Book 1: Hikaru

The Deserter

"Alright then let's go!" said Aang as we headed into town.

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Once we entered the town it was bustling with excitement. Kids were running around with sparklers, laughter from families rung through the town as a parade dragon danced through the streets. I smiled reminding myself of simpler times, long before I left my home. I was pulled back into reality when I saw Katara, Sokka, and Aang pull away from anyone passing by like they had a disease.

"You know you guys stick out like sore thumbs acting like that," I sighed, then looked around and saw many of the townsfolk wearing masks, "We could wear these to blend in a bit better."

"Where are we supposed to get masks like that?" asked Sokka.

"Get your genuine Fire Festival Masks here!" shouted a salesman nearby.

"That was surprisingly easy," said Sokka as Katara and Aang rushed over to the booth.

"It's a festival booths like these are all over the place," I explained.

After paying for the masks, Sokka chose a smiling blue mask with a yellow mane, Katara chose a Fire Nation ladies mask, Aang picked a sad faced red and orange mask, while I picked a unique dragon's mask that was red on the left side of it and blue on the other. However Katara switched both Sokka and Aang's mask which fit better for them. Laughing a bit, from imagining Sokka's face. Walking around the festival a bit more freely then before, Aang pointed out a food stand further ahead, "Look there's some food."

"Finally!" said Sokka as he rushed over to the stand, "What do yah have?"

"Flaming Fire Flakes," said the salesman as he handed one to Sokka, "Best in town."

"I'll take em," said Sokka quickly shoving them down his throat. Then he suddenly screamed in pain as the Flaming Fire Flakes kicked in, "HOT! HOT!"

"Flaming Fire Flakes, hot," explained Katara, "What do you know?"

"I'll take a bag too please," I asked the salesman realizing I was a bit hungry myself.

"Are you crazy? It's hot!" warned Sokka as I place a few in my mouth.

"Only if you can't handle it," I smirked enjoying the flakes. In all honesty I was enjoying myself.

"Hey look at this!" shouted Aang as he lead us to a children's puppet show about the Invisible Fire Lord Ozai. We quickly decided to leave and find something else as Aang rushed ahead to another location.

"Aang hold on where are we going?" asked Katara as we entered a large crowd of people.

"I don't know, but there's a big crowd it must be good," said Aang.

"Knowing the Fire Nation, it's probably an execution," remarked Sokka as we neared the front of the stage. It turned out to be a firebender performance. Using the flames from the four torches around him, the fire bender rapidly swung fireballs around him, amazing the crowd. He then brought them all together and as they collided, they dispersed and reveal four birds flying away.

"I gotta learn that trick!" cheered Aang.

"As long as you don't expect birds to come out of it," I said with a grin as the show continued. That's when one of my old memories began to play through my mind.

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"This way!" I cried dragging a boy by the hand through the town as the festival was bustling with excitement.