- Third POV -
Katara, Mizuki, Sokka and Aang are walking through the streets of a city market and port. There are many armed men staring at the group. Mizuki, Katara and Sokka look around nervously while Aang looks around in wonder.
"We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely" Suggests Sokka. Mizuki nods in agreement.
"Uh, make that two copper pieces Sokka. I couldn't say no to this whistle!" Replies Aang as he pulls out a white whistle that looks like a bison. He takes a huge breath and blows into it, but it barely makes a sound.
"It doesn't even work" Facepalms Mizuki. Aang stops blowing when Momo squawks at him.
"See? Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk" Says Sokka annoyed as he points at Momo.
"No offense Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on" Says Katara while Aang hands her the two copper coins. Suddenly, the teenagers hear a man talking in front of his boat that's docked in the water.
"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy, come on by!" Shouts the man excitedly. The moment the group walks by the man he rushes towards them.
"Oh! You there, I can see from your clothing that you're world-traveling types. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?" Exclaims the man. Mizuki raises a brow at him.
"Sure! What are curios?" Asks Aang.
"Oh, I'm not entirely sure. But we got 'em!" Replies the man as he puts his hand on Aang's shoulder and smiles, walking him into the ship. Mizuki, Sokka and Katara follow them into the ship. Inside of the boat there's multiple strange items lined up on shelves.
"huh?" Mutters Aang as he looks at an item on a shelf, confused. Katara stares at an ornate monkey statue on one of the shelves eerily.
"I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur. That beast would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in bartering" Says a man who's standing in a dark doorway as Aang passes by with Momo on his back. The man approaches Aang. Mizuki turns around to see Aang standing in front of a man with a iguana parrot on his shoulder.
"Momo's not for sale" States Aang as he grabs Momo protectively and hands it over to Mizuki, who's standing behind him. Mizuki gulps, realizing the man is a pirate. Katara's walking over to a shelf where a number of scrolls are kept. She grabs one with a waterbending symbol on it and opens it to see lines of waterbending diagrams and writing.
"Look at this Mizuki! It's a waterbending scroll!" Beams Katara. Mizuki walks up to Katara and her eye's widen upon seeing the scroll.
"That's g-great" Stutters Mizuki nervously. Aang approaches the two girls.
"Aang! Check out these crazy moves" Exclaims Katara.
"Where did you get a waterbending scroll?" Asks Aang curiously as he turns to face the man, the captain of the pirates.
"Let's just say I got it up North, at a most reasonable price, free" Says the Captain as he slams his hand onto the scroll and pulls it away. He rolls the scroll back up and puts it away back in its shelf.
"Wait a minute...sea loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise. And pet reptile birds? You guys are pirates!" Exclaims Sokka. The man who had brought them to the ship puts his arm around Sokka, who looks at him with a terrified expression on his face.
"We prefer to think of ourselves as 'high risk traders'" Smirks the man. Mizuki nervously puts her hood on her head.
"So, how much for the, uh, 'traded' scroll?" Asks Katara.
"I've already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom. Unless of course, you kids have two hundred gold pieces on you right now" Answers the Captain slyly.
"I know how to deal with these guys Katara. Pirates love to haggle. Watch and learn" Whispers Aang as he takes the two copper pieces from Katara's hand. He walks over to the counter, leans against it, and talks in a low voice.
"Let's say to the price of, one copper piece!" Exclaims Aang as he smiles and dramatically shows the single coin. Mizuki approaches Katara and tugs her sleeve. The captain starts laughing hysterically.
"Katara, I don't like it here. Can we please leave?" Whispers Mizuki nervously.
"Sure, I want to leave as well. But first, let's see if Aang can make the deal" Whispers Katara back.
"The price is two hundred gold pieces. I don't haggle on items this rare" Replies the captain somewhat seriously.
"Okay, two copper pieces!" Continues Aang.
"It's not as amusing the second time boy" Snaps the captain.
"Aang, can we get out of here? I feel like we're getting weird looks" Whispers Mizuki.
