"Ugh! Walking seriously stinks". Aang complained.
Suki laughed with her hand covering her mouth, Sen rolled his eyes and turned to stare at his younger fellow airbender.
"Come on. Makapu is not much further". Sen said, a smirk making its way up his lips.
"You think he'd be used to it after all the running from the Fire Nation?". Suki put in.
"Right". Sen said putting in a slight tease.
"Okay, I get it. But to be fair, we had Appa then". Aang defended himself.
They took an air ship to the small town but decided to land it a few miles back, they didn't want to alarm anyone.
"Oh, I see it!". Suki exclaimed as they got closer.
They walked up the path that led to the town before entering at gate entrance, they noticed how damaged some homes were but despite that they noticed how positive the atmosphere was because everyone was either smiling or laughing.
"Wow, didn't expect this much positivity". Suki remarked.
"Some people deal with heavy issues in their own way". Sen said before he decided to walk in.
Then, Aang noticed Aunt Wu a few feet away talking to a few field workers.
"Hey, it's Aunt Wu!". Aang exclaimed before running toward her,"Hi, Aunt Wu!".
"Who?". Sen asked.
Then he glanced at Suki who shrugged to show she didn't know either.
Aunt Wu noticed the young Avatar running toward her before she excused herself, she smiled before she hugged him.
"Aang, it's good to see you again". Aunt Wu said before she looked up at his approaching friends,"And your friends".
"Oh, this is Suki and Sen. You haven't exactly met them yet". Aang said with a smile.
"Well, it is nice to meet you". Aunt Wu bowed.
"It is an honor". Sen bowed back.
"It is good to meet you too". Suki smiled with a bow.
"So, I suppose you might have heard of the trouble we're experiencing as of late". Aunt Wu said as she looked of the side.
"Yes, we figured we might try to find out what's going on". Sen said as his face got serious.
"Well, I hope you do because there have been a few disappearances and du-".
"Wait, disappearances?!". Suki interrupted.
"Yes. Some of the townspeople have been disappearing with every weather related issue". Aunt Wu explained,"We don't know why".
"Spirits". Aang and Sen both said at the same time before they glanced at each other.
"Spirits? There haven't been spirit sightings ever since you ended the War four years ago". Aunt Wu said with confusion.
"That's what we thought too". Aang said as he stared at the damage of the town more closely.
"Well, she should probably get settled in before we do some investigating". Suki broke in. She was extremely exhausted after all that traveling.
"Ah, yes". Aunt Wu said remembering something,"Please, follow me".
They began walking again. Sen slightly turned to stare at the volcanic mountain in the distance, there were dark clouds surrounding it and he noticed bits of lightning going off.
"Yes". Aunt Wu responded noticing where his gaze was,"Mount Makapu has been surrounded by those clouds since this whole issue started".
"That's not normal". Sen said with narrowed eyes.
Suki noticed his serious expression and slowly walked alongside him, she bumped her shoulder against him and he looked at her before giving a small smile.
They came to Aunt Wu's house, the fortuneteller entered first before letting them all in.
"Meng!". Aunt Wu called,"We have guests".
Aang's eyes widened at that.
"Meng?".
Then the sound of footsteps coming down from upstairs were heard, then they saw a beautiful girl in a pink kimono with red pants underneath and black shoes. Her hair was black and it was let down and it reached the small of her back.
Aang gulped at this.
"Aunt Wu, I heard you calling. Is the-". She couldn't finish her statement when her eyes finally met with the young Avatar's.
"Aang?".
"Meng?". Aang asked still not believing that the beautiful girl was Meng.
"You two know each other?". Sen asked from behind.
"Of course". Aunt Wu spoke up,"Four years ago when the young Avatar saved our village from the volcano's wrath, the two got to know each other".
"Really?". Suki asked with a sly smile, knowing she got new ammunition to tease him with later.
"Funny, he has never mentioned her". Sen said, playing along.
"We were fighting a war. It just slipped my mind". Aang said in his defense.
"Either way, it's good to see you though". Meng smiled radiantly.
Aang noticed that she didn't have any gaps in her teeth anymore like when she was younger, she must have grown up.
"Meng, why don't you show the Avatar and his friends to their rooms". Aunt Wu said.
Meng nodded. Before she gestured them to follow her.
They went upstairs and it was quiet for most of the way up, until Aang decided to say something.
"So Meng, I thought you left Makapu?". He said eyeing her.
Meng smiled.
"I tried to. But I realized my life was here, I just couldn't go through with it. Plus, Aunt Wu is teaching me to take her place one day".
"You're gonna be a fortuneteller? That's amazing". Suki said astounded by the news.
"So, can you read my fortune?". Sen asked.
Meng giggled.
"I'm not still getting the hang of it. I'm still learning".
"I'm sure you'll get it". Aang smiled at her.
Meng blushed.
"Thanks".
Suki shot Sen a look and he nodded with a smile.
"Here's your room". Meng said as she came to a stop in front of a door.
"Thanks". Sen smiled.
"Don't tell me I have to share a room with them". Suki asked in horror. She deserved her private girl time.
"Oh. This is their room". Meng chuckled,"Yours is down the hall. We'll be going there next".
Suki sighed in relief.
The two young women then walked off.
"So, was she like into you?". Sen decided to ask.
Aang glared at him.
"You seriously pick the wrong time to ask questions. But yes, she was".
"That must have been awkward with you liking Katara". Sen said as he opened the door and walked in.
Aang sighed.
"It was".
...........................................
Sokka and Zuko looked around the coastal town and saw the damage that was being taken care of by the residents, Katara and Azula sat on Appa as the boys looked around for a moment. Toph was somewhere around the area.
"This place just keeps getting bigger with every visit". Katara pointed out.
"I know. It's atrocious". Azula replied with a sincere look.
Katara glared at her for that but the princess simply gave a small smile.
They spotted Toph a few seconds later catching up to the guys, then they walked further down, getting rooms was their first priority and the people didn't seem to mind Appa in the middle of their town since they knew who the people riding him were.
Momo jumped onto Azula's shoulder before chirping a few times.
"I know, Momo. These people disgust me as well". The princess said with a smirk,"This is no place for someone of my status".
"Oh, just admit that you want to go home to your precious Ty Lee". Katara spoke up.
Azula smirked.
"And you your Avatar".
Katara rolled her eyes and glanced away before blushing.
"Do we even have a plan for this?". Azula asked,"We're not exactly here to fight natural distasters, since nature takes its own course".
"Well, something about all this is not normal". Katara said as she looked up at the clear sky,"And I doubt we'll wait long to find out".
Azula glanced at the approaching forms of her brother and the other two.
"Maybe".