"So, where do I get something to eat?" Sokka said. The bags beneath his eyes were obvious and his black hole of a stomach was clearly protesting at the fact it wasn't stuffed. He looked to Ayaan, hoping he had more, but the older boy waved his empty bag as his answer. The crumbs blew away in the wind, and Sokka's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple, and all you can think about is food?" Katara commented, clearly a bit irritated by her second eldest brother.

Ayaan tilted his head a bit, clearly a bit confused by the comment. "You thought he would think of something else? He's Sokka."

"Yes." Katara could only shake her head as she agreed, "He is indeed Sokka."

"What does me being me have to do with wanting food?!"

"Everything." Both of his siblings replied immediately, a dead-pan expression on their faces. Sokka wasn't Sokka if he didn't speak about food; If they had their bending, he had his appetite.

Sokka shrugs off their comment, not being able to deny their accusation nor feeling the need to. "I'm just a simple guy, with simple needs." He said without any shame.

They make their way around the corner, reaching a plateau of sorts where they see Aang waiting for them with excitement coursing through his entire being. Aang points to a stadium-like place that had many tall, thick polls. They seemed big and sturdy enough for someone to stand on, with post on each side that seemed to spin. Ayaan looked upon it with interest as Aang began to explain what it was.

"So that's where my friends and I would play airball," He states, clearly remembering the fun he had there. He pointed to another place that seemed to be a more open structure, "And over there is where the bison would sleep, and..." He sighs as he gets to the end, not finishing his statement.

"What's wrong?" Katara asks, clearly noticing his change in mood. Ayaan was silent, as he knew that this moment would come. It was something that Aang had to see for himself, as he'd stated before.

He sighs sadly, "This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds."

He stands alone, a breeze flits through his clothes as he looks on. Through his eyes, many memories replayed. Memories of his friends and his home, all of the things that used to be normal for him to see everyday. The sounds, the sights, the smell and touch, for him, all of it was just a few days ago. It was so deep in his memory, but now, it was only that. A memory. One that now that he was home, felt so very far away.

"I can't believe how much things have changed."

The trio remained silent, unsure of what to say to comfort their friend. Ayaan and Sokka gave each other a look, being older brothers themselves, this was their area of expertise. Ayaan went up to the boy first.

"Tell me, what is 'Airball'?" Ayaan asked, genuinely curious.

"Yeah, how do you play?" Sokka followed seamlessly.

Katara smiled knowingly at her brothers as she saw Aang's face clear up, his mind successfully distracted from the sadness he was feeling. He happily began explaining the game, the group making their way to the Airball stadium to attempt to play.

The young airbender held a ball in his hand, it was made of hollow, lightweight wood with the sides slotted. It seemed to easily glide through the air, and when Aang used airbending to hold it, it put up little to no resistance. But it was still very sturdy, able to take the abuse upon it which the game required.

Aang explained excitedly. "The goal of the game is simple. You see the post on either side of the court? You have to get this ball through one of them to get points depending on which side your on. The thing that makes it more tricky is that you'll be standing on those poles while also defending your goal and ricocheting the ball through them. It's all about balance!"

Sokka looked a bit intimidated because balance? dexterity? Nope, he didn't know them. The level of physical competence Sokka was sure he needed to play this game? He did not have it. That existed? Nope.

"Hm..." Ayaan's eyes seemed to sparkle a bit as he thought more about this game. The first thought he had? Training. This game could be used for training. Handling his spear and being a warrior required a level of balance, dexterity, speed and accuracy. Something that this game seemed to test in both a taxing and fun way. Although it centered around the aspects of an airbender such as Aang, there were still ways he could utilize it for himself.

"Let's play a few rounds." He told the young airbender. Aang's face lit up like the sun, Sokka deflated just a bit, but kept up his determined expression as he wanted to see the young avatar happier than he was earlier.

"YES!" The airbender cheered, jumping a few meters into the air in his eagerness. Ayaan chuckled a bit Aang's childish glee, and the three boys got into position on their poles.

...

..

.

The game was brutal and unfair. At least, that was what Sokka thought. Over and over, he found himself landing harshly in the snow, his sheer lack of balance and athletic competence clear as day. But Aang was having a blast playing one of his favorite games, so even though he was physically hurting, it was better than seeing that sad look on his face.

