Himoko's POV
"How about these berries?" Aang asked me, gesturing to a bush full of blueberries. I stared at the bush for a moment, sucking in my bottom lip thoughtfully.
"Do they look poisonous?"
"I don't think so..."
"What is the color on the top?"
"I can't really tell-"
"Grab them, we can just give them to Sokka. If he dies, then we will know not to eat them." I spotted Alea sniffing the berries at Aang's feet, opening her jaw and ready to snatch one off of the little branches.
"Alea." I said, eyes narrowed. She briefly looked to me, eyes sparkling in desperation. "You can't eat them yet, not until after we test them on Sokka." Aang let out a small laugh, apparently he didn't think I wasn't going to let Sokka be the guinea pig of the supposedly poisonous berries.
"What? You don't think I would?"
"Himoko, that is too mean." Aang pointed out, picked Alea up before she could glomp one of the berries up. I shrugged, "Hey, someone has to be. Anyways, I have no clue whether or not they are poisonous Aang. If you don't want to have Sokka as our test subject, then he won't be." I stated with a smile.
It's been a couple of days, more like two days- And we were heading further up the equator in hopes of finally getting out of the Earth Kingdom. The road has been long (Or skies) And we were all getting pretty paranoid and annoyed that we weren't at the North Pole yet. Too many detours, but we are just human and Appa needs a rest once in a while, especially when he is both flying us across the world and the heavy lifting.
When I walked back to the camp I saw Sokka yank the tent down, his brows creased and annoyance in his eyes. Katara stood on the opposite side of the tent, glaring at him as if he had just created the plague.
"Um, we got the grub. What is going on-" Aang poked his head from behind me, seeing that basically was the same as we had left it.
"Hey, where's the campfire. And what happened to the tent?" Sokka whirled his towards us, pointing an accusing finger at his little sister.
"Why don't you ask Miss Know It All? Queen of the Twigs!" Katara whipped around, her hair-loopies smacking against her cheeks. "Oh yeah?! Well you are Mister Lavy Bum, King of the-" She picks up a twig and throws it at him, "-Tents!"
Aang laughs at the two while I grimace, seeing the distaste in both of their expressions. They are so riled up over something little- What is up with that?
"Okay, listen guys. Harsh words won't solve problems, action will. Why don't you just switch jobs?" Aang suggested in offering, looking slightly nervous at confrontation.
"Sounds good." Katara states, "Whatever." Sokka concluded, walking away from her so he could get the fire ready. I looked down to Aang, giving him a thumbs up with my free finger. He looked up at me, smiling in satisfaction.
"You see that, Himoko? Settling feuds and making. All in a days work for the Avatar."
"I say it is." I told him with a soft shrug before going over to where Sokka was setting up the fire. I kneeled down next to him, placing the food items on the huge leaf.
"Were you guys really fighting over something so simple?"
"She is so aggravating, Himoko! Such a know it all, you are lucky to not have had any siblings." He retorted, apparently still annoyed. I pursed my lips, nodding in agreement as I pushed back the idea of ever being able to have a sibling into the back of my mind.
"True... But you are also lucky to have one, you have a friend for life who can kick some serious butt. All friends have their differences- You just got to find a compromise." I told him basically the same things I told Katara. Geez, I was more of a therapist than a friend. He shrugged, not really taking my words to heart.
---
I huffed heavily, leaning over onto my knees as the group stopped at the entrance to the Canyon like structure down below. Aang stood in front of the group, proudly gleaming down at the canyon.
"Here it is, guys, the Great Divide!" Aang shouted, showing off the infamous canyon.
"Wow! I could just stare at it forever!" Sokka stares down at it beside me, unimpressed, "Okay, I've seen enough."
"How can you not be fascinated, Sokka? This is the largest canyon in the entire world." Katara asked him, looking disgruntled by his words.
"Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away." He moved the reigns he held in his hand in exasperation. When a man with long hair and a white- Pretty fresh looking, robe, pushed past Sokka.
"Hey! If you're looking for the Canyon Guide, I was here first!" He pointed to the spot he stood on, sneering at us. I gave him a look, "Dude, we aren't even gonna go on a tour-"
"Oooo... Canyon Guide. Sounds informative." Katara stated in interest. The man brightened up slightly, but still held the proud aura.
