Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Duty Versus Love ❯ Forbidden Love ( Chapter 35 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Light-Eco-Sage 
Avatar is owned by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, not me!
Non Anime: Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Fantasy / Martial Arts / Romance / Supernatural / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.02.2013 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 602 | Status: Work In Progress
Avatar is owned by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, not me!
Non Anime: Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Fantasy / Martial Arts / Romance / Supernatural / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.02.2013 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 602 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter XVL: Forbidden Love
Aang returned to the party, slipping inside quietly. He didn’t want to attract attention to the fact that he had gone, even though he wasn’t sure why the deception was necessary. As far as he was concerned, he had only gone after Toshi for about four or five minutes. That was not enough time for anyone to get worried about his absence.
However, it seemed that Aang’s assumption was wrong. Not only was every single person in the bar instantly aware of his return, they all demanded an explanation about where he had been for so long.
“What are you guys talking about?” Aang asked in regards to Zuko’s question. “I was only gone for a few minutes.”
“A few minutes?” Katara repeated. Aang could tell from the look on her face that she had been extremely worried about him, and he longed to comfort her. “Aang, you have been missing for over fifteen minutes! We’ve all been worried sick!”
“What? No. That’s impossible.” Aang said. “I’ve only been gone for five minutes at the most. I noticed Toshi slip out, and I went to follow him, and…” Aang paused. He felt like there was some really important words right on the tip of his tongue, but for the life of him, he could not remember what was so important. After a few moments, he dismissed the feeling. “I couldn’t find Toshi, and I decided to come back. Nothing happened at all.”
“Liar.” Toph commented.
“I’m not lying! It’s the truth!” Aang said. “Look… you guys must be drunk and not able to keep track of time properly…”
“I’m not drunk, Aang.” Katara said. “It’s been over fifteen minutes.” Katara was going to continue to press Aang for information when she noticed that Tenzin had gotten hold of the wine bottle yet again. “Tenzin, no!” Katara yelled, rushing across the tavern towards her rebellious son.
In the Gang’s rush to assist Katara in getting Tenzin away from the wine, they had almost completely forgotten about Aang’s strange absence, all except for one. Sokka, fighting through the haze of alcohol in his brain, continued to stare at Aang. He, for one, was more inclined to believe Toph when she said he was lying. He might say that nothing happened, but Sokka knew that something had happened. The question was, what had happened and why was Aang trying to hide it?
Sokka shook his head. It was far too hard to think of such things when he was drunk. He resolved to push the issue aside until he could devote more time to contemplating it. Unfortunately, he forgot about it.
~~~~~~~~~~
A half an hour later, most of the people in the bar seemed to have forgotten Aang’s strange disappearance and returned to their party. Aang certainly seemed to have forgotten it. He decided to have a few more drinks and joined the party with enthusiasm.
Across the bar, Michiko was attempting to tempt Anil into having at least one drink, which he adamantly refused.
“Come on, just one drink.” Michiko said. “You won’t even get bothered by one drink. The only reason the whole marriage incident happened last time was because you overdid it.”
“No. I can’t. Not even one.” Anil said firmly. “I proved to myself that I can’t handle liquor, and I can’t embarrass myself like that again. I can’t bring anymore shame to myself or my family. It’s my duty and responsibility.”
Michiko sighed. “You really are Uncle Aang’s son. You sound just like him sometimes. So, come on, what’s the big deal? You won’t shame your family’s name if you indulge in a single drink. Even your father is drinking.”
“It’s different for him.” Anil said. “He’s not just the leader of the Air Nomads, but he’s the Avatar. Being the Avatar, he’s allowed to kick back every once in a while. The leader of a nation must be able to control himself better.”
Michiko laughed. “Last I checked, your father was the leader of a nation, not you.” She continued to laugh for some time, but she trailed off when she realized that her older cousin was not laughing as well. “Um… Anil… you know you’re supposed to laugh at jokes, right?”
“And if it’s not a joke?”
“What do you mean ‘not a joke’? You can’t possibly be saying…” Michiko trailed off, her eyes growing wide as she stared at Anil. “No way… no way! Are you saying what I think you’re saying?!?”