He had encountered that awful expression before. On his sister, his father, his grandmother... and his elder brother.

It was only once, only for a brief, fleeting moment.

He was just turning eleven at the time. It had been over a year since their mother's death. Ayaan had left them in the middle of the night, still wrapped tightly in his bandages and using his beloved spear to help him get around. He refused to have any normal crutch and held on to the weapon like a lifeline, and the few healers they had gave up trying to convince him otherwise.

That night, he was restless, so he managed to hear it when Ayaan quietly made his way out of their home into the chilly night. Being the most stealthy he had ever been before, he followed him, wondering what he was doing. When he finally managed to catch up to him he saw that they were at the place they used to always play. The river with the open clearing.

The moon was shining in the sky, the stars barely visible beneath its glow. It seemed to illuminate Ayaan's silver white hair, it glistened like the snow around him. He had his head down, looking at his reflection in the clear blue waters. He just stared, as if the person he saw in the water was a stranger. He was silent, not a single tear fell. Only the cold southern wind made any sound.

But Sokka could hear it. He could see it. He could feel it.

His brother's overwhelming sadness.

He knew the reason Ayaan left their home, he did not understand it completely at the time, but he knew enough to leave without making his presence known. This wasn't something that Ayaan wanted him or anyone else to see. So Sokka went home, unable to sleep no matter how much he tried.

When Ayaan finally came home, he went to him and laid beside him. His brother didn't ask him why, he didn't say he was too old to do things like this. He tucked him in beneath their animal skin blanket and wished him sweet dreams. Katara, barely passing eight, had done something similar, carefully laying on the other side of him.

Ayaan did not ask, and neither did they. They just let him know that he wasn't alone and that they were there for him, even if they couldn't understand everything. As they were closing their eyes to sleep, they saw the very first ghost of a smile on his face.

Sokka didn't know everything. He wasn't a bender and he didn't know how to fight well, but this, as a big brother, as a younger brother, this was something that he could do for his family. As much as he voiced his complaints every time he landed painfully in the snow, if it kept the smile on Aang's face just a little longer then it was worth it. He knew that Ayaan thought the same.

Ayaan, who was currently immersed in the game they were playing.

At first, he was knocked off of the pillar again and again. He did not have his spear and he was foreign to the mechanics of the game. But, steadily, he was getting better. Natural instincts and reflexes honed from hunting dangerous beast and training relentlessly with his spear came into play. He was not as nimble as Aang or as quick, but sometimes he managed to hit the ball that came at them like a missile.

That did not mean that he wasn't knocked into the snow still.

He got up from the snow, getting atop the pillar with ease unlike the first time. His competitive spirit had been awoken. Aang's smile widened as he noticed Ayaan's improvement throughout every round they played. He hadn't scored a point yet, Aang was too good, but they had managed to pass and receive the ball in the heat of the battle.

Sokka left to check out something that Katara had found, and Ayaan went back to continue playing the game with Aang.

"Aang: 7, Sokka and Ayaan: 0." He said playfully making the numbers with his body. "But you're getting better! You learn really fast, Ayaan." Aang complimented, surprised by the skill Ayaan was showing. After playing for a bit, Aang realized how one sided the game was since it was made to be played by airbenders. Being the good sport that he was, he voiced that concern to them. He didn't want them to play an unfair game.

But they assured him that it was okay and they continued to play. Aang was pleasantly surprised by Ayaan's growth. If he played enough, they could probably have a proper match. Aang couldn't wait for the day.

As the eldest of the group got onto the pillar once again, Aang could hear his voice which was deeper than Sokka's. "Again." He said with determination. Ayaan had a sparkle in his eyes as he brushed off the snow on his arms. Aang could recognize that sparkle anywhere as he was the ambassador of the cause of it.

Ayaan was having fun.

Even though he did not smile or laugh, his eyes spoke for him. It was that sparkle of entertainment and the awakening passion of a competitive spirit. Once Aang realized that, his happiness skyrocketed. They were getting ready to play yet another round of intense Airball when they both heard Katara calling for them.

"Aang! Ayaan! There's something you need to see."

"Okay!" Aang calls cheerfully. Ayaan hums in acknowledgement before hopping down from the pillar to join him. As they make their way over, Ayaan can see the determination on Katara's face shift into one of insecurity before she shifts her weight and brings her hands down in one swift motion, causing the overhang of snow to cover Sokka.

