Avatar The Last Airbender Reader Insert Book One: Water

The Avatar Returns - Part 1

A bright flare sails across the sky. Everyone in the village rushes out of its walls to get a better look. I watch the flare burn out and I have this bad feeling that this has to do with Aang and Katara.

"Yay! Aang's back!" All the children rush to meet Aang and Katara who just appeared over the snowy hill.

Angrily Sokka shoves his way to the front of the crowd. I follow and stand beside him. "I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare!" He shouts pointing at Aang. "You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

"Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident." Katara reasons.

"Yeah, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and, well we—we boobied right into it," Aang explains, scratching the back of his neck.

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger." Gran Gran says.

" Don't blame Katara. I brought her there. It's my fault," Aang admits.

"A-ha! The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy! The foreigner is banished from our village." All the children walk back to Sokka. They also look towards their feet, disappointed by the decision made by their leader.

I attempt to interject, "Sokka, I think you're making a mistake."

He turns to me, surprised at first then his face turns stern, "No, I'm keeping my promise to dad. I'm protecting you and Katara from threats like him."

"Aang is not our enemy!" Katara says, obviously frustrated with her brother, "Don't you see? Aang's brought us something we haven't had in a long time—fun."

"Fun? We can't fight the firebenders with fun!"

"You should try it sometime," Aang says, hopeful to lessen the tension in the air.

"Get out of our village now!"

"Grandmother, please, don't let Sokka do this."

"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves."

"Fine, then I'm banished too!" Katara turns around and grabs Aang's arm, "Come on, Aang, let's go."

"Where do you think you're going?" Sokka inquires.

"To find a waterbender. Aang is taking me to the North Pole."

"I am? Great!"

"Katara, would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?" I look down at the ground, tears brimming my eyes. 'Will she choose him over us? Over me, her best friend?'

Katara stops in her place, deep in thought. Aang advances toward her, "Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family." He walks away from her to Appa.

"So you're leaving the south pole? This is goodbye?" Katara says sadly.

"Thanks for penguin sledding with me."

"Where will you go?"

"Guess I'll go back home and look for the airbenders. Wow. I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that." Aang then airbends his way onto Appa's head, grabbing the reins, "It was nice meeting everyone."

"Let's see your bison fly now, Airboy," Sokka challenges.

"Come on, Appa, you can do it," Aang encourages his beastly pet, "Yip Yip!" The bison stands but makes no attempt to fly.

"Yeah, I thought so!." I slap Sokka's arm because of how rude he's being.

I can't tell who but one of the warriors runs out to Aang crying, "Aang, don't go. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," He glances at the little girl. His gaze then shifts to Katara. "Come on, boy," and with that, he's gone.

Gran Gran walks to Katara, "Katara, you'll feel better after you—"

"You happy now? There goes my one chance of becoming a waterbender!" Katara storms away. She looks up and we share a glance. She then turns away, rolling her eyes. 'Great now she's angry with me. I didn't even do anything.' Another voice in my head then says 'Exactly, you didn't do anything to help your best friend.'