"Hi Guys," Haru said, grinning at Sokka and Katara.
"Haru!" they cheered as they rushed towards him. He stood there chuckling as Katara hugged him.
"Man, where have you been?" Sokka asked as he and Haru fist bumped.
"Well, I left on Nimbus to travel the world. I went to this island where I was ambushed by a bunch of girls," he started.
"You went to Kyoshi Island?" Katara questioned.
"We were there a week ago," Sokka said.
"Wow, well anyways, I left that place and flew to another island that wasn't even an island but a huge Lion Turtle creature. I spent the night in its shell; which was densely covered in trees and bushes. When I woke up, I wanted to see what it was so I jumped into the water and swam to the front of it and that's how I found out what it was. It was swimming and I guess when it saw me, it wanted to talk so it lifted me on its paw. We talked and I told him I was from a different world and he ended up giving me a gift," Haru told them.
"What type of gift?" Katara asked.
"Was it food?" Sokka asked hungrily.
"This," Haru said as he held his right hand out palm towards the sky, generating a small wisp of blue fire.
"Whoa, it's blue fire." Katara whispered.
"Yeah, I don't know why mine is different. But I think it had something to do with the Lion Turtle," Haru said. "Anyways, after that, I left on Nimbus again and saw that fire festival from the sky. I've never been to one so I decided to visit it…" he went on to tell them all of what happened over the course of the past three weeks. " And that's when I came out and saw you two," he finished.
"I wish you would've told us you were leaving before you left." Katara crossed her arms and looked away with a frown.
"Oh, come on, Tara, I was going to come back. I wouldn't leave my best friends forever without saying goodbye," he told her with a smile, using the nickname he came up with back at the Southern Water Tribe.
She looked back at him. His smile was enough to make her weak at the knees. But she was still mad at him. There was no time to swoon like a love struck girl. But she did like it when he used that nickname for her.
She huffed before uncrossing her arms. "Fine, I'll forgive you this time. Just don't pull that disappearing act ever again," she warned.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said before turning to Sokka." You two are going to tell me how you started your journey? And who's that kid?" he pointed a thumb towards Aang.
"Well," Katara started as they began walking off. "It started when Sokka and I went on a fishing trip. It wasn't exactly the easiest thing with you gone," she told him.
Haru felt a twinge of guilt. He realized that he did help make things easier. His absence must've made it a little more difficult. Or, back to how it was before he arrived.
"Anyways…" She went on to tell him about how they found Aang and their adventures up until they arrived here.
"Wow, that sounded like it was fun," he said in awe.
"Really? Being chased around the world by an angry jerk sounds like fun?" Sokka questioned.
"Well, kind of. It sounds like he can be a real challenge for me besides Jeong Jeong," he told them.
"Well, I'm getting hungry," Sokka said. "Wanna go hunt?" he asked Haru.
"Sure," Haru agreed. His stomach silently growled too.
"Boys," Katara mumbled as she shook her head.
Aang simply stood in his stance. He was beginning to feel jealous of this new guy. But he learned from his past mistakes so he would continue to concentrate on the sun and its warmth.
On their way back to camp, Haru and Sokka, who both had found nothing adequate to eat, crossed paths with Aang; who was supposed to be breathing on the mountain.
"What are you doing?" Haru questioned. "You should be doing your exercises." he told the Avatar, warning him.
"All he's been doing is telling me to breathe or concentrate. I want to learn how to use fire," Aang said, wiggling his fingers for emphasis.
"Well, you should take it slow. I don't know much about Avatars, but I advise taking it slow. You might burn something or someone," Haru said.
"I'd listen to him, Aang. He knows what he's talking about," Sokka agreed. "Fire is dangerous. You could hurt someone."
"I know how to be careful, guys." He brushed their concerns off and continued down to the campsite.
"Does he always brush off other people's concerns?" Haru asked.
"Only sometimes. But it usually leads to a life threatening situation," Sokka said.
"Think we should keep an eye on him?" Haru asked.
A rustling sound nearby stopped the Water Tribe warrior from responding.