"What is it?" Aang asked, curious and happy.

"Uh... Just a new waterbending move I learned." Ayaan's eyes widened a margin before they returned to normal.

Aang glances at the trick she did, voicing his approval. "Nice one! But enough practicing," He turns, beginning to walk off, "we have a whole temple to see!" He finishes excitedly.

As he walks away, Ayaan helps Sokka out of the snow pile. It was something he'd done many times since they were children, as that 'new' trick was something Katara did often whenever they had snowball fights. He turned to face her, and she felt smaller than she already was compared to him beneath his gaze.

"Why did you lie?" He asked her, his eyes narrowing every so slightly. He knew Katara, his sister had seemed determined to tell Aang something before she changed her mind at the last second. She wouldn't lie for nothing.

"We found a fire nation helmet. It was old, really old. Firebenders were here, bro." Sokka answered for her, and Katara nodded, a saddened look upon her face. Her second eldest brother looked at her, "We can't pretend they weren't, Katara." He said, a rare, mature element to his tone.

Walking past both of her older brothers, she responded with a resolute tone of her own. "I can for Aang's sake. If he finds out that the Fire Nation invaded his home, he'll be devastated." All of them knew it was true. They knew it, but...

"Katara. He deserves to know the tru—"

"Hey guys!" Aang interrupted what Ayaan was about to say unintentionally, stopping their conversation unknowingly. They look up to where he is at, seeing him standing before the statue of a monk, pointing to it. "I want you to meet somebody!"

Deciding to put their conversation on hold for the youngest in their group, they make their way towards him. Ayaan can see the fond look on Aang's face as he gazes at the statue.

"Who's that?" Sokka asked for the trio. Aang eagerly answered.

"Monk Gyatso! The greatest airbender in the world." He turned to the siblings again as he gestured to the statue, now known to them as Monk Gyatso. "He taught me everything I know."

Memories replayed in the young airbender's mind as his eyes longingly gazed at the statue. It didn't need to be said how much Aang must have loved Monk Gyatso. This person was more than just a teacher to Aang, he was as much a friend as he was a father-figure to the boy.

Katara places a hand on his shoulder, all three siblings understanding, "You must miss him."

The person who was all of those things to Aang was no longer around. What had been only a few days to Aang was a hundred years to everyone else. The only way he would see his face again was in his memories and the statue before him.

"Yeah." He says sadly. He begins to walk away, leaving the trio curious.

"Where are you going?" Katara spoke up again. They all begin to follow him as he goes up a set of stairs. Soon enough, they found themselves in a corridor that was behind the statue.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet."

Katara looks at Sokka, who shrugs. She then looks at Ayaan, who raises an eyebrow but still says nothing, being his usual stoic self. The trio follow after Aang, but Ayaan stops briefly and gives a respectful bow to the statue.

'Thank you for caring for Aang, sir.'

Then he quickly followed after his siblings, going into the corridor.

Ayaan's grayish blue eyes widen in awe of the place, even though there were cobwebs and dust, he could tell that this had been a very beautiful place. As an observative person, he took in everything his eyes could see. In the floor was a round symbol of intertwined air currents, the symbol of the air nomads, within a box that resembled the sun. It seemed that they built their home to meld with nature.

He was sure that back when Aang used to live here, this would have been a very peaceful place to be. Sunlight peeked into the space through small, round windows. Even the large door they happened upon at the end of this place had a tree curving around the frame.

Whether it was dead or dormant, Ayaan could not tell. He had heard of the dormancy of trees from his father, who had been many places and learned many things in his youth, but this was his first time seeing such sights. There were many things he was experiencing for the first time since leaving the South Pole. His mind briefly wandered to the Gyatso statue.

'I wonder what dad is doing right now. Is he well? Will we get to see him again on this journey? If we do, I will make him those stewed sea prunes he adores so much. I remember how Mom used to make them.'

A fleeting moment of sadness, of hope, and of joy in that thought passed his gaze before returning to his usual stoic expression. They had made it to the door.

'Aang is meeting someone behind this door?'

"But Aang, no one could have survived in there for a hundred years." Katara said, still a bit confused by the whole thing of him meeting someone behind there.

