Walking through the streets of the northern water tribe, there was barely anyone in sight as Aang and Levi walked.
It was already late at night, and most people were home; those who were still walking outside and the guards smiled and nodded at Levi and Aang as they passed by. One was the Avatar, and the other was their fellow tribesman from the southern water tribe, whom even the chief was polite to, so they had to show some courtesy.
"Roku said you can use airbending," said Aang out of nowhere. Levi had to stop walking and take a deep look at him. This wasn't what he had in mind when Aang asked to tag along.
He thought of outright denying it, it wasn't that hard either, who would believe that someone, besides the Avatar, had access to three elements at the same time, even if it was said to them by their previous life they would still have their doubts, except that Aang had already seen him bend fire, in the end he decided against lying, "That's true." he came clean, he saw Aang's eyes shine when he confirmed it.
"Levi, that's amazing. Why didn't you say anything? Now I won't be alone," said Aang in excitement, his eyes shining, shocking Levi. This wasn't the reaction he was expecting; it seemed his young Airbender friend was lonelier than he had expected.
"Oh! I won't tell anybody, you don't have to worry," said Aang as if just now noticing his excited attitude.
"Well, I'd appreciate that, Aang," said Levi with a nod.
After that they walked in awkward silence again, the distance to Appa's enclosure suddenly seeming very far away, it was Aang who broke the silence again, "I know you are not a bad person Levi, one only needs to see how you treat Sokka and Katara to see that, and you are and will always be my friend no matter what others say," said Aang, he seemed to be hesitating on his next words.
"Well, thanks, I guess," said Levi. He hadn't expected this from Aang.
He couldn't help but wonder where all this was coming from, but he couldn't ask as Aang once again spoke, "It's just that I wished you'd spare people more, not everyone deserves to die, some just…" he paused, seemingly looking for the right words to say.
"Aang, it doesn't work like that, it's…" Before Levi could finish, he was interrupted by Aang again. He seemed to finally find the right words.
"...some just had a tough life, most of them had been forced to be what they are instead of choosing it, we would have all ended up like them if we were put in the same circumstances."
"Does that mean we should have been killed? That's what I've been taught in the Southern air temple, and that is why I am the way I am, not because I am the naive kid that thinks the entire world is sunshine and rainbows, that's what you think of me, do you not?" said Aang with a slight smile in the end as he looked at Levi.
Levi's mind was reeling so hard that if he didn't have Gamer's mind on he wouldn't have been able to control himself, this wasn't what he had expected from the simple and joyful Airbender he had known for months, it was like he was an entirely different person, and worst of all is he found himself agreeing with him, he knew what he said was the truth, people were the byproduct of their circumstances and environment.
"I might be just a kid now, but I have traveled the world before I was trapped in ice, I have seen the dark side of our world, the really dark side," said Aang, his expression dimming as if he remembered something.
Levi couldn't help but have the urge to comfort him, but he didn't. This wasn't the right time," But deep down I still believe there is good in this world, I'd even love to believe there is more good than bad, even if that makes me seem foolish."
'So this is the Avatar,' thought Levi as he looked at Aang,v he still looked the same but Levi barely recognized him, he seemed like he was an entirely different person, 'They say the Avatar can pull experiences and power from hundreds of past lifetimes, it seems that the experience part isn't just with bending,' thought Levi.
"You're not foolish, Aang, I…" Levi paused, as if finding the next words hard to say, "I hate to say it, but I agree with you. How about this, I promise I'll try to tone it down on the killings, everyone deserves a second chance, am I right?"
Aang's expression lit up hearing Levi, he had been really nervous before, afraid things would spiral out of control and he'd create a rift that couldn't be mended between him and Levi, but it seemed he was worrying for nothing, Aang wanted to say more but he didn't want to push his luck more, he will take it one step at a time.
"Alright, deal," said Aang with a wide smile.
"Of course, that doesn't mean I am wrong either, you got that? We just have different mindsets," said Levi, directing a glare at Aang's way in mock anger.
"Haha, alright, alright, I got it," said Aang, his smile stretching wider than before.
"Alright, enough with the drama, how about this, we'll race on the rooftops using only airbending. The last one to reach Appa will have to wash Sokka's dirty laundry for a week," said Levi, not giving Aang any time to react as he jumped, an air bubble formed below him, carrying him up the rooftops.
"Hey, not fair," shouted Aang as he did the same and followed behind him, his laughs echoing all over the place, thankfully it was night, and few people were out; fewer were even awake, and even fewer - besides the mentally challenged - were looking at rooftops, so they weren't seen.
Suffice it to say that Levi lost, and miserably at that, even with a head start and with Aang carrying a sack of food behind his back twice his size, he still couldn't beat him in a race using pure airbending. Kid or not, Aang was a master airbender.
