13. Differences
Every day brings us a new experience, and it doesn't matter how positive or negative it is. After my encounter with the closed "door" to the spirit world, I definitely did not expect to wake up on an improvised bed, which consists of different animal skins that create a kind of ephemeral softness, it is worth remembering to find out from the hospitable hosts what kind of animals have such soft fur.
Checking my body for various kinds of damage, I found my sources that looked sluggish, and the energy that came into them seemed to go not to fill the storage, but to revive the sources themselves.
At the moment of collision with the barrier, I felt my considerable stock of bending dissipated in a few seconds, after the impact, focusing on my feelings, I rushed in the direction in which I felt the energy of the human world.
Now it became clear why it was impossible to pass through the barrier. If I were a spirit, he would let me pass calmly, but I would not be able to get back into the world of people through him, the wall does not allow spirits to pass into the world of people, on the other hand, it is also impossible for people to pass into the world of spirits, that's such a smart protection.
The next moment, my spirit and body are no longer two separate elements, now it is an inseparable whole, it follows from this that the barrier did not know what to do with me, I caused a certain duality in him, although I felt the protection stretched under my pressure, even more strength and the passage would have been made. In my case, more is already a higher spirit, and without a party that I could arrange for myself in the spirit world, it's a long way to go to this rank.
Continuing to sort through all the memories associated with the Avatar in general from my past life, I was able to find a mention of the solstice, in the world of the Avatar during the winter and summer solstices, the connection between the plan of people and spirits is thinning, which in theory should give me the opportunity to enter it being with the powers of the average spirit, it is worth finding out from knowledgeable people the exact dates of these events, while this is one of the possible options.
Having decided to check where I am, I tried to open my eyes, and for this seemingly mundane action I had to make considerable efforts, after all, until that time I had not completely exhausted both sources, and exactly as I knew that nothing good would come of it, now even lifting my eyelids is a test. It took several minutes to drive the vital energy through the channels so that the body began to obey.
My eyes saw a picture of the traditional living space of the water tribes - the igloo. Despite the small area, everything was very comfortably furnished. Getting up a little, I could see that something similar to an ear with admixtures of unknown spices was cooking in a small vat, and as soon as a fragrant smell hit my nose, I felt just brutal hunger, I even wondered how many times I slept through my stomach with its rumbling as if begging me to feed it.
At this time, the kids came into the house that in the future they will decide the fate of this world, well, or help to decide, the main thing is that here they should be one of the main characters.
Sokka and Katara were easy to find out, they were exact copies of what we were shown in the series. Katara, a sweet girl, was drowning in a blue fur coat that was somewhat larger than herself, having a childish plumpness, she reached the Yui bar on my personal scale of affection, which speaks volumes. Behind her, holding a bucket of water, was Sokka, who already in childhood walked with a kind of indifferent expression on his face.
The grown-up Katara was the last to enter the igloo.
To be sure, I even shifted my gaze from the little Katara to the adult several times and so far I have not noticed some differences. Back in the animated series, I remember how Kaya, the mother of Sokka and Katara, looked, and this image does not overlap with what I saw there and here. Yes, there are some similarities, but that's where they end.
What shocked me? This is a girl, and the tongue does not turn to call her a woman, has a very well-shaped figure that even thick winter clothes cannot hide, full breasts of at least the third size, a rounded butt that is outlined by a fur coat and all this is seasoned with a face similar to Katara, only with a less round head shape. Hakoda is really lucky to pick up such a treasure for himself – it really needs to be kissed by luck.
It turns out that she is about 21 or 22 years old, in the water tribe girls get married at 16, if Sokka looks about five years old, then in this world Kaya is much younger than her prototype from the series.
While my eyes wandered over the beautiful reliefs of Kai, my mind forcibly analyzed and connected the facts. Kaya is too young here, I wouldn't give her twenty years, this is definitely the first big non-canon.
Next, the portal threw me out at the south Pole, which already looks logical. Portals to the spirit world are just at the south and north poles, no, there seems to be a Valley of Oblivion, so trying to get out of that space between the worlds, I set myself the goal to go into the world of people, and already in what place I will go out, I didn't even think myself, of course it would be good if I found myself near the Oasis of Spirits, but it's worth admitting that meeting with the main characters of the series is much better, especially with their young mother, ahem, thoughts have gone the other way again.
At the same time, Kaya saw me awake, I hope I wasn't staring at her too clearly.
"Are you all right?" - asked Kaya with concern, - my kids found you unconscious near our tribe. My name is Kaya, and this is my son Sokka and daughter Katara.
- Nothing serious, there is a slight weakness, but I think it will pass in a day or two, thank you for your concern, - I said with gratitude, - my name is Yuki, I am from the northern Tribe of Water.