“Dad just told me.” Anil said, quietly, confining in his trusted cousin. “In a few years, he’s going to step down as the leader of the Air Nomads, and I’m going to take his place so he can focus on his Avatar duties.”
“Wow! Wow! Head Monk Anil! That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” Michiko said loudly, and Anil quickly shushed her.
“Shh! Not so loud! It’s not common knowledge yet! I don’t want everyone to know until I get a chance to adjust to the situation.”
“Anil, you are going to be absolutely perfect.” Michiko said. “Your father’s been grooming you for this for years, I bet. You are the natural choice to succeed him. You are the eldest, the best Bender, and all your siblings adore you. You’ll make a great leader.”
“I hope I can live up to the praise.” Anil said with a weak smile.
“You will. And if anyone gives you any trouble about it, I can always Earthbend them into submission.” Michiko said with a wicked grin. Anil met her eyes and knew that she was being completely serious. After all, she had been trained by Toph and there were few alive who could defeat his cousin at Earthbending.
“I hope it doesn’t come to that.” He said hopefully.
~~~~~~~~~~
Anil had worked quickly to quiet Michiko’s excited outbursts upon learned that he was going to become the Head Monk of the Air Nomads, but he had not worked quickly enough. Sho and Ammy had been talking nearby and they both overheard Michiko’s outburst, and both guessed instantly what it meant.
While a large smile formed on Ammy’s face, a frown marred Sho’s. He instantly turned and gazed at Anil, shock playing across his features.
Anil is going to succeed Dad and become the new Head Monk? Sho questioned himself, hardly able to believe it. Succession. It was something that Sho had never really thought about, especially in terms of someone replacing his father. Sho loved Aang, and the young boy had trouble with the idea of his father’s position as the Head Monk being replaced by anyone.
But as he thought about it more, he began to wonder why it was Anil who had been chosen to receive the honor. Sure, Anil was older than him, but only by a few months; and he was a better Bender. But, Sho thought to himself, Bending always came easily to Anil. He mastered lesson after lesson without so much as a struggle. He never had to work as hard for his skills as I have. His uncle Zuko had shown him that prodigies did not always make the best leaders. He had heard that Uncle Zuko had to struggle for most of his life to learn Bending, but he was a strong leader… one of the best the Fire Nation ever had.
There had to be another reason.
Within moments, Sho realized what that reason was. Anil was the son of the woman he loved. Sho and all of Aang’s children that had been born to him by other women had learned long ago that Katara was not really their mother, and many of them kept in contact with their mothers, including Sho. It took the children a while to get adjusted to the idea, but they all got over it, for it was clear to them that Katara loved them, and Aang loved them as well.
But… what if their father was giving Anil some special treatment because he was Katara’s son? Had he ignored all his other children’s hard work in mastering the Bending arts because Anil was his son with his beloved wife?
A part of Sho’s mind denied the very idea that his father would be so petty, but a larger part was consumed by jealousy. Why can’t I have a chance to prove that I’d be a great leader? Sho thought to himself angrily.
As Sho continued to fume under the weight of his awakened jealousy, Ammy turned to him with a smile. “That’s such good news…” She trailed off at the look on Sho’s face. “Sho? What’s wrong? Why do you look so upset?”
Sho met her eyes. “Ammy, do you ever feel like you… aren’t appreciated?”
“What do you mean?” Ammy asked.
“I mean with our family.”
“Well… I suppose it hurts sometimes that the others are so afraid of me and my powers.” Ammy admitted. “But it’s okay. I know that Mom and Dad love me, and so do you and Anil.”
“Why do you keep calling Katara ‘Mom’?” Sho asked. “You know that she’s not your mother.”
“Not biologically.” Ammy said. “But I don’t know my biological mother and, for all intents and purposes, she doesn’t want to know me. Uncle Sokka once told me that she gave me way without even looking at me, because she was so ashamed about how sickly I was. Katara cared for me, stayed up with me late at night when I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sleep, and raised me. Therefore, I consider her my mother.”
“I wish I could feel the same as you.”
“Don’t you?”
“Why do you think that Father chose Anil?”