"Believe me, he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender. And the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help. And he's takin' MY tribe across next!" Sokka mocked the man from behind, and I held in a snort, not wanting to be rude to the really rude and prideful man.
"Calm down, we know you're next." Sokka said quickly when the man turned around, almost seeing Sokka mocking him.
"You wouldn't be calm if the Fire Nation destroyed YOUR home and forced YOU to flee." 'Aww, poor guy.' I felt bad for him, no one deserved to be driven out of their home. Even someone as rude as him. He continues, "My whole trobe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se!"
"You're a refugee." Katara said in plain realization.
"Hmph. Tell me something I don't know." 'And now, I feel no sympathy for you. You being a refugee doesn't give you the right to be this way.' I thought, keeping my lips sealed. Alea hopped over to him and began to tug at the bottom of his robes. He made an angry face and yelled.
"Hey! Go away you rodent!" I glared at him, feeling as if I should teach this man a lesson about manners, which seemed like he lacked of. I walked over and picked up Alea, not caring if I pulled her away hard, satisfied to see a part of his robe was left in Alea's mouth.
"Oops, sorry. Alea here was just saying hello." I told him with a innocent smile. He stared at me, dumbfounded.
"Hey, is that your tribe?" I looked to where Katara was pointing, seeing a very opposite looking group of people, perhaps ones with some nice manners. But- Sorry to judge a book by it's cover but, they don't look quite friendly.
"It most certainly is NOT." The man replied, puffing out his chest.
"That's the Zhang tribe. A bunch of low-life thieves. They've been the enemies of my tribe for 100 years. Hey Zhangs! I'm savin' a spot for my tribe so don't even THINK of stealing it!" He yelled to the Zhangs, a frown etched into his face like a sculpture. A tall woman walks up to the man and I intensely, the man beside me having to reel back from how intimidated he suddenly became.
"Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their campsite?"
"Yes! But they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot." He replied, pushing back with his chest back to being puffed out, reminding me of a cat when intimidated or afraid.
"I didn't know the canyon Guide took reservations." She slyly replied with a smirk.
Heh! Of course you didn't. That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang! So unorganized and ill prepared for a journey." He shot at her the insult and the Zhangs behind her didn't take his words kindly. They start to yell at the man and the man begins to yell back, but just before things could get meaner- The Canyon Guide arrives with a display of Earth Bending.
"Sorry about the wait, youngsters. Who's ready to cross this here canyon?" He asked, gesturing to the canyon with a king smile.
"Um... One of them I think." Katara told him, not sure. I shrugged, not knowing myself. But, I would prefer for the Zhangs to go first since the man was rude to Alea earlier.
"I was here first! My party's on their way!" The man stated as he reached the Canyon Guide, clearly wanting his tribe to be the first to go. The Canyon Guide looked apologetically at the man.
"I can't guide people who aren't here." He replied, shrugging. The Zhangs walked past them, the man fuming silently.
"Guess you guys'll have to make the trip tomorrow." I narrowed my eyes at her comment. 'Now, I don't like both of them.'.
"Wait! Here they come!" The man suddenly shouted in excitement of not being left behind. I looked back, seeing the pristine looking Gan Jins walking towards us in a very stately order. Adorning basically the same robes as the rude man, and I hoped that they weren't as rude as he was.
"You're not seriously going to cave into these spoiled Gan Jins! I mean, we're refugees too! And we've got sick people that need shelter." I rolled my eyes at her words, seriously?
"I uh... well..." The Canyon Guide was baffled, not knowing what to say.
"We have got old people who are wearing from traveling!" Stated the rude man.
"Sick people get priority over old people."
"Um, don't they get equal rights?" I suggested and they both turned their heads to look at me, "No!" I put my hands up in defense.
"Okay, dang-"
"Maybe you Zhang's wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs." The Gan Jin Leader stated quickly as he cut off my sentence.
"If you Gan Jins weren't so clean, maybe you wouldn't live to be so old!" Zhang Leader fought back in defense.
"I could smell your stink a mile away."
"Well Aang, ready to put your peacemaking skills to the test?" Katara suggested. Aang looked as lost as the Canyon Guide.