A wild boar streaked from behind a bush and into the forest.
"I'm still hungry," Sokka said as he charged the boar.
Haru shrugged his shoulders and started off after his friend. He was indeed hungry. Besides, what's the worst that could happen while they went hunting?
That was a question Haru didn't want to know the answer to as he heard Katara's scream from within the woods.
"Katara?" Haru stopped dead in his tracks.
Sokka seemed to hear it too and they both started running back to the camp.
They arrived and saw Katara crouched position with her hands covered.
"Katara, what's wrong?" They both asked in unison with a worried tone. Neither took the time to think of that as weird as Sokka knelt down beside her.
"What did you do?" Sokka asked Aang demandingly.
"It was an accident," Aang tried to explain. "I, uh, Katara I'm so—"
Sokka tackled Aang to the ground. While Haru knelt down besides the crying Katara. "We told you that you shouldn't have messed around with this; now look at what you did. You burned my sister."
Katara immediately took off in the direction that Sokka and Haru arrived from.
Haru took off after her after getting his capsule full of his stuff ready so he could give her a Senzu Bean.
He de-capsulized it when he reached her. She was too busy weeping to notice. He picked up his golden bag of beans and began walking towards her. He didn't notice Jeong Jeong approaching.
"Katara," he started. But she had plunged her hands into the river she was crouched over. He was going to tell her that water didn't make the burns go away when her hands started glowing. What the? he questioned as she pulled her hands out of the water fully healed.
"You have healing abilities," Jeong Jeong said from behind both of them as he walked past Haru and crouched next to Katara. "I always wished I was blessed like you; free from this burning curse," he told her, indicating his Firebending.
"But you're a great master. You have powers I'll never know." She replied, now noticing Haru and his golden bag but not saying anything.
"Water brings healing and life. But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we're torn apart," he finished just as a fireball splashed in the river in front of them.
Haru looked to the left just as another blast flew straight at him. He dispersed the flame before it could cause any harm and looked towards the source of the trouble; three boats on the river were fast approaching.
"Go get your friends and flee!" he ordered the Water Tribe girl. She took off running back to the camp. "Do not come back here, or you will all be destroyed. Hurry!" he yelled after her before turning to Haru. "You go with them! Gather your things and leave!"
"What? No way! I'm not leaving you here by yourself," Haru argued as he shot his own blue fire blast at an on coming assault of orange fireballs.
"I will take care of myself! Now go!" he yelled as he created a wall of fire that blocked the three boats from going any further.
Haru hesitantly gathered his things before taking off in the direction Katara went. Jeong Jeong was a master Firebender. He knew what he was doing. Or at least he hoped.
He didn't bother to capsulize his stuff as he started running faster. He quickly caught up with Katara as they approached a huge white creature with a brown arrow design in its fur that led up his spine and on its head.
"Katara, are you alright?" Sokka asked protectively.
"I'm fine," she assured him." We need to get out of here. Where's Aang?" she asked.
Sokka pointed his thumb over his shoulder and she ran to the hut.
"Jeong Jeong told me to go with you guys." Haru said dismissively at Sokka's confused expression
Haru jumped onto the saddle in one jump and set his things down. He sensed the Avatar rushing off to Jeong Jeong's aid.
Maybe I should go help too, he thought as reached for his Power Pole.
However, he sensed Jeong Jeong moving away from the trouble and relaxed slightly.
Katara came back and she, and Sokka climbed Appa. The latter on the Bison's head." Yip Yip!" Sokka said and it took to the air.
Haru was slightly surprised but remembered what Katara and Sokka had told him.
Arriving on the river bank where Aang was managing to dodge all of the Admiral's attacks, causing him to ignite his own boats.
Aang was in the water while the boats sank and Sokka shouted, "Aang, come on!"
The Air Nomad leaped onto the head of the Flying Bison as Sokka climbed into the back with Katara and Haru.
"Yip Yip." Aang said and the beast took to the air.
They flew in silence for a few moments and Aang climbed into the saddle with them.