"It's not impossible. I survived in the iceberg for that long." Aang replied, hopeful.

Katara thinks about it, seeing the possibility. "Good point."

He glances at her, hope shining in his eyes. "Katara, whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing!"

"And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious, cured meats!" Sokka adds, practically drooling at the thought of food. Katara's expression flips into annoyance, while Ayaan simply shakes his head.

'We come to a mysterious door with a supposed mysterious person behind it on top of a mountain, leave it to Sokka to ask him for cured meat.'

Sokka, being the Sokka that he is, charges at the door full of anticipation. Also being Sokka, he smacks into it, head first. Ayaan just covers his eyes to try to hide the embarrassment. Sokka quickly changes his approach and uses his back to try and push the door with all of his strength. Again, no luck. After exhausting himself, he slides down to the floor in disappointment.

"I don't supposed you have a key?"

'I promise that he is smarter than he's expressing right now. I promise.' Ayaan thought, his ears slightly burning in second hand embarrassment.

Katara was honestly done with her brother at this point. 'I don't know him.'

Aang, not catching their expressions towards Sokka, answered his question in a level tone. "The key, Sokka, is airbending."

He takes a breath as Sokka gets up from the door and out of the way. Standing behind him, each of them look towards Aang with a curious gaze. Ayaan wondered what new things he was about to see. Katara's eyes were focused on Aang, and Sokka was daydreaming about food.

Aang thrust his hands forward, sending air currents into the tubes located in the door. The curled tubes in the door began to tremble, the air causing them to flip from their blue side to their purple side. They let out a whistle akin to a type of horn, and when all three of them have turned, the door slowly begins to open on its own.

"Amazing..." Ayaan admits. His eyes widening at the spectacle. He had a feeling that he should get used to seeing amazing things like this more often. They were no longer surrounded by icy hills and freezing rivers. He and his siblings moved behind Aang, who had already begun to make his way inside the dark room.

"Hello? Anyone home?" As the light fills the room, they see something they did not expect.

Statues. Hundreds of them going in a spiral all the way up to the top of the room, which was too high to see. Ayaan and Katara looked on in awe, while Sokka voiced his disappointment.

"Statues? That's it? Where's the meat?"

"Sokka." Ayaan chastised.

"But I'm hungry..."

"When are you not hungry?" Katara asked in annoyance.

"When I'm sleep. But then again, I also eat in my dreams." Sokka answered seriously.

Aang laughed at them. He was really happy that they were here with him. But his thoughts returned to the strange room they found themselves in.

"Who are all of these people?" Katara asked him.

"I'm not sure... But it feel like I know them somehow." Aang answered, carefully looking at each of them. "Look! This one's an airbender."

Ayaan's eyes narrowed at the statue of the male he was in front of. He recognized the the clothing. It would be odd if he didn't, he was from the same tribe. "This one is a waterbender."

"They're lined up in a pattered." Katara begins to point them out, "Air, Water, Earth, and Fire."

Aang recognizes the pattern immediately. "That's the Avatar Cycle."

"Of course," Katara says, understanding dawning on her, "They're Avatars. All of these people are your past lives, Aang."

'So I'm looking at infinite versions of Aang?'

Ayaan stared at them for a moment.

'Were they also vegetarians?'

"Past lives?" Sokka speaks up, his skepticism showing, "Katara, you really believe in that stuff? Ayaan? You too?"

He pointed at Aang, "The Avatar, 112 years old, airbender, glowing tattoos, we flew here."

"Good point." Sokka said, understanding what his brother was saying.

'Just put 'past lives' on the growing list of strange things about Aang and keep going.'

"It's true," Katara goes on to explain, being the enthusiast on the subject of the Avatar in their tribe. "When the Avatar dies, he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle."

They turn to Aang, only to see him in a sort of trance staring at a firebender's statue. Ayaan thought he felt a chill creep up his spine when he saw a sort of gleam in both its and Aang's eyes for a split second. Aang was smiling.

'Add it to the list and keep going.' Ayaan thought.

Katara goes up to him and shakes him a bit. "Aang! Snap out of it!"

"Huh?" He answers, still dazed a bit as he continues to look at the statue.

She follows his gaze with curiosity. "Who is that?"

"That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me." He answers immediately.