"I... Don't know. A fight over chores is one thing. These people have been feuding for 100 years..." I sighed heavily, rubbing my eye, am I the one who has to yell at these grown adults to stop acting like little children?
"Everyone, listen up!" Katara walked a few spaces forward fiercely. "This is the Avatar! And if you give him a chance, I'm sure he can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy." Everyone looked to Aang, wanting him to clearly take their side and not the others. Aang looked between the two before at me nervously. I nodded at him in encouragement.
"Uh... You could share the Earth Bender and travel together?" He suggested, which was immediately put down.
"Absolutely not! We'd rather be taken by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves." Stated the Zhang Leader.
"I am not pompous!" Replied the Gan Jin Leader. Everyone began to fight amongst the tribes and I knew by the look on Aang's face- He was at a lost. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't used to solving problems on such a high scale between two tribes fighting that have been for 100 years. I thought back for a moment, remembering my own first time having to do something like this.
With a burst of integrity- I ran in between the two leaders, pushing them back from each other.
"SHUT UP!" I yelled, using my bending minorly to get my point across. They all stopped, intimidated by my loud voice.
"Listen here you rude and insufferable people! What Aang proposes in fair and agreeable! This way no one gets left behind and taken by the Fire Nation- Your actual enemy! So get your heads out of your asses and listen to what he has to say!" I yelled, pushing the two farther away from each other before crossing my arms and looking to Aang, giving him his own chance to shine, and learn.
"Err, yeah right... We're all going down together and Appa here will fly your sick and elderly across. Does that seem fair!?" Aang asked, yelling to get his own point across. I looked to the leader, eyes narrowed. 'Say no, and I will not hesitate to knock your two skulls together.'. They finally nodded in approval with Aang's deal and I looked to Aang and the two siblings, seeing relieved smiles on their faces.
Some time later, we got everyone situated on Appa's back and no more arguments were formed afterwards, the two tribes kept to themselves and did their best not to yell or scream at each other. They were actually being civil after I yelled and screamed at them.
I took a deep breath in, stretching out my arms and releasing the tension in them.
"Himoko, I was quite surprised to see how you took control just then." I glanced to Katara, seeing her looking at me in what seemed to be admiration.
"Eh, I most did it for Aang to learn. He is not used to things like this, as you know. So it was easier for him to say when he needed and wanted to say if I stepped in and got their attention. Easier said than done."
"That was still nice for what you did for him. I honestly couldn't be able to bring myself to do that." I walked past her, not really thinking much of it.
"Takes patience and practice. I just got the upper hand becomes of my background." I told her, reminding her that I was raised as a Princess for a good portion of my life. She nodded and I walked over to Appa when I saw Aang and Sokka were.
"Himoko, do you mind riding with them? I think it would be better if someone was there with them." I nodded, "Sure Aang." I told him as I began to climb up on top of Appa.
"I would rather not deal with what is going on between the two tribes in the Canyon. A smaller crowd is much easier to deal with."
"What do you mean?" Sokka questioned, his shoulders slumped. Before I could get my answer out- The Canyon Guide spoke out loud.
"Okay, now comes the bad news. No food allowed in the canyon. It attracts dangerous predators." Stated the Canyon Guide in attempts to spook everyone. Everyone looked dissatisfied, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. 'I can keep my food, I won't be in the canyon.' I thought.
"No food! This is ridiculous." Gan Jin Leader stated with crossed arms, displeased.
"Aww, you babies can go a day without food. Would you rather be hungry... Or dead?" He deadpanned in response. I gave him props for that. He rose a pillar of stone underneath him and goes high into the sky, looking over us.
"Now, we're headin' down in 10 minutes. All food better be in your gut, or in the garbage!" He shouted so everyone could hear. The elderly and sick looked at each other for a moment before pulling out their food when I stopped them.
"You guys don't have to eat all of your food right now, we will be flying over the canyon, so we won't be at danger for having the food." I told them with a smile. The elderly Gan Jins nodded, and the sick Zhangs sighed in relief. We watched everyone dig into the last food they would have until they reached the other side of the canyon, the Gan Jins ate properly while the Zhangs ate with their bare hands and basically tore their meats apart. It was a sight to see, and made me question how they could have been living that close together. Aang walked over to us after he ate his fill, looking a little sad and unsure of himself but nonetheless smiled up at me as I took hold of the reigns.