- There is no need to stand on ceremony with him, Mom, he looks very suspicious, - Sokka interjected into the conversation with a "belligerent" look while drilling me with an unfriendly look. – and how can you prove your involvement with the Northern Water Tribe? Moreover, they have not been seen here for a very long time.
- Sokka should not be rude to a person without getting to know him better - Kaya said, Sokka only slightly reduced the negativity in his eyes to these words, - excuse him for his words, it's just that usually visiting people are not too friendly to us – she said with a strained smile, that's how she called the nation of fire, which still comes here with bad intentions.
And their mother did not miss, when my gaze stopped wandering over her figure, I decided to look into her eyes, and despite her real complacency towards me, there was also a bit of caution, even her hand in the pocket of her fur coat seemed to be holding something.
Katara, on the other hand, throughout the entire conversation, only peeked out curiously from behind her mother's back, while when I started looking at her, she immediately hid. Someone in childhood was still shy.
- Let's talk, after we eat, you're probably hungry too, after all, for two whole days in bed - as soon as she mentioned food, my stomach made a very loud sound, I didn't even expect this from myself, but it defused the situation well. Katara began to giggle, Kaya began to put food on with a smile, and Sokka began to take a slightly less "belligerent" pose.
At the beginning of the process of eating, there was a small problem, it was very difficult to move my hand, while the soup spoon was moving towards my mouth, it lost ninety percent of its contents, I had to help Kaya eat. I felt a little embarrassed at the same time, this feeling intensified when the children started looking at me, but an empty stomach dictated its conditions.
I was really ashamed when I ate more than all of them combined, but maybe they planned to eat this food for several days, it's worth admitting that I ate it as if I wasn't myself.
As soon as the strength returns, it is necessary to repay them for everything in many times the amount.
After a delicious lunch, we had a conversation in which we took turns telling about ourselves, as the dialogue progressed, we can say the ice has moved, yet only someone who will live with them all his life can know so many traditions and peculiarities of the water tribes.
In the evening, at the end of the conversation, we only noticed that Sokka was already asleep, and Katara, who was sitting between me and Kaya, was lying with her head on my lap, while holding tightly to my waist. Kaya, looking at us, seemed to remember something from the past, and did not move for several minutes, and I think I understand why.
- So she loved to fall asleep on Hakoda's lap, - she confirmed my thoughts.
From her story, I learned that here the people of fire did not see the point of leaving the combat-ready part of the population, almost all men were either taken to prison or were executed on the spot for resistance. Two years ago, adult men were still with them, but it wasn't for long, a month later two ships of the people of fire sailed to them, while demanding to give them a water bender, supposedly they know that we definitely have one. They do such things every few years in order to exterminate the Southern Water Tribe for sure. If there is no water mage, they will simply choose a random person in order to provoke the tribe to attack.
At that time, they got too arrogant soldiers, they wanted to take half of the able-bodied men with them. People, knowing that the fire warriors might not stop there, decided to fight back. They were able to defeat them, but at what cost, only a few men survived and then remained crippled for life, there were too many fire mages with them then, it was already a miracle that simple hunters, only slightly outnumbering the enemy, were able to win. That's what it means to fight for your home and loved ones.
It turns out that only women, children, old people, cripples and a few teenagers remained in the tribe. So Sokka and Katara didn't even really have time to get to know their father, yet then they were 3 or 2 years old. It's very sad, I hope I can figure out how to use the portal, it's worth helping this tribe, they definitely won't stand another raid of the fire people.
There are differences in this world, and this is already a fact, it is worth being prepared for unexpected turns.
I myself told about my life in the North Pole, not focusing much on one thing, I think there will still be time to get to know each other better. About my incomprehensible getting here, I just decided to keep silent, not to tell about my nature, and not to push everything in a row on Tui and La, otherwise there was a thought to somehow push everything on them.
***
I also had to spend the next two days in bed, the weakness recedes too slowly, only at the end of the second day I was able to eat and move myself. It seems that I spoiled someone's mood a little with this, at least Katara looked disappointed. On the second day, while Kaya was minding her own business, Katara volunteered to feed me, who was only happy to take care of me. Yet it was she who became much closer during this time. And it's worth admitting, I also began to feel them, if not as a family, then somewhere close, and this in some two days.
Katara was interested in a new face, and she wanted to hear how they live in my tribe, and in general, when she stopped being shy of me, she became a pohm-worse than Yui. Sokka was also there all the time, supposedly protecting his sister, but Katara and I saw how he listened to my stories himself.
For someone who has read the whole library of water, where the authors tell at least half of the book their adventures, it is very easy to come up with fairy tales for children.
So the kids had fun forgetting to go outside for two whole days.