"You were a firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met."

"He was a lightshow when we first met." Ayaan says blandly towards Sokka's statement.

"You didn't trust him either, though!" He tried to counter.

"We had only just met him. Of course I did not trust him." Ayaan answered with blunt honesty.

Katara, ignoring her brothers pointedly, looked at the base of the statue. "There's no writing. How do you know his name?"

"I'm not sure. I just know it somehow."

"You just couldn't get any weirder." Sokka says irritably, clearly not liking the vague answer. He was one for science and facts, things that could be explained. In this sense, the entire concept surrounding Aang was his natural opposite. His frustration with it was understandable.

"He's Aang." Ayaan said, as if that explained everything.

"He is Aang." Sokka nodded, agreeing with his brother. That was the only way to explain anything surrounding the child.

"I'm me!" Aang also agreed, although he wasn't sure what they meant.

Katara sighed, "Boys." She said, shaking her head but smiling all the same.

The group is then startled from their peaceful moment by a sound they heard by the entrance. They hid the moment they saw a strange shadow on the floor. It looked like the shadow a Fire Nation soldier's armor would make if hit by the light. Sokka was on the right while Katara and Aang were on the left. Ayaan was a bit further right, on the other side of Sokka.

"Firebender. Nobody make a sound." Sokka whispered.

"You're making a sound!" Katara whispered back in irritation.

Ayaan shook his head. All of them were making noise. He carefully moved so they could see him, putting a finger to his mouth. "Sh." He said quietly. They effectively silenced themselves, all of them showing traces of fear. He quietly and seamlessly took out his spear, which he had scraped to his back. Sokka was taking out his club.

"That firebender won't know what hit— Ayaan bro?!"

Ayaan was already out of his hiding place. But the moment he was about to charge, he stopped. His put his spear away while raising his eyebrow.

"It is not a firebender. Actually, I'm not sure what it is."

Confused but relieved they weren't in danger, they came out from behind the statues.

Ayaan was staring at the animal before them. Large ears were folded back behind it, and it sported a long tail. Big, round light green eyes stared at them curiously, its tiny body covered in white and brown fur. The shape of its face reminded him of a really rounded heart, and it had a little round nose.

'...I want to pet it.' Ayaan really wanted to pet its big ears.

Aang lit up the moment he saw the animal. "Lemur!" He exclaims.

'So that's what you are.'

"Dinner!" Sokka practically drools.

"Don't listen to him." Aang says reassuringly. "You're going to be my new pet." Aang actually glares a bit at Sokka.

'I'll get to spoil him? Like Appa?' Ayaan thought, immensely pleased at the image. But the moment he saw Sokka's face, he knew trouble was coming. 'Oh no.'

Sokka took Aang's look as a challenge. "Not if I get him first!" He lunges for the poor lemur, who arcs its back in fright, its ears, hair, and tail standing upright. It was startled by the boys actions and quickly takes off. Sokka trips trying to catch it and falls, and Aang nimbly goes past him using his head as a stepping stone.

Katara and Ayaan were left in the sanctuary in the blink of an eye. They looked at each other, and at the door once again, hearing the two boys' competitive yells.

Katara sighs. "Boys." She shakes her head. She goes back to admiring the statues, while Ayaan still stands there with a pensive look on his face.

His scar was aching again. He though it was the cold wind hitting it abruptly when Aang took off as that side of his body was a bit sensitive to temperature, but everything in him felt tense as he looked on.

"I'll follow them to make sure they don't hurt themselves." Ayaan decided. After getting a hum letting him know that Katara heard him, he quickly made his away after them. They seemed to have gone a ways away, so he found himself walking through quite a few corridors.

"Where did they go?" He asked to himself. He felt a sense of dread flood him suddenly.

That's when he heard an explosion, seeing a tornado raging from a dilapidated building not far from where he was. His eyes widened, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what could have possibly happened.

Aang had found out he truth.

"-----." He said, getting said boys attention.
"Yes?"
"What is this?"
"I'm just doing my warm-up." He said, looking at him with a bit of confusion. He did not notice anything that was currently happening around him.
Said boy was shirtless, practicing his weapon like always, but in the distance was a horde of females, and even some males, swooning, drooling, and there was even one passed out, foaming at the mouth.
"No. Really. What is this?"