"Himoko and Appa are gonna take good care of you until we get there. Aang looked down to Appa, petting his nose. "See ya on the other side, buddy. Yip, yip!" With a grunt, Appa flies off.
---
We flew for a while before Appa began to tire, the canyon was bigger than I thought and with the extra weight of the Gan Jins and Zhangs- Appa was tired and I didn't want to risk him falling asleep and falling out of the sky. So we stopped on top of the canyon walls for the night.
I handed out the few blankets we had on the saddle and just prayed that they could share and be relatively warm for the night. Comfortable? Was a doubt. As long as they could fall asleep and be ready in the morning.
I noticed how secluded the two groups were- They kept to those in their tribe and didn't seem to want to speak to the other tribe, it was frustrating to see, and so I decided to make a conversation starter.
"Does anyone need any water? I have a sack full, it's probably not cold though." I told them, pulling at my collar nervously. A elderly Gan Jin looked to me, shaking his head softly.
"We are alright, I believe your friend needs it more than we do." He told me kindly, referring to Appa. I nodded, jumping off of Appa's back and walked to the front of his face, seeing him tiredly laying on all fours, he was reluctant to lie on his side like usual because of the people on his back.
"Here, bud. Drink." I told him as I grabbed his bowl and poured some water into it. He lapped it up almost immediately before passing out, snoring softly. I giggled, shaking my head and leaping back on top of Appa, stopping once I saw the Zhangs staring at me in shock.
"What is it?"
"Young lady, are you an airbender?" 'Oh...' I forgot. When I jumped off and got back up here I used airbending (Aang wanted me to use it more so I could get more practice in, and it would be more natural for me to use). I wasn't portraying myself as a bender like Aang and Katara were, so I guess it would be shocking to see me using something only the Avatar could use.
"Yes I am. I apologize if I scared you-"
"It's quite alright, we were just shocked is all. We thought only the Avatar could airbend." The Zhangs nodded in agreement with the Gan Jin elderly woman.
"That is because well... It is sort of a long story."
"We have all night, he isn't getting up anytime soon." Said a Zhang. I nodded, "Alright... Well-".
I explained to them about who I was, how a small group of airbenders escaped and were never caught by the Fire Nation, instead lived their leaves to the fullest before dying, while my grandparents had children before dying and in came the world my mom and dad (Two sets of grandparents, no incest here pals).
Then came me, I sucked at airbending and so when my parents died and I was found, I was taken to Omashu to King Bumi, who soon became my adopted grandparent. And I his adopted granddaughter.
I was taught by a Water Bender for airbending, all that she could when I discovered another form of airbending, soundbending. We were shocked but excited at the same time, we put airbending on hold and instead decided to focus more on soundbending since that it what I was better at.
Years later Aang and the others came to Omashu and I was taken with them on their journey. While I taught Aang soundbending- He taught me airbending. It was a fair trade in knowledge.
"-And that comes to where I am today."
"I'm so sorry, compared to what we have been through, it is worse for you."
"No one has it worse than others. Everyone has their own demons to fight against. We should be grateful to still be here."
"I agree. Thank you for telling our story."
"May I ask your story? What is this conflict of yours between the two tribes?"
"I was just a child when it happened." The oldest Gan Jin stated, clearly the only one out of the group to know what happened that day.
"Jin Wei, a mighty earthbender and popular amongst us all, was given a task of transporting the Sacred Orb from the Eastern to the Western Gate. It was part of our yearly redemption ritual of the days passing, as the sun rises from the east and sets in the west." I nodded, leaning closer so I could him better.
"When, Wei Jin, a Zhang, stole the orb from Jin Wei-" I frowned, wait, those names seem to similar...
"Ahem." A woman Zhang cleared her throat, shaking her head. "That is not how the story was told for us." The woman was much younger, closer to my age. Confusion was clear in her voice over their side of the story.
"How so?" He questioned, his brows furrowed.
"Well, for us. Wei Jin found Jin Wei collapsed on the ground and asked Wei Jin to take the orb back to his village, but once he did, he was imprisoned for..." She trailed off, looking to an older gentleman who answered, "Twenty long years.". Now it was time for the Gan Jins to look confused.
