Southern Wolf thoughts - Part 2 & 3
The second part would be in flash-back form as Lani tells the story. Three years after the Avatar defeated the Firelord, the friends were all gathering again to attend a wedding - that of Bato. Sokka is currently on Kyoshi Island with Suki, but he's making preparations to sail to the South Pole. Suki will join him later since the next batch of Kyoshi Warriors is having their debut ceremony soon. She tries to get him to wait and leave with her, but he points out that GranGran would have his head if he doesn't arrive early to help with things.
Sokka hops into his small boat and sets off, but before he reaches the