Sokka, Aang and I were standing on the platform of a bustling train station, of all places located deep within the Fire Nation. Admittedly, I did not have any plans on coming here at all, intending to continue training my bending until Aang told me that I needed to take a rest, persuading me to tag along with Sokka and him for the day.
"Unbelievable! Katara and Toph don't know what they're missing!" Sokka exclaimed in wonderment, examining the exterior of the Fire Nation train parked in front of us admiringly. "Good thing you came, Suzume, or else you would have missed out too."
"Eh, I'm not into this kind of stuff, to be honest," I confessed frankly. "But I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."
"I think Toph had enough of trains in Ba Sing Se, and Katara said she wanted to relax," Aang informed. "Besides, Appa's been lonely staying behind all the time."
"Pfft," Sokka waves his hand dismissively. "Their loss."
'I should be practising my bending right now with Katara and Toph. And you should be too, Aang.'
Aang glances at me, silently advising me internally, 'Come on Suzume, forget about that for now and enjoy yourself and relax with us. You can always practice your bending when you get back with them. I promise I'll practice with you later too, deal?'
'Deal.' I nod in approval. He flashes me a smile, turning his attention back to the train.
A train conductor emerges from the train shouting, "All aboard!"
A multitude of people began boarding the train and we were about to do so ourselves until I heard sniffling behind me. I turn back, spotting a lone young girl clutching onto a Komodo Rhino doll tightly.
I approach her, crouching down to her level and smiling at her gently. "Hey there, I'm Suzume. Is everything okay? You look like you could use some help."
"My name is Sho. I'm going to see my grandma," Sho stuttered nervously. "b-but mom is sick, so I have to go on the train by myself."
I gaze at her sympathetically. "Awww, poor thing."
Aang and Sokka suddenly appear beside me, assumably overhearing our conversation and understanding what was happening. Sho grows more anxious at the sight of both of them.
"I'm Aang," Aang introduces himself, grinning at her and subsequently points to Sokka. "And that's Sokka. Don't worry, Sho, we'll help you."
"How about we ride the train with you?" I offered. "Would you like that?"
Sokka rubs his hands in delight. "A ride! Yes! Then I can check out the inside too!"
"I'd like that," Sho nodded, hugging her Komodo Rhino doll.
"Great," I smiled, extending my hand to her. She grabs my hand tightly and together, the four of us board the train.
"Ooooh!" Sokka looks around in excitement, going from place to place in the train energetically and inspecting almost everything. "I wonder what that's for...And that! And that!
Sho stares at him weirdly and I chuckle slightly, "He's very passionate about trains, don't worry about him."
We sit together in a section on the train, Sho and I sitting on one side while Aang and Sokka sit on the other. Aang looks at Sho warmly. "You know, my friend Gyatso once taught me a trick to help me feel better when I was scared or nervous. First, you close your eyes...then you take deep breaths and think about your favourite animal. Komodo rhino, right?"
Sho nodded obediently, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths.
Her features began to look more relaxed and composed, her grip on my hand loosening and relaxing immensely.
"See, the train's not so scary now," Aang grinned. 'You're a genius, Aang. You'd make a great father.'
Aang smiles at me brightly, 'I'm just following what the monks taught me. It's a good thing you noticed her.'
"Yeah, it isn't that scary but some of the people still are," Sho's eyes shot open, gazing at Aang curiously. " I have a question, do you know why someone would have a weird symbol on their head?"
"Uhhhh," Aang and I exchange nervous glances. 'Can you see my airbending tattoos?'
'No, I don't see it, I don't know how she did.'
"Oh, I uh," Aang adjusts his headband nervously. "This is just..."
"Not you, silly. I mean that guy!" Sho pointed ahead and my gaze follows her finger, groaning silently when I saw Combustion Man entering our compartment. Gasps and screams became prevalent among the ranks of people on the train and turning back. Judging by the looks of horror etched on their features, Aang and Sokka must've caught sight of him as well after turning back.
"He must have seen us in the station and followed us onto the train!" Sokka shouted, ducking behind his seat to hide from him and the rest of us follow suit.
