AANG TRAINING WITH Katara and Toph simultaneously on the side, sipping on coconut water. They found another lovely place on the hill to rest on and so far, they were in the clear. No metal man exploding things with his mind in sight.

"Pst, San!" Sokka whispered from behind as she nodded as an indication for him to continue. "Let's sneak up on Aang and try to attack him. As soon as he's blindfolded, it'll be a free-for-all sparring session."

She paused. "All right, I'm down."

Aang being blindfolded was an order from Toph so he could become more attuned to his seismic sense. San put down her coconut but as soon as she did, Momo made a beeline for it and finished it off (not that she minded much). She unsheathed her sword in the midst of Katara and Toph having a spat and going against each other rather than training Aang, positioning herself into a certain stance.