Havi's pov
"I thought you were crazy at first, Katara, but this might work," Sokka says. I nod in agreement while helping the water tribe siblings move a rock over a grate, "there are ventilation shafts throughout these mines. All Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one right here. The boulder levitates and ta-da" the last bit comes out a little scratchy, "fake earthbending!"
I look to the air bender laying down, playing with butterflies, "Aang, did you get all that?"
"Sure, sure. I got it." He doesn't even look up.
"Do you remember your cue?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just relax. You're taking all the fun out of this."
Sokka puts his hands on his hips, "by this do you mean intentionally being captured by an army of ruthless firebenders?"
"Exactly, that's fun stuff."
"Here they come. Get in your places." I run and hide behind the rock with Aang.
I look over and watch Sokka begin the fake fight, "get out of my way pipsqueak!"
"How dare you call me pipsqueak, you giant-eared cretin?" Katara played along.
"What did you call me?" I laugh a little too loud and quickly slap my hand over my mouth. Me and Aang look at each other and softly giggle at them.
"A giant-eared cretin. Look at those things. Do herds of animals use them for shade?"
"You better back off!" Sokka whispers something to Katara.
"I will not back off! I bet elephant get together and make fun of how large your ears are."
"That's it you're going down!"
"I'll show you who's boss, earthbending style." Katara hits a funny pose but nothing happens, "I said, earthbending style!"
I hit Aang in the arm and he gasps before blowing a huge gust of air through the vent. His lemur sat perfectly behind the rock and tricked the fire soldiers, "that lemur. He's earthbending!"
I facepalm and hear Sokka correct him, "no you idiot. It's the girl!"
"Oh. Of course."
"I'll hold her!" He yells out to the guards then whispers something in her ear. Aang and I walk out by Sokka while we watch Katara get taken away. A sudden sense of calm ends my stress.
• • •
Sokka, Aang, and I had on hats to hide who we were. Honestly, I think they're kind of dumb because you can still see our whole bodies and faces. These are cheap disguises if you could even call them that. We stood on the dock and watched Katara get taken away to a boat. Quickly we get onto appa and begin our journey to follow the fire nation ship, "so you guys are sure this is safe?" I ask nervously. I'm not the biggest fan of heights but I'll have to deal for now.
"Don't worry, Havi," sokka sits next to me, "I've only fallen out of the saddle like once."
I look over at him and as dry as I can possibly say, "thanks, that made me feel so much better" I pat his cheek twice then move to the other side of the saddle.
Appa flew way up in the clouds to keep out of sight. As we got closer to the main prison I saw smoke blowing out from a chimney. Sokka comforts the airbender, "She'll be fine, aang. Katara knows what she's doing." Does aang have a little crush? I should look into some matchmaking later on.
A while later it was finally dark and Katara's 12 hours were just about up. Appa flew close enough to the prison where he was hidden but Aang could still go and get our friend and my brother. Aang left and I continued to stare at the saddle while tapping my fingers on my leg.
"Hey, Havi." I look up to Sokka when he spoke.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" He stands up and walks over to sit next to me.
"Is it that obvious I'm upset?"
"A little bit," he grabs my hand to keep it from fidgeting and I glance to them , "I just want you to know that my offer still stands. You can still talk to me." I sigh and look Sokka in his eyes. His blue eyes. My face heats up slightly and I feel very grateful for the darkness that covers it up.
"The thing is," I start and look down again, "I could've stopped this. I'm the one who told him to answer the door. If I wasn't being so lazy and done it instead then I could've lied. I could've helped him. I mean, I'm his big sister. I'm supposed to protect him not send him off with the enemy," Sokka gives my hand a little squeeze so I look back up at him, "I practically served those soldiers Haru on a platter. This is my fault he's here."
"This isn't your fault," I remove my hand from Sokka's to cross my arms, "you couldn't have known this would happen."
"But I still could've stopped it," he opened his mouth to say something but we were cut off by Aang and Katara returning.
"Your 12 hours are up. Where's Haru, we've got to get out of here."
"I can't," Katara says, "I'm not leaving. I'm not giving up on these people."
We all get on the prison ledge and Sokka asks, "what do you mean you're not leaving?"
"We can't abandon these people. There has to be a way to help them."
"I second that" I interrupt.
"Maybe she's right," Aang agreed as well, "what do you say, Sokka?"
"I say you're all crazy." I hit him on the arm in offense, "last chance, we need to leave now."
"No," katara and I say together.
"I hate when you get like this. Come on we better hide." We all run off together.
