𝑯𝑰𝑫𝑫𝑬𝑵 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵, 𝒂: 𝒕𝒍𝒂

➳ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦: 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴

This thought seems to ease Katara. Kida continues to fly into the night, allowing silence and the moonlight to engulf her.

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IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE INVASION, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE FALLING INTO PLACE. The team arrived four days early, so that meant extra time to train, strategize, and build Appa's armor.

But, Kida notices that Aang seems to be doing the opposite. Not sleeping, over training, falling apart in every sense of the phrase. The team tries everything to help him through it, to ease his mind.

If she were to be honest, Kida is falling apart too. With the invasion looming closer, so is the very real possibility that something goes very wrong.

Regardless of personal cost.

Haven't the Spirits already taken enough?

Part of Kida wants to convince everyone to abandon the plan and run away, live a life where they're all happy and safe together, free of the thoughts of war and battle strategies and violence.

There are two main problems with this fantasy.

One: it would be selfish. Spirits know that Kida has been selfish and irresponsible before, which led to drastic consequences for people she loved. All the fighting, all the loss and pain Kida went through had to mean something. That stupid prophecy hung over her father's head, weighed down her family until the very end. She would be damned before repeating the same mistake and turning her back on her destiny.

Two: it would be impossible to live a happy life knowing that there was something more that she could have done to help end the war. That she could have prevented children from losing their parents, sisters from losing their brothers, young ones from having to grow up too fast, families from being torn apart. That she could have stopped an empire from abusing and terrorizing innocent people. There was no way Kida could go about her everyday life like this war doesn't exist.

Kida had promised to do whatever it takes to end this war. To her, that means acting like there aren't a million worries racing through her mind, like she doesn't have nightmares. It means going through the invasion plan with Sokka over and over while reassuring him that everything will work out, even when she has her own doubts and a headache; it means encouraging Toph and Katara when they practice bending even if it triggers images from visions of them getting fatally wounded; it means training and training and training even if she is exhausted to her bones.

Spirits, Kida's habits must be rubbing off on Aang, much to Kida's dismay.

Apparently, yoga with Katara, a massage and acupuncture with Toph, and a therapy session with Sokka did nothing to ease Aang's stress. It was Kida's turn to try and help. Kida's idea is simple, really. She just thought of what she desperately needs when she feels this way: a good night's sleep.

She and the team use koala sheep wool to make Aang a comfortable bed. It's done by the time night has fallen. At first, Aang takes it for a bed of clouds, another hallucination.

"Hey! We spent hours working on this!" Toph protests.

Aang starts to protest as well, for a different reason, but Katara is quick to interject.

"Listen to me," she says. "You've been training for this since the day we met. I've seen your progress. You're ready."

"You really think so?" Aang asks, looking at them hopefully.

"We all do," Sokka answers. "You can do this"

"You're the man, Twinkle Toes!" Toph exclaims.

"You've got this, kid," Kida assures, smiling at him. "You're brave and strong. We believe in you."

"Thanks guys." Aang yawns and rubs his eyes. The four of them help him onto the bed. "Hey, Kida? Can you tell us one of your stories?"

Kida hums. "Did I ever tell you the one about the kid who saves the world?"

Aang smiles softly, closing his eyes. "How does that one go again?"

The team settles around Aang's makeshift bed as Kida weaves a tale about five travellers, working together to restore balance to the world, with an airbender who gives all of them, and the rest of the world, hope. Toph lies back on the ground, Katara is comfortably on her sleep mat, and Sokka drapes a blanket around Kida's shoulders. Even Momo and Appa join in, curling up next to the team.

When the story comes to a close, most of the team has fallen asleep. Kida shifts the blanket so it covers both of them as she lies down next to Sokka, resting her head on his chest and he wraps an arm around her waist, bringing her closer. As she listens to the soft rise and fall of Sokka's breathing, Kida can only hope that her story comes true, before her fears start to creep in once more.

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author's note

thank you for reading! 

if you can, please check the links in my bio for resources and action items, including for helping palestine and india. 

and, please remember to take care of yourself as well <3