I looked between the two, seeing how both of their stories didn't match up with one another. I looked to the oldest Gan Jin, biting my lower lip in thought. He was there, but did he see it happen?
"Sir, did you see this happen?"
"I was four years old at the time, I am surprised I even remember that day." Oh...
I stood up and cleared my throat as I placed my hands on my hips.
"I think I understand now."
"Huh?"
"How old are you now?"
"104."
"Any problems with remembering things?" I questioned and he shrugged, not knowing for himself.
"I see what is happening here. For example- The name. Jin Wei and Wei Jin. A Gan Jin and a Zhang, why have similar names?" I started, confusing them more. 'Looks like I'm not getting my point across...' I thought to myself.
"Why do they have similar names? Was anyone there when this happened? Anyone still currently alive besides him?" Everyone shook their heads.
"Did anyone write this important part of history down?" They shook their heads again, even the Gan Jins shook their heads, concluding my theory.
"Lost in translation. Somewhere down the rode somebody changed the story, who did? We don't know. But fighting over something that there is no proof of- Is just dumb and stupid, especially since we are currently in a war right now with the Fire Nation, shouldn't that be more on high demand?"
"I see what you mean!" The young Zhang exclaimed and I looked to her.
"Just because of something happened in the past, we don't look at current events and continue to fight each other when we should be fighting the Fire Nation, right?"
"Correct. Look at the bigger picture." I smiled, feeling accomplished in myself.
---
We made it to the edge of the canyon the next day and I could hear that everyone in the saddle was in higher spirits after last night, they were actually sharing things about one another, bonding, and realizing their mistakes and mishaps, and wanting to be better in the future.
It was nice to hear and see- It made me think of how much unity could become of two enemy tribes if they would actually sit down and have a meaningful conversation with one another. They couldn't wait to tell their tribes of what they had learned.
I was about to land Appa when I saw a dozen, or more than a dozen, creatures crawling into the canyon. My eyes widened, realizing what they were.
"Stay here, I'm going down."
"What?!"
"Princess, what are you-" I ignored them, landing Appa once I saw no more of the predators and jumped off.
"I will be right back, I need to go make sure everyone is alright. Okay?"
"But how will you get out?" I shrugged, "I lived with the most awesomeness Earth Bender in the world, I will figure something out." I headed down the canyon, following the paths carved out from years of water exposure. It was interesting to see that water was no longer here in this dry barren canyon, and yet thousands of years ago it was completely covered in it.
I could see people running from the predators when I spotted the leaders of the tribes fighting back with all their might. My eyes surveyed the ground, looking for Aang before spotting him, seeing him airbend four of them away from him. I climbed the rest of the way down before running out onto the battlefield, airbending a predator away from a Gan Jin's back. He turned and of course, it had to be the rude man. He stared at me in shock, surprised to see me.
"What are you doing, go!" I yelled at him, carrying my voice to echo through the canyon, using it as leverage for my sound bending. I reverberated the waves into the ears of two predators scurrying close to me, almost making their ears bleed and back off.
"Everybody, watch me!" I heard Aang's voice shout and I looked over to him, seeing him holding a bag of food. 'I thought they weren't allowed food in the canyon?!' I thought in annoyance.
"Do what I do!" He jumps towards the nearest bunch of predators and throw a piece of food at them. One of them catches it then it runs to him, but before it could chomp Aang's hands off- He puts the bag onto it's snout and mounts it.
"Good thinking, Aang..." I muttered, deciding his plan was way better than mine. I spotted a bag of food and ran over before snatching it up. I ran up a small placement of rocks and kicked off, using bending as an extra boost before mounting a predator and putting the bag over his snout. The predator thrashed a bit, but nonetheless I had control on where it went. The only thing I had to worry about is if it could see.
"Now, follow me! We are right out of this hole!" I heard Aang shout. I followed Aang up the side of the canyon, feeling myself go diagonal as I squeezed my legs against the predator so that I didn't fall off, that wouldn't be a good thing.
We reached the top and we dismounted off of the predators. I sighed in relief, happy to see Appa was still there with the Gan Jins and Zhangs, relieved looks on their faces.