Ammy gave him a strange look. “He’s the oldest, the best Bender, and the most respected of all of us.”
“I work harder than Anil.” Sho said.
“Sho… are you jealous?” Ammy asked.
“How am I supposed to feel when father made his [i]favorite[/i] son his heir without even considering the rest of us?”
“Favorite? Since when was Anil the favorite? There’s nothing that Anil has that we do not have. Even if we are not born of his wife, Dad has never treated us with anything but love and respect.”
“Do you really not understand?” Sho asked, his eyes dropping.
“Sho… I know that you feel hurt right now, but I can assure you that Anil becoming the new leader is for the best. The Air Nomad nation can be healed under him.”
“You’ve seen this?”
“Yes.”
“I could heal the Air Nomad nation as well.” Sho said firmly, walking away from Ammy, feeling worse than ever.
Sho dodged a few of his siblings and stepped outside into the cool night air. The full moon stared down at him, taunting him with its light. Sho knew the story of Princess Yue, but he couldn’t help but resent her. After all, how could one expect someone who had a miserable love life to become the patron Spirit of romance without some bitterness? Otherwise, why would she allow these feelings to blossom in his heart, forbidden to the point that it would sicken those who discovered his feelings?
It had started to happen a few years ago, but he took no notice of it at first. But the feelings grew until he was forced to concede that his feelings were genuine. The truth of his feelings made him feel no less bad because of them.
For how could anyone ever accept the fact that he had fallen in love with Ammy, his own half-sister?
He had once heard his father speak about love: about how love is beautiful in all its forms. Aang had used his love for his wife as an example: two people from different cultures and different times falling in love. But he and Katara were not related. No matter how you looked at it, Aang would never accept his son falling in love with his half-sister. No one would accept it. Sho was condemned to keep his feelings for her secret forever.
Sho slid down the wall, wrapping his arms around his knees, and he wept bitterly at his unrequited love, and the jealousy he felt, not only for Anil, but for all of his siblings who were free to love who they wanted and not have to hide it.
~~~~~~~~~~
The party ended, and the Gang made their plans to go their separate ways. Toph and The Duke decided to go back to traveling the Earth Kingdom. Zuko’s family had to return to their business in the Fire Nation. Sokka’s family had to return to Kyoshi Island. The Avatar’s massive family made their plans to depart for the Southern Air Temple the very next day.
Aang returned to the party, slipping inside quietly. He didn’t want to attract attention to the fact that he had gone, even though he wasn’t sure why the deception was necessary. As far as he was concerned, he had only gone after Toshi for about four or five minutes. That was not enough time for anyone to get worried about his absence.
However, it seemed that Aang’s assumption was wrong. Not only was every single person in the bar instantly aware of his return, they all demanded an explanation about where he had been for so long.
“What are you guys talking about?” Aang asked in regards to Zuko’s question. “I was only gone for a few minutes.”
“A few minutes?” Katara repeated. Aang could tell from the look on her face that she had been extremely worried about him, and he longed to comfort her. “Aang, you have been missing for over fifteen minutes! We’ve all been worried sick!”
“What? No. That’s impossible.” Aang said. “I’ve only been gone for five minutes at the most. I noticed Toshi slip out, and I went to follow him, and…” Aang paused. He felt like there was some really important words right on the tip of his tongue, but for the life of him, he could not remember what was so important. After a few moments, he dismissed the feeling. “I couldn’t find Toshi, and I decided to come back. Nothing happened at all.”
“Liar.” Toph commented.
“I’m not lying! It’s the truth!” Aang said. “Look… you guys must be drunk and not able to keep track of time properly…”
“I’m not drunk, Aang.” Katara said. “It’s been over fifteen minutes.” Katara was going to continue to press Aang for information when she noticed that Tenzin had gotten hold of the wine bottle yet again. “Tenzin, no!” Katara yelled, rushing across the tavern towards her rebellious son.
In the Gang’s rush to assist Katara in getting Tenzin away from the wine, they had almost completely forgotten about Aang’s strange absence, all except for one. Sokka, fighting through the haze of alcohol in his brain, continued to stare at Aang. He, for one, was more inclined to believe Toph when she said he was lying. He might say that nothing happened, but Sokka knew that something had happened. The question was, what had happened and why was Aang trying to hide it?