"Aang, you're burned," Katara said, indicating his arm. It was visibly pink." Let me help you," she said as she scooted closer to him and Waterbended some water out of her pouch that was on her hip. She made the water glove around her hand as she placed it over his forearm. In moments, he was healed.
"Wow, that's good water," Aang said gratefully.
"When did you learn how to do that?" Sokka asked.
"I guess I always knew," Katara shrugged.
"So, where are we going?" Haru asked as he began sorting through his stuff, making sure he didn't leave anything behind.
"To the Northern Water Tribe to get Aang and Katara a master," Sokka answered.
"I'm Aang," Aang extended his right hand to Haru.
Haru looked at the offered appendage."I'm Haru." He shook the hand.
"Yeah, Haru was with us before we found you, Aang," Katara said.
"Really? But, how'd you get to the Earth Kingdom?" Aang asked curiously.
Haru smiled. A second later, he shouted, "Nimbus!"
"What's Nimbus?" Aang asked.
Just then, a puffy yellow cloud came streaking in before slowing down to match the speed of the flying bison.
"That's Nimbus." Haru said as he stood to his feet before hopping over to the cloud.
Aang gaped at the sight. How was this possible? The only time he ever heard of people riding clouds was when he was younger and asked about the first airbender people of ancient times.
"Katara, remember that ride I promised you?" Haru asked as the cloud moved closer to the saddle. He extended his hand out to her.
She remembered. He told her he'd let her ride some day. But she seemingly never had the time to take him up on that offer. Now was the time.
She slowly stood to her feet and walked over to the edge of the saddle. She took the offered hand and he pulled her up with one arm onto the cloud.
When her feet touched down on the plush cloud, her eyes widened as it felt solid enough to stand on.
"I knew you were pure of heart." he told her as she got on both knees. He sat on his bottom and faced forward. "You might want to hold on." He told her as Nimbus started moving forward faster.
She let out a startled shriek as she clung to Haru's right arm. She had never experienced such speed before.
Haru laughed happily as Nimbus did a few circles at high speeds. Luckily, Katara hadn't recently eaten anything or it would've left her stomach during the movements.
Haru spared her from any more fright and slowed Nimbus dramatically to match Appa's speed. However, he kept them above Appa so he could ask her something.
"That was amazing," she said as she loosened her hold on his arm. She had never felt them before and was surprised by how muscled it felt. (I don't want this to seem awkward. But it sure does feel that way.) It was hard and toned.
"Katara, I want to go back and check to see if Jeong Jeong is alright," he told her.
"I'm sure he's alright," she told him.
"I know where they all went. I'll be back soon, I promise," he told her.
"How will you find us?" she asked.
"Trust me, I'll find you all," he told her.
"I… trust you," she told him.
Haru smiled as they began to gradually descend. "I need you to watch my stuff. They'll be safe but I want you to keep a special eye on that red pole that I had. It means a lot to me," he told her.
He would've taken it with him but wanted her to feel assured that he'd return.
"I will," she said.
Below them, Aang was jealous and it was obvious on his face because Sokka started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Aang asked.
"You're jealous," Sokka answered.
"No I'm not," Aang denied as he looked back up at the cloud.
"It's written all over your face," Sokka said.
"So!? Who cares about the stupid cloud and the stupid blue fire?" he yelled.
Just then, Nimbus came down enough to let Katara step off safely.
"Thanks," she said as he stayed on the cloud.
"Sokka , I'll be back soon," he said as he made an arch with Nimbus and took off in the opposite direction.
"Where's he going?" Sokka asked.
"To make sure Jeong Jeong is ok. He said that he'd be back soon though." She sighed.
"Good riddance." Aang mumbled inaudibly. But then he felt ashamed. He barely knew Haru and was jealous because Katara was infatuated with him. But it only made him upset because Haru was oblivious to her! Or was he? He began to think about the tips Sokka gave him when they visited Aunt Wu. Did he give Haru the same advice and that's why Katara liked him? He sighed as it began to get dark.
During Haru's absence, the Gang traveled to the Western Air Temple, on the rumor that people were living there. Sadly, it turned out to only be people that migrated there.