Aang threw the bag of food over the cliff and the predators run after it, leaving us alone for the time being.
"I never thought a Gan Jin could get his hands dirty like that." Stated the Zhang Leader, surprised.
"And I never knew you Zhang's were so reliable in a pinch." Replied the Gan Jin Leader.
"Perhaps we're not so different after all." I walked over to Aang, seeing his eyes light up.
"Himoko-"
"Too bad we can't rewrite history." Gan Jin Leader pulls out his sword and points it at her.
"You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei!"
"You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!" She pulled out her weapon as well. Aang yells in frustration, looking as if all of his hard work went unnoticed. His eyes widened, an idea popping into his mind.
"Wait a second! Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys!"
"You do?"
"Yes, yes, we're all aware of the story." The Gan Jin Leader ignores my question, looking annoyed that Aang interrupted his battle.
"No!" They lowered their weapons, "I mean I really knew them. I may not look it, but I'm 112 years old. I was there a hundred years ago on the day you're talking about..." He trailed off, ready to tell a story.
"There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened. First of all, Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies, they were brothers, twins in fact, and they were eight and most importantly, they were just playing a game! The sacred orb from the legend... That was the ball. And the eastern and western gates were the goal posts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it. Wei Jin didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it back toward the other goal. But he stepped out of bounds, so the official put him in the penalty box, not for twenty long years, but for two short minutes." He told us the story as if on the spot. I held myself back from clapping for a story told well done.
"There was no stealing and no putting anyone in prison. Just a game."
"You're saying the sacred orb was actually a sacred ball?"
"Nope, just a regular ball." Aang stated.
"What about our tribe's redemption ritual?" The rude man asked, looking at me wearily.
"That's what the game was called, Redemption. As soon as someone got the ball from one goal to the other everyone would yell, 'Redemption!'. Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, that much is true, but they respected each others differences enough to share the same playing field." Aang explained to them, using his hands in emphasize between the two tribes.
"I suppose it's time we forget the past..." Zhang Leader began.
"... And look to the future." Gan Jin Leader finished before bowing. The Zhang Leader bows in return, ending the feud of 100 years.
"Good to see ya, boy! Did you miss me?" Aang asked Appa who licks Aang making him laugh and I chuckle.
"I cannot thank you enough, Avatar." Aang turns to him, dripping in Appa's saliva. "Well, you know, I try." The Gan Jin Leader reels back in horror, making my little chuckles turn into laughter. I cleared my throat, realizing something. I walked to the Gan Jin leader, who was still disgusted by Aang's slime covered body.
"Excuse me, but do you have a paper and ink on you?"
"Perhaps, why?"
"Nowadays to get into Ba Sing Se takes a lot. So, to give you guys a better chance of living better lives- I will give you guys a letter to give to the King of Ba Sing Se, a good friend of my grandfathers."
"And who might you be to be able to do that?" He questioned, eyebrow raised. The sick young Zhang from earlier chortled in passing, coughing away from us.
"You are speaking to the Princess of Omashu, Gan Jin." She dropped the bomb on him and never like before had I ever seen a old man scramble to find his paper and ink.
After I wrote the letter and signed my name big and proud with my signature- He left to stand next to his counterpart.
"Let us travel to the Earth Kingdom capital as one tribe!" The crowd cheers loudly and they go down the path. The Canyon Guide struggles past us, breathing heavily.
"I'm goin' too! I'm sick of this place!"
"That's some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin." Sokka commented and Aang smiled innocently at him.
"You could call it luck." His look of innocence changed to the grin of evil. "Or, you could call it... Lying~!" The two siblings stared at him in shock while I snorted, did they really think that story was real?
"What!?" Sokka asked, his voice sounding betrayed.
"I made the whole thing up." Aang smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Katara stared at him in disbelief.
"You did not... That is so wrong."
"Now where's that custard tart? I'm starving!"
"Aang, that is what you threw into the canyon." I deadpanned.
"NOOO!!!"
To Be continued
Woohoo, earlier update!
Reasoning for the earlier update is because I won't be home to update this story on the usual 26-27th of the month like the past few months I have been doing.
I did this instead of updating Ugly Duckling which just goes to show how much I am procrastinating writing that story by doing other things on the day it needs to be updated on. But hey, it all works out... Right?