"We need to get out here before he spots us! Someone could get hurt," Aang stated firmly.
Combustion Man shoots a beam of combustion at a vacant bench in front of us, causing it to explode.
"Suzume, stay here with Sho," Aang ordered, exiting his seat and going into the aisle to face Combustion Man before I could argue. "It's me you want!"
Combustion Man merely glares at Aang and he continues pleading with him, "You don't have to hurt these people!"
I notice Combustion Man glancing at me and I quickly grab Sho, pulling her away and fleeing from Combustion Man with Sokka and Aang in tow as he blasted our seats, creating a hole in the side of the train.
We take cover behind a vacant bench just beside a window in the train and I hug Sho comfortingly, whispering to her, "Don't worry, we'll be safe. I'll make sure no one hurts you."
One of the train's officers was already hunched over a speaking tube beside us, speaking into it frantically and worriedly, "Engine room! Engine room, we have an emergency!"
"With this kind of damage, the train's gonna jump the rails! You need to stop it!" Sokka shouted.
"I think we're actually going faster! And the engineer isn't responding!" the officer informed anxiously.
The three of us exchange grim glances and Sokka begins giving out orders, "I'll try to stop the train. Aang, you take care of silent but deadly and Suzume, you take care of Sho." I knew I was in no position to argue here, I had to make sure Sho was alright.
"Got it," Aang nodded, turning to both of us. "Both of you wait here and stay out of sight. I have to take care of this. Remember the breathing exercises, okay?"
"O-Okay," Sho stuttered.
Aang leaps off into action, immediately engaging in a battle against Combustion Man as soon as they both spot each other. Aang leaps over Combustion Man and pushes off his head with his feet just as the assassin splinters the floor where he was standing just before.
Aang exits the train by jumping through the hole Combustion Man created earlier, Combustion Man giving chase.
"Aang!" Sho gasps anxiously beside me, probably thinking that Aang had perished when she didn't see him but her fears were dispelled when Aang appears just outside our window, riding an air scooter.
"Deep breaths! Don't forget the technique!" Aang reminded, smiling and shooting me a brief wink before scooting away from us.
"He'll be fine, Sho. Now, close your eyes," I instructed gently, and she does so. "Now breath with me," I begin taking deep breaths and she follows suit, her features beginning to noticeably relax again.
"Good, good," I smiled. "You're doing well." A sudden pain shoots up my sides and I grunt, sensing that Aang was in trouble.
Sho reopens her eyes, staring at me in solicitude. "Is everything okay?"
"Sho, I'm going to help Aang. I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can, will you be fine with that?" I inquired.
"I'll be fine, go help him," Sho reassured. "Deep breaths." She closes her eyes, taking deep breaths once again.
"You're a brave girl, Sho." I pat her on the head, going to the hole in the side of the train. I leap up onto the train's roof, standing behind Combustion Man who had just combusted an area near Aang, knocking him to the edge of the train.
Just before he could combustionbend at Aang again, I airbend a massive gust of wind at Combustion Man, sending him flying to the very back of the train. He manages to grip the edge of the train with his metal arm, managing to stay on barely and lift himself back up. He growls, shooting me a withering glare.
I race over to Aang, lending him a hand and pulling him back up onto the train.
"Thanks, Suzume." Aang's grateful features metamorphose into that of worry. "Wait, who's taking care of Sho?"
"She said she would be fine and she'll be safe along the rest as long as we keep Combustion Man as far away from them as possible," I advised.
"Watch out!" Aang grabs me, pulling me away from the area we were previously standing on as it was destroyed by an explosion from Combustion Man.
"Thanks, Aang." Both of us drove him back by launching blasts of air at him but he still remained standing on the train somehow, eyeing us both furiously.
I glimpse a river ahead of us and by the looks of it, Aang does as well, both of us exchanging brief nods and sharing the same plan. As soon as Combustion Man combustionbends the place we were standing on, we leap over him with airbending, summoning a massive wave from the river and knocking him down into it.
The train speeds past the river, coming to a complete halt a few moments later. Both of us land back down gracefully on the roof of the train, swinging back into the compartment of the train to check on Sho and the rest.
