Accidental Avatar 3.5: The Burn Book

Creepy, but no Pasta

"We're going shopping," the shrimp barged into the room.

He woke me up with his banging and crashing as he strapped on his sandals and sword, which was weird because normally you don't hear him until he talks to you, which is freaking terrifying half the time. Okay, all the time. I lifted my head grumpily and spotted Muteki pull his blanket over his head with an annoyed grumble.

"Hold on," I muttered. "When did you get in?"

"Like... five minutes after Mangetsu," he answered. "Shut up; I'm tryna sleep."

"Move before the girls decide to wake you up," Mangetsu called from the door. Muteki threw his pillow at the shrimp, who caught it with his usual deadpan expression. "I mean, if you want Toph to launch you out a window, that's really none of my business."

With that comment, he turned and left the room in silence.

"She wouldn't really... would she?"

"That or Jin would set our beds on fire," Muteki answered.

"I didn't think you'd care," I teased.

"Except when I like my skin uncooked and still attached," he rolled out of bed and ran a hand through his hair in a vain attempt to tame the bedhead.

I did a push-up, then pushed myself to my feet. I groaned and picked up my pile of clothes, giving it a sniff. "When was the last time I washed these?" I asked.

"When was the last time you washed full stop?" Muteki asked back.

"Good point," I sniffed the bedsheets. "These will need to be decontaminated." I lit a flame in one hand.

"Dude!" The Giant looked at me funny.

"I was joking," I grinned back. "But I need to find a laundromat or something."

"You don't know how to wash your own clothes?"

"Not without a machine."

"Dude, It's 101 How To Viking."

"I took that class?"

"No, but you knew a lot about your heritage," the giant grinned at me. "You even tried making your own sword."

"That was until Mum caught me," I winked.

"So you remember?" Muteki asked me as he pulled on his grubby garb.

"Just bits and pieces still," I shrugged as I tied my boots up. "I'm slowly connecting some of the dots, though."

"Well, tell me when you have it all."

"Don't worry," I grinned, grabbing my bag of armour too. "I'll let you know when I remember how we met."

We walked through town gathering supplies. Sokka carrying a few bags on his sheathed sword tip and Muteki carrying the rest. Hama paid for the food, and I found a laundromat of sorts. It was an old lady with a big pot of water and a scrubbing board. She accepted my clothes with trepidation, but I had to wear my armour while I waited.

"Where are ya coming from?" the old lady asked as she dumped my old garb into the pot.

"My family and I finally moved back to the homeland from the colonies just recently," I shrugged. "I'm using my few weeks off to help them find a place to live."

"Although I love this town," the old woman started. " I do suggest going somewhere a bit quieter."

"It seems like a nice place to me," I commented. "Maybe clear a wee section of forest and..."

"NO!" The old lady jumped, knocking the cauldron and spilling the simmering liquid. The water doused the fire, putting it out and soaking the wood. Mistress Laundry cursed violently. "It will take forever to relight that!"

I helped her refill the basin with many buckets of water. I offered to relight the fire and started using the heat from my hands to dry out the wood, then lit it with a controlled fireball. The washerwoman was so pleased; she threw me a dazzling smile that made her look twenty years younger and proceeded to work on my horrendously filthy clothes. Hama had shown up at some point, and she was looking at me with a weird expression. Like.. disappointed with a mild hint of dislike. Or hate. I'm not sure. She smiled brightly at me, and I shrugged away my thoughts. I probably just imagined it.

We eventually met up with the rest, where Sokka, Aang, and Mangetsu were saying "shenanigans" to each other in increasingly weird ways. It doesn't even sound like a word anymore. Jin was holding her head in her hands while Toph and Muteki watched with amused expressions. Ok, Toph was probably listening.

Hama turned to Katara, who had joined with her as we rejoined the group.

"Why don't you children take those things back to the inn?" she said sweetly. "I just have to run a couple more errands. I'll be back in a little while."

"This is a mysterious little town you have here," Sokka said, pointedly looking directly into Hama's face.

A little too close.

Dude.

"Mysterious town, for mysterious children," Hama said cryptically with the smile still in place.

Chills. Literal chills.

She left us as Mangetsu wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"That was creepy," he commented.