We had a fun little chapter about the Great Divide and instead of Himoko going into the canyon with everyone else, she stayed with the elderly and sick, and found out the truth there by using her own wits and smarts.
But it is just plainly my theory anyway about the Zhangs and Gan Jin and how their stories are similar, the same characters and same premise but- End in two different ways.
I have always wondered about this and it has irked me for quite a long time so when it came to writing this chapter, I wanted to portray how Himoko felt about the whole situation. She heard from both sides and based upon the information she received- She figured out what could have happened.
From the show, no one has ever said anything about it being written down and yet when something has been going on for 100 years (Like the 100 Year War, which is written down by both sides as we see in the show). You would expect something so important to be written down by at least one person in the tribe. So, instead I took the route of passing along information from the older generations. Meaning, things can quickly be lost in translation. Like the 104 years old Gan Jin for example- He remembers being there on that day, but didn't see it for himself, meaning someone older told him what happened and he passed that along as more generations came to pass. It is normal for older people to get things like Dementia, Alzheimers, and as horrible as they are, plays well into this explanation.
His memories were like warped to think of something else, while on the Zhangs someone told a little white lie and everyone just stuck to it, which is less exciting but does show how the Zhangs can be like. Fitting their character personas in the show.
Himoko wasn't that big of a part in this one- But she did leave a impression on the Gan Jin and Zhangs that were with her on Appa because she told her own story and of who she was. Showing off that she is becoming more comfortable with telling who she is, especially when they are potential allies in the future. Better to tell the truth than to tell a lie.
In the Transcripts that I used, it was annoying having to continuously write 'Gan Jin Leader' and Zhang Leader' Like, why didn't the show just give us a name for one episode. Like, it would have been nice. Same thing for the Scout or 'Rude man' I like to call him. I didn't want to use Scout because Himoko didn't know it was the Scout at first, so calling him 'Scout' wouldn't have made any sense.
This is a long A/N because I feel like I always have to explain myself why I write things like I do, for example. Back in the earlier chapters I listed the different bendings that they discovered. Did not include Bloodbending or Metalbending. Reason? The two characters who discovered these forms of bending are not introduced yet or display them right in front of Himoko. Which is why they weren't on the list.
Thought that would have been clear, but people still got confused and thought that I didn't even watch the rest of the show apparently. (That is the impression I got from the comments on the thread). I know it wasn't with malicious intent, but it still gets to you when it comes to writing about a show that has been finished for many years and is a widely loved show.
ALSO THERE IS GOING TO BE NEW ATLA COMICS AND I AM PUMPED.
SOUND BENDER REACHED #4 IN THE ATLA TAG WHICH I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE UNTIL I SAW IT IN MY RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN I WAS BROWSING FOR NEW AVATAR STORIES. (SUBMIT SOME, I HAVE READ ALMOST ALL OF THEM AND I NEED TO FIND SOME GEMS)
I AM PUMPED AND HAPPY LIKE, YES.
Congrats to everyone who survived another year of schooling (I have been done for a good two weeks, but still, congrats) And I salute to you guys who are going back to school depending on where you are in the world (Like Australia, I think they go back to school around this time of the year. Please correct me if I'm wrong.)
I will be a Senior 2018-2019 then I am done with school unless I figure out if I'm going to College and what major I would like to be in.
There is Art (I am self-taught with no help from anyone besides using references because I am Homeschooled and don't have an Art Teacher like most of you gents).
There is of course Writing, which would probably be the better option as I do push myself more with it when it comes to getting better. Plus, it is just easier to do when I am bored. (I write short stories a lot of the time or make one up but never go through with it)
Or something else Creative or nothing at all! We will see.
Thank you all for reading and I will talk to you all later! -Golden P.S This A/N was longer than intended because I'm procrastinating writing other things... Oh the irony. Also, you guys are freaking lucky that I updated when I did because I almost lost a good portion of this chapter. If it weren't for WattPad saving and putting it into the Revisions, I wouldn't have even finished this because that is what happens. I feel like all my hard work goes to waste into the bin... Okay I will stop now.
Word Count with A/Ns: 6520
Word Count without A/Ns: 5484