• • •
After finding a hiding place behind some boxes we talk out a plan, "we don't have much time. What are we gonna do?"
Aang sighs, "I wish I knew how to make a hurricane."
We all look at him with annoyed faces and I said, "Next time, don't bring it up unless it's possible, Okay?"
"I'm just tossing ideas around."
"I tried talking the earthbenders into fighting back but it didn't work. If there was just a way to help them help themselves," Katara explains.
"For that they'd need some kind of earth or some rock. Something they can bend."
"But this entire place is made of metal" She grumbles.
I point up, "no it's not. Look at the smoke. I bet they're burning coal. In other words, earth"
As the sun starts to come up we put our plan into action. "It's almost dawn," katara says, "we're running out of time. You sure this is gonna work?"
"It should" Sokka whispers back, "these vents reminded me of our little trick back at the village. We're gonna do the same thing but in a much bigger scale. There's a huge deposit of coal at the base of this island and the whole system is ventilated. Aang closed off all the vents except one. When he does his airbending the coal only has one place to go— right back here."
Right as Sokka finished explaining the plan a guard yelled, "there's the intruders!" We were surrounded by soldiers with spears.
"Stay back, I'm warning you!"
"Katara, stop! You can't win this fight." I had my back turned but I knew that voice from anywhere.
"Dad?" I turned and saw Haru as well as my father.
"Havi?" They both said in disbelief.
"Listen to him well, child" a man who I assume is the leader says, "you're one mistake away from dying where you stand."
Right as guards began closing in on us the ground rumbled and coal shot out from the vent, knocking back the soldiers. Aang landed on top the stack and katara climbed up to speak, "here's your chance, earthbenders! Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!" My brother tried to step forward but our father stopped him.
The warden laughed from behind us, "foolish girl you thought a few inspirational words and some goal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. Their spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh, but you still believed in them. How sweet. They're a waste of your energy, little girl. You failed."
This man got deep under my skin with his words. After all, it's my father, my brother, and my community on this prison. How dare he speak of them like that? I pick up a piece of coal, tossed it slightly in my hand then threw it as hard as I could at the warden, hitting him right in the head. "Ah ha!"
He turned around with an evil look on his face and firebended a large blast of fire towards me, oh shi- Right before it hit me a wall of coal was built up by my father to protect me, "show no mercy!"
Groups of firebenders began to attack but just the same, a group of earthbenders came to defend themselves. "For the earth kingdom, attack!" My father sent a large wave of coal at the soldiers as they used flames to keep the rocks away.
One on one, fire and earth benders went against each other. Punches of flames and coal were thrown everywhere. I got out my knife and followed in Sokka's footsteps as we both cut guards' spears in half then throwing them to the ground.
My father and Haru created one large rock of coal by pushing a bunch of small pieces together. They both threw it through the wall causing more guards to fall from the top. "Get to the ship! We'll hold them off!"
"Do not let them escape!" The warden yelled and all the surrounding soldiers sent fire through kicks towards the prisoners.
Aang created a mini tornado, "Guys throw me some coal!" As we put coal in one end it would shoot out the other. They flew so fast causing every soldier in the way to collapse.
The earthbenders worked together to trap the warden and guards on a flying island of coal over the water. "No, please. I can't swim."
"Don't worry. I hear cowards float" my dad says right as he drops them in the water.
• • •
Finally, in safety, we all stood together on the captured fire nation ships.
"I wanna thank you for saving me, for saving us." My brother says to Katara.
I wrap my arms around her in a hug, "I really appreciate your help for my family." Then pull away.
"All it took was a little coal" she replied sheepishly.
"It wasn't the coal, katara. It was you."
My father puts a hand on her shoulder, "thank you for helping me find my courage, Katara of the water tribe. My family and everyone here owes you much." I smile at him.
Katara asks him, "So, I guess your going home now?"
"Yes, to take back my village. To take back all of our villages!" Everyone cheers, "the fire nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!"
"Come with us" my brother offers.
"I can't. Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole."
"Aang's him isn't he?" I ask, "the avatar." She nods.
"Havi," my dad joins us again, "will you be joining us to retake the villages?"
I think for a moment before speaking, "actually, I was hoping to continue traveling with Katara, Sokka, and Aang," I look to katara "that is, if you'll have me."
She smiles and throws an arm over my shoulders, "of course! We'd love you to join us!"
"So I guess this will be goodbye for now" I give a sad smile to my bother and father. We bring each other into a long hug, "I love you guys. We'll see each other soon."
Just like that, my journey with the avatar and his friends has only begun.
So she's finally a member of the gaang! Another chapter comes next Monday :)))