"Ayee, we be casting off now" Says Aang before turning around and leaving the ship along with Sokka, Katara and Mizuki.
<time skip, the teengers are outside now>
"What was all that about Mizuki?" Asks Aang confused.
"Yeah, I was just starting to browse through their boomerang collection" Complains Sokka.
"I'll tell you guys once we're out of this town" Answers Mizuki.
"Yeah, let's leave" Says Katara nervously. A pirate runs across the deck looking for the group.
"Hey you! Get back here!" Shouts the man.
"Well, well. Look who's come to their senses. Told you the haggling would pay off" Grins Aang. Suddenly the group of armed pirates jump out of the boat and run towards the teenagers and menacingly swing their weapons.
"I don't think these pirates are here to trade with us" Shrieks Katara. She turns around and starts running. Mizuki, Aang and Sokka follow her and the pirates chase behind them. Half of the pirates runs down one street while the other goes down the one next to it.
"This way! Let's cut 'em off!" Shouts a man.
"Woah!" Yells Sokka as he turns a corner. Katara freezes a puddle behind them that a pirate slips on. As soon as the pirate hits the ground, Mizuki bends the ice, turning it into water. Then she makes ice claws to bring the water with her. She quickly catches up with the others. The cabbage merchant is standing with his cart oc cabbages in an alleyway. Sokka, Katara, Mizuki and Aang run past him and almost knock his cart over. Aang sends a blast of wind that throws the cart into the group pirates behind them.
"My cabbages! This place is worse than Omashu!" Cries the cabbage merchant out. Suddenly, the other group of pirates jump out of another street and chase the teenagers.
"I hope that lemur of yours has nine lives!" Shouts a pirate as he and the others corner the group in the dead end of a street.
"Now, who gets to taste the steel of my blade first?" Threatens a pirate while slowly approaching the teenagers.
"No thanks" Responds Aang dryly as he spins and hurls a blast of air at the pirates that sends them backwards. Aang starts running towards them with his glider out.
"Grab on tight!" Shouts Aang.
"Aang! there's three of us, are you sure you can handle that?" Asks Mizuki worriedly.
"Just hang on! And try to use your airbending, that would help" Answers Aang. The three grab onto the glider and Aang struggles, but manages to get out of the pirate's reach.
❀❀❀
Aang, Sokka, Katara and Mizuki are standing by the shore.
"So, why were you so nervous about those pirates in the beginning?" Asks Sokka.
"Well, the waterbending scroll they had was my mother's scroll. I was able to recognize it because when I was little I drew a small heart on the corner of the back of the scroll, which I got scolded for, obviously. So when Katara showed me the scroll I realised it was my mother's waterbending scroll. I'm not sure how they got it, but I'm assuming they stole it from the firebenders who killed my parents" Explains Mizuki.
"I'm sorry to hear that" Replies Sokka in a sorrowful tone.
"It's fine Sokka" Reassures Mizuki.
"I used to kind of look up to pirates, but those guys are terrible" Sighs Aang as he puts his glider away.
"I know. That's why I took this" Says Katara mischievously as she holds up the waterbending scroll they saw in the shop.
"No way!" Exclaims Aang while Mizuki gasps.
"Let me see it!" Beams Mizuki as she grabs the waterbending scroll and opens it.
"Isn't it great?" Asks Katara excited. Mizuki happily nods while looking at the scroll.
"No wonder they were trying to hack us up! You stole their waterbending scroll!" Complains Sokka.
"I prefer to think of it as high risk trading" Jokes Katara. Mizuki and Katara start laughing.
"Good one Katara" Chuckles Aang.
"Come on Sokka. They literally stole it from Mizuki's mother" States Katara.
"That's true- but! It doesn't matter. You put all of our lives in danger so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes" Argues Sokka.
"Sokka these are real waterbending forms. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn waterbending" Says Mizuki in a serious tone.
"You're good enough to teach him without those scrolls but whatever" Mutters Sokka as he walks away.
"Well, what's done is done. We have it, we might as well learn from it" Shrugs Aang.
To be continued
Word count: 1576