The Southern Air Temple

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"Wait until you see it, Katara! The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world!" Aang said to Katara.

"Aang, I know you're excited but it's been one hundred years since you've been home," she said.

Aang smiled. "That's why I'm excited!" he said happily.

Karate frowned a bit. "It's just...a lot of things could have changed in that time," she told him softly.

Aang ignores her comment. "Wake up, Sokka! Air Temple, here we come!" he said excitedly.

"Sleep now, temple later," Sokka said rolling over.

The airbender picked up a stick and traced Sokka's sleeping bag. "Sokka! There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!" he exclaimed.

Sokka jumped up in his bag and hopped everywhere. "Get it off! Get it off!" he yelled frantically. He tripped over a stump and fell face first. He moaned in pain.

"Great, you're up! Now, let's go!" Aang said. They packed up and got on Appa's saddle.

"Hey! Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?" Sokka questioned.

"Oh, that was food?" Aang asked. "I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"No wonder the flames smelt so good," the tanned boy said, licking his lips at the memory of the smell of the fire.

When they made it to the Air Temple, Aang showed them around. "This is where Naomi and I used to play airball. Oh, over there is where all the bison used to sleep, and..." Aang trailed off.

"What is it Aang?" Katara asked concerned.

"This place used to be full of people and lemurs. You could hear Naomi's beautiful voice around this time as she sang to the bison. Now, it's just weeds," he answered sadly.

"Who is this Naomi you keep talking about?" Sokka asked.

Aang narrowed his eyes at him. "No one you should concern yourself with." Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "I just can't believe how much things have changed," he said with a sigh.

He sent Sokka an apologetic look. "So, uh, this airball game. How do you play?" the Water Tribe warrior asked.

~

Aang and Sokka played airball until Sokka fell off the post. "Aang 7, Sokka 0," the airbender exclaimed.

Katara saw a Fire Nation helmet and bent snow over it. "Come on. There's someone I want you to meet!" Aang said. He brought him over to a statue of a monk. "This is Monk Gyatso," he said as he bowed in respect. He spaced out a bit thinking about the good times he had with Gyatso and Naomi.

"You miss him?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, Naomi too," Aang said sighing. Katara couldn't help but feel jealous about the way Aang talked about this Naomi girl.

They walked up to some giant doors. "It's locked. How do we get inside without a key?" Sokka asked.

Aang smirked. "The key, Sokka, is airbending," he said. He bent air into a tube. When the doors opened, they saw a bunch of statues.

"They're your past lives!" Katara said.

"Past lives? Come on, Katara, do you really believe in that stuff?" Sokka asked.

"Look! This one is an airbender," Aang said.

"And this one is a waterbender," Katara said. She looked around. "It's a pattern. Water, earth, fire, air. The Avatar Cycle!" she exclaimed in realization.

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