Accidental Avatar 3.5: The Burn Book

Snark Special

While the others tried to help Aang calm down enough to sleep properly, I had decided to check in on our resident snark specialist. I found him, without Aang, meditating by himself.

Muteki had already told me he wasn't particularly talkative, save for the occasional sass, so I didn't join him with conversation in mind.

Aang was apparently not that far away, as I heard him pop out a bush with a loud "put 'em up!" but taking a page from the Book of Mangetsu, I just ignored him.

"You know," I eventually said to no one in particular, but maybe Mangetsu is listening. "I don't understand how this didn't help Aang. Just sitting like this is so calming; I think I might take a nap."

Aang knocked over Sokka, who was clearly starting to lose his patience with Aang, who still hadn't slept properly.

"Wonder why he hasn't?" I murmured.

"Have you tried knocking him out?"

"No... wait," I turned to Mangetsu, who hadn't moved. "Did you just suggest I knock Aang out?"

Mangetsu didn't even twitch.

You gotta hand it to him. His commitment to being a statue was amazing.

"Not a bad idea," I said, getting up. "Hey, Aang!"

The bald monk spun around so fast; he didn't see the punch to the chest that knocked him to the ground. His eyes wandered the sky before closing, and he was out cold.

"Did you just... punch Aang?" Muteki paused mid bend to get a rock to the gut, knocking him over.

"Yep," I answered. "He'll be fine. He needs to stop for a minute and sleep before his paranoia kills him. I get you guys were trying all the more wholesome approaches, but seriously, he needed a hard restart."

"Ah, the old turn it on and off again trick," Mogui nodded sagely. "So long as you don't think the rest of us need a restart, I think I'm fine with it."

"Just don't tell Katara," Toph said.

"Tell me what?"

"AHH!" Sokka and Toph screamed in surprise.

"Um... Aang passed out?" I tried.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that?" Katara demanded.

"Because we wanted to see how long it would take you to notice," Mangetsu finally spoke again.

"I think I would notice fairly quickly," Katara retorted.

"No, how long it would take you to notice that I knocked him out," Mangetsu said, standing up and walking away from the group. "Now, if you don't mind, I came here for peace and quiet, and the rest of you are too damn loud."

Did he just... cover for me?

"Mangetsu!" Katara screamed. "What do you mean you knocked him out!?"

Mangetsu just looked over his shoulder at her and stuck out his tongue, one hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

I think he just went from snark specialist to sass king.