The only consolation Levi had was that he didn't have to touch Sokka's laundry and could just do them using his waterbending. That's what was on Levi's mind as he returned to his lodgings and fell asleep.
At that moment, even though he didn't realize it, he had started seeing Aang more as a Family and less as the character he had watched in the show in his past life.
AN: One of you suggested that Aang should get a win in his ideology, as it is not completely wrong, and Levi just has a different mindset, and the story would get really boring and predictable if that weren't the case. Well, I loved his suggestion, and I hope I implemented it nicely. Give me your opinion.
And if you guys have more suggestions, I am all ears.
—
Next morning
Levi was sleeping in his big and comfortable house. He was laying on his stomach with his legs spread apart and one hand dangling from the side of the bed, his favorite sleeping position, he didn't have to sleep but he still enjoyed it nonetheless, it was one of the things that didn't change from his previous life till now.
Suddenly his eyes opened wide as he jumped to a sitting position and a thin ice barrier boosted by ethereal force formed around him looking like glass but was infinitely tougher. He waited for the attack but nothing came, he would have relaxed if his danger sense wasn't tingling nonstop.
Boom Boom Boom
It wasn't long before drum sounds spread all over the northern water tribe bringing a chill to every one of its citizens, they knew what the sound represented, and Levi finally knew why his danger sense was tingling, it was the day of the attack, the fire nation was coming, the moment he realized that his danger sense stopped, as if the threat wasn't strong enough for it to give constant warnings.
Shaking his head Levi moved to the bathroom before removing his clothes, looking in the mirror he could barely recognize himself, it had been so long since he had last looked in a mirror.
His entire body seemed to be sculptured from scratch, with defined muscles all over, his pale blue eyes seeming to see through all as a scare ran from his left eyebrow over his eye and ending slightly above his left cheek, his trophy from the day he protected his siblings from the polar bear that he decided not to heal.
Remembering that day when he was so close to dying Levi couldn't help but smile, a happy genuine smile, he had come a long way from the helpless little boy he was that day, he had come close to death multiple times ever since but he had never felt so helpless like then, even when facing Orionis and Elysia, but he still wanted to get even stronger still.
Waving his hand Levi lifted some water from the side, before long the water started boiling as Levi directed it above his head and let it fall on him in a light stream, mimicking a shower from his past life.
He didn't use fire bending to heat the water. His water bending was above level 90 now, which meant he was more attuned to water than he ever was, right now he was accelerating the water particles to heat it up, it also didn't matter that it was boiling, his fire resistance made sure that the only thing he felt was a slight warm feeling as the water fell on him.
'I need to be more careful from now on, it seems there are a lot of eyes on me,' thought Levi as he remembered his conversation the other day with Aang, his Airbenidng which he thought he had kept a secret was known by Roku, he wondered what other things he and other spirits may know.
'Although I wonder if they could still spy on me now that I have Void monarch,' thought Levi, previously if a spirit was hiding in a pocket dimension or was spying on him from the spirit world he would have been clueless, but now was an entirely different story, he couldn't wait for one of them to try and do that.
Rubbing soap all over his body Levi made sure not to drop it before he rinsed himself clean, dining new water tribe clothes Levi went out to the hurried running of the northern tribesmen heading in the Palace direction.
Levi headed in the same direction at a leisurely pace, his lodgings were close by so it wasn't long before he reached the palace square, he saw Chief Arnook on an elevated platform alongside Pakku and Princess Yue to his left and right looking down at the gathered tribesmen.
Levi saw Aang and the others sitting alone on one corner of the square so he headed towards them and stood there waiting for Arnook to speak, whether consciously or unconsciously Aang and his siblings moved closer to him as they waited for the speech.
"My brothers and sisters from the northern water tribe," he said before pausing and looking in Levi and the other's direction, "And the southern water tribe, I am saddened to stand here before you today knowing this will be the last time I will be seeing a lot of your faces."
Hearing him the entire square broke into a hushed and loud whisper, Arnook seemed to be used to it and let it die down on its own which it soon did as people wanted to hear what all this was about.
"Unfortunately this can not be avoided, the fire nation is right on our doorsteps, any moment now they will reach our homes, where our families and children reside, it is our duty to protect and guard them, so as you walk with me into battle keep them close to your hearts and minds and remember who you're fighting for, show the fire nation the true strength of the water tribe," said Arnook sweeping his gaze all over the square, his speech seemed to rouse many people's spirits.
For a split second his gaze lingered on Levi with a pleading look but nobody seemed to notice, except for Levi of course, he was going to help either way so there was no need for that.
"Now as we approach the battle for our great existence I call upon the great spirits, spirit of the moon, spirit of the ocean, be with us, now I will need volunteers, those who are willing please come forward," said Arnook sweeping his gaze over the square and once again his gaze lingered on Levi for just a split second.
"Count me in," said Sokka as he stepped forward, his voice not loud but heard by all in the quiet square.
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