Sokka shook his head. It was far too hard to think of such things when he was drunk. He resolved to push the issue aside until he could devote more time to contemplating it. Unfortunately, he forgot about it.
~~~~~~~~~~
A half an hour later, most of the people in the bar seemed to have forgotten Aang’s strange disappearance and returned to their party. Aang certainly seemed to have forgotten it. He decided to have a few more drinks and joined the party with enthusiasm.
Across the bar, Michiko was attempting to tempt Anil into having at least one drink, which he adamantly refused.
“Come on, just one drink.” Michiko said. “You won’t even get bothered by one drink. The only reason the whole marriage incident happened last time was because you overdid it.”
“No. I can’t. Not even one.” Anil said firmly. “I proved to myself that I can’t handle liquor, and I can’t embarrass myself like that again. I can’t bring anymore shame to myself or my family. It’s my duty and responsibility.”
Michiko sighed. “You really are Uncle Aang’s son. You sound just like him sometimes. So, come on, what’s the big deal? You won’t shame your family’s name if you indulge in a single drink. Even your father is drinking.”
“It’s different for him.” Anil said. “He’s not just the leader of the Air Nomads, but he’s the Avatar. Being the Avatar, he’s allowed to kick back every once in a while. The leader of a nation must be able to control himself better.”
Michiko laughed. “Last I checked, your father was the leader of a nation, not you.” She continued to laugh for some time, but she trailed off when she realized that her older cousin was not laughing as well. “Um… Anil… you know you’re supposed to laugh at jokes, right?”
“And if it’s not a joke?”
“What do you mean ‘not a joke’? You can’t possibly be saying…” Michiko trailed off, her eyes growing wide as she stared at Anil. “No way… no way! Are you saying what I think you’re saying?!?”
“Dad just told me.” Anil said, quietly, confining in his trusted cousin. “In a few years, he’s going to step down as the leader of the Air Nomads, and I’m going to take his place so he can focus on his Avatar duties.”
“Wow! Wow! Head Monk Anil! That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” Michiko said loudly, and Anil quickly shushed her.
“Shh! Not so loud! It’s not common knowledge yet! I don’t want everyone to know until I get a chance to adjust to the situation.”
“Anil, you are going to be absolutely perfect.” Michiko said. “Your father’s been grooming you for this for years, I bet. You are the natural choice to succeed him. You are the eldest, the best Bender, and all your siblings adore you. You’ll make a great leader.”
“I hope I can live up to the praise.” Anil said with a weak smile.
“You will. And if anyone gives you any trouble about it, I can always Earthbend them into submission.” Michiko said with a wicked grin. Anil met her eyes and knew that she was being completely serious. After all, she had been trained by Toph and there were few alive who could defeat his cousin at Earthbending.
“I hope it doesn’t come to that.” He said hopefully.
~~~~~~~~~~
Anil had worked quickly to quiet Michiko’s excited outbursts upon learned that he was going to become the Head Monk of the Air Nomads, but he had not worked quickly enough. Sho and Ammy had been talking nearby and they both overheard Michiko’s outburst, and both guessed instantly what it meant.
While a large smile formed on Ammy’s face, a frown marred Sho’s. He instantly turned and gazed at Anil, shock playing across his features.
Anil is going to succeed Dad and become the new Head Monk? Sho questioned himself, hardly able to believe it. Succession. It was something that Sho had never really thought about, especially in terms of someone replacing his father. Sho loved Aang, and the young boy had trouble with the idea of his father’s position as the Head Monk being replaced by anyone.
But as he thought about it more, he began to wonder why it was Anil who had been chosen to receive the honor. Sure, Anil was older than him, but only by a few months; and he was a better Bender. But, Sho thought to himself, Bending always came easily to Anil. He mastered lesson after lesson without so much as a struggle. He never had to work as hard for his skills as I have. His uncle Zuko had shown him that prodigies did not always make the best leaders. He had heard that Uncle Zuko had to struggle for most of his life to learn Bending, but he was a strong leader… one of the best the Fire Nation ever had.
There had to be another reason.