"Is everyone okay?" Aang asked.
To our surprise, we see everyone sitting cross-legged on the floor with their eyes closed, breathing deeply and looking calm. Sho reopens her eyes, smiling at both of us gratefully.
"You were right," Sho glances at Aang, gesturing to the passengers around her. "Those breathing exercises really do work." 'She'd make a great airbender.'
'I couldn't agree more, Suzume.'
"You did great, Sho!" Aang complimented proudly, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm proud of you and I'm sure your mom would be too," I smiled. "You're a very brave and calm girl."
"Thanks." Sho averts her gaze from us nervously. "but...the train looks pretty broken and I'm supposed to be at my grandma's house for dinner!"
"Sho, I'd like you to meet my favourite animal," Aang takes out his flying bison whistle. "He can take you to your Gran's house!"
Sho smiles at this, nodding her head slowly and telling him the location of said house, which we later found out from Sokka wasn't too far away from where we were to be honest.
Sokka comes running to us a few seconds later, wearing some sort of hat and leather gloves over his hands.
"I am now a certified engineer!" Sokka declared proudly.
"Good job back there," I complimented.
"Thanks, Suzume," Sokka nodded in acknowledgement.
Aang promptly blows his flying bison whistle and a few moments later, Appa comes flying over to us, Toph already on his saddle and Katara at the reins.
Katara goes back to the saddle as Aang assumes his place at the reins while Sokka and I help Sho onto Appa's saddle, boarding onto Appa's saddle shortly after.
Katara gasps in delight when she sees Sho climbing on Appa's saddle, instantly approaching her. "Awww, you look so cute. What's your name?"
"My name's Sho," Sho said shyly.
"Is she joining our group?" Toph questioned.
"No, Toph," I deadpanned. "We're sending her to her Gran's house. Her mom's sick and she was travelling alone."
"It's a long story," Sokka added.
"Well, save it for the journey. Everyone ready?" Aang inquired.
"Yup," I nodded.
"Hold on tight, Sho," Katara extends her hand to her and she grabs it, Appa soaring off into the skies soon after. I notice Sho's features harden a little in fear and anxiety as we sailed through the sky, the wind blowing against us.
"Remember what Aang taught you," I reminded gently and she nods, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths again, her countenance slowly looking more relaxed.
"Wow," Katara gazed at her in awe. "She's so calm."
"Now tell us what happened," Toph ordered. "I wanna know everything."
While Aang and Sokka recounted our tale, I slammed my fists together, creating an air ball around Appa and preventing the wind from affecting us. I occasionally interjected as well, adding on a little bit if they missed anything. Once we were finished regaling Katara and Toph with our tale, Sho's eyes shot open, looking entirely at ease now.
"It takes guts to do what you did back there and you certainly have it," Toph complimented, smiling at Sho.
"And don't worry about your mom, I'm sure she'll be fine," Katara reassured. "She's lucky to have a daughter like you."
"Thanks, I just did what I was told." Sho gazed ahead at Aang. "Are we almost there yet?"
"We're here." We fly straight to a small whitewashed house, where an elderly woman was sitting in a chair on her house's porch and staring ahead. Her features split into a smile as soon as she catches sight of Sho, who looked equally thrilled to see her. I make the protective ball of air around Appa dissipate as we descended to the ground, landing safely.
"Gran!" Sho exclaimed excitedly and I help her dismount from Appa, carrying her down and placing her gently down on the ground. Sho then runs into her Gran's outstretched arm, jumping into them and giving her a hug. I leap back up onto Appa's saddle, admiring the heartwarming sight before me. Sho turns back to us shortly after, waving at us as we started to depart. "Thank you!"
"Thank you, Avatars," the old woman bowed respectfully below us and Aang and I return the favour.
"It was our pleasure," I informed. "Sho is a great kid, take good care of her." I look at Sho for hopefully not the last time, waving at her. "Bye, Sho!"
"Bye Suzume! Bye everyone!" Sho shouted, grinning at all of us and waving. We wave back and Appa soars off into the skies once again, taking us back to our campsite.