The Forgotten Princess (SokkaxOC)

i. XVII

Katara was gathering up their supplies, and she looked worriedly down at their last food bag, seeing as it was empty. "Well, we'd better smoothly fly ourselves to a market, 'cause we're out of food," she sighed.

"Guys, wait," Sokka said suddenly, and Azami glanced over at him as his face took on a paranoid look. "This was in my dream, we shouldn't go to the market."

"What happened in your dream?" she asked, a little concerned.

"Food eats people!" he cried. "Also, Momo could talk. You said some very unkind things."

The lemur just chittered slightly, and Azami and Katara both deadpanned at him. "Remind me to never let you drink cactus juice," Azami muttered. If this was how he was normally, cactus juice would make him intolerable. "How do you even come up with this stuff?"

Sokka's face turned smug. "I guess I'm just special," he said proudly.

They set off on Appa, soon arriving at a market on the waterfront. After arguing with a crabby lady over an overripe watermelon and realizing they were out of money, they found themselves standing on a pier while Sokka rubbed his back from where the lady kicked him.

"Out of food and out of money," he moaned in defeat. "Now what are we supposed to do?"

Katara put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "You could get a job, smart guy." 

"We shouldn't go out there!" a raspy voice yelled from nearby. "Please! The fish can wait! There's going to be a terrible storm." Azami felt her body freeze up. It had to be a coincidence, right?

The four turned in surprise to see an elderly couple bickering. "Ah, you're crazy," the man groaned. "It's a nice day! No clouds, no wind, no nothing, so quit your nagging, woman."

"Maybe we should find some shelter," Aang muttered nervously, Katara and Sokka giving him a look of shock. 

"Are you kidding?" Sokka asked. "Shelter from what?"

"My joints say there's going to be a storm, a bad one!" the old woman yelled.

"Well, it's your joints against my brain," the man reasoned.

The old woman scoffed as she crossed her arms. "Well then, I hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish, 'cause I ain't coming."

"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double what you get!" he snapped. "How do you like that?"

Sokka ran forward, waving his arm, and Azami felt her stomach drop. "I'll go!" he said cheerfully.

"You're hired," the man responded happily as he pointed at Sokka.

"Sokka, you really shouldn't," Azami protested. "Aang and the old woman are right, there's gonna be a storm."

"You're crazy, look how clear the sky is!" he defended. "Besides, Katara did say I should get a job, and he's paying double!"

The old man twisted to face him as he raised an eyebrow. "Double?" he growled. "Who told you that nonsense?"

Azami just held her head, trying not let her concern show through too much. Hopefully she was wrong and there really wouldn't be a storm, but she just had a gut feeling she wouldn't be so lucky.

Not even a half hour later, she was unfortunately proven right. She stood watching worriedly with Katara as Sokka helped load up the fishing boat while storm clouds were rolling in as far as the eye could see. "Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea," Aang said nervously as he glanced up at the storm above them. "Look at the sky."