The Airbender's Journey Chapter 7

                                                   Chapter Seven: A Day Out on the Town

         I’d been at Air Temple Island for a week before I spoke with Avatar Korra beyond meeting her in the first place.

         I was making my way to the training area when we almost literally bumped into each other.

         “Oh,” Korra said, “Hey Aden, how’s training been going?”

         “Really good,” I answered, “Tenzin says I’m progressing faster than any bender of any element he’s ever seen.”

         “That could be due to the fact that you have spent your every waking moment either eating or somehow training for the last solid week. You’re sisters seem a bit lonely.” She replied.

         “Well,” I stammered, “I guess I’m just sort of wrapped up in the whole idea of being a bender after I felt so powerless to help them for so long-”

         “Aden,” Korra cut me off, “I was messing with you, but you clearly need a day off because it’s obviously been years since you had one.”

         I looked up, “And what, pray tell, do you propose?”

         “Mako, Bolin and I have a match later; in the meantime, we’re going to take you guys out on the town.”

         No sooner said than done, we gathered at the docks not an hour later ready for a day out.

         “Are you sure about this?” Ellen whispered to me as we boarded the ferry.

         “What are you worried about?” I asked.

         “Well,” Ellen said, “The last time we were in the city it didn’t go so well, and honestly, we have no idea how it’s changed over the years.”

         “We were in the city alone in the dead of night with no idea where to go last time,” I replied, “And now we have to former street rats turned major pro benders and the avatar with us, and they know their way around pretty well, I wouldn’t worry about it.”

         Ellen looked down at her tattoo, fire in old script. Some days she was proud of it, some days she was indifferent to it, and then some days she was ashamed of it. I suspected today she wasn’t thinking fondly of it.

         “Hey,” I said, trying to cheer her up, “That tattoo is not your fault; it’s mine if anyone’s.”

         Her head snapped up, mission accomplished, distract Ellen from her sadness.

         “Listen here you airhead,” I cringed, she’d taken to calling me that because it had been immediately obvious I hated it, “It is not your fault, it’s-”

         I put up my hand to silence her, “I said mine if anyone’s, if it’s not my fault, then it’s certainly not your fault.”

         Ellen stopped for a moment, considering, then she grinned like I hadn’t seen in months.

         “Alright then,” She said, “And have I ever told you that I’m lucky to have a brother like you, even if we do argue over who was born first?”

         “You could stand to mention it more often.” I said.

         By now the ferry was pulling into port.