Within moments, Sho realized what that reason was. Anil was the son of the woman he loved. Sho and all of Aang’s children that had been born to him by other women had learned long ago that Katara was not really their mother, and many of them kept in contact with their mothers, including Sho. It took the children a while to get adjusted to the idea, but they all got over it, for it was clear to them that Katara loved them, and Aang loved them as well.
But… what if their father was giving Anil some special treatment because he was Katara’s son? Had he ignored all his other children’s hard work in mastering the Bending arts because Anil was his son with his beloved wife?
A part of Sho’s mind denied the very idea that his father would be so petty, but a larger part was consumed by jealousy. Why can’t I have a chance to prove that I’d be a great leader? Sho thought to himself angrily.
As Sho continued to fume under the weight of his awakened jealousy, Ammy turned to him with a smile. “That’s such good news…” She trailed off at the look on Sho’s face. “Sho? What’s wrong? Why do you look so upset?”
Sho met her eyes. “Ammy, do you ever feel like you… aren’t appreciated?”
“What do you mean?” Ammy asked.
“I mean with our family.”
“Well… I suppose it hurts sometimes that the others are so afraid of me and my powers.” Ammy admitted. “But it’s okay. I know that Mom and Dad love me, and so do you and Anil.”
“Why do you keep calling Katara ‘Mom’?” Sho asked. “You know that she’s not your mother.”
“Not biologically.” Ammy said. “But I don’t know my biological mother and, for all intents and purposes, she doesn’t want to know me. Uncle Sokka once told me that she gave me way without even looking at me, because she was so ashamed about how sickly I was. Katara cared for me, stayed up with me late at night when I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sleep, and raised me. Therefore, I consider her my mother.”
“I wish I could feel the same as you.”
“Don’t you?”
“Why do you think that Father chose Anil?”
Ammy gave him a strange look. “He’s the oldest, the best Bender, and the most respected of all of us.”
“I work harder than Anil.” Sho said.
“Sho… are you jealous?” Ammy asked.
“How am I supposed to feel when father made his [i]favorite[/i] son his heir without even considering the rest of us?”
“Favorite? Since when was Anil the favorite? There’s nothing that Anil has that we do not have. Even if we are not born of his wife, Dad has never treated us with anything but love and respect.”
“Do you really not understand?” Sho asked, his eyes dropping.
“Sho… I know that you feel hurt right now, but I can assure you that Anil becoming the new leader is for the best. The Air Nomad nation can be healed under him.”
“You’ve seen this?”
“Yes.”
“I could heal the Air Nomad nation as well.” Sho said firmly, walking away from Ammy, feeling worse than ever.
Sho dodged a few of his siblings and stepped outside into the cool night air. The full moon stared down at him, taunting him with its light. Sho knew the story of Princess Yue, but he couldn’t help but resent her. After all, how could one expect someone who had a miserable love life to become the patron Spirit of romance without some bitterness? Otherwise, why would she allow these feelings to blossom in his heart, forbidden to the point that it would sicken those who discovered his feelings?
It had started to happen a few years ago, but he took no notice of it at first. But the feelings grew until he was forced to concede that his feelings were genuine. The truth of his feelings made him feel no less bad because of them.
For how could anyone ever accept the fact that he had fallen in love with Ammy, his own half-sister?
He had once heard his father speak about love: about how love is beautiful in all its forms. Aang had used his love for his wife as an example: two people from different cultures and different times falling in love. But he and Katara were not related. No matter how you looked at it, Aang would never accept his son falling in love with his half-sister. No one would accept it. Sho was condemned to keep his feelings for her secret forever.
Sho slid down the wall, wrapping his arms around his knees, and he wept bitterly at his unrequited love, and the jealousy he felt, not only for Anil, but for all of his siblings who were free to love who they wanted and not have to hide it.
~~~~~~~~~~
The party ended, and the Gang made their plans to go their separate ways. Toph and The Duke decided to go back to traveling the Earth Kingdom. Zuko’s family had to return to their business in the Fire Nation. Sokka’s family had to return to Kyoshi Island. The Avatar’s massive family made their plans to depart for the Southern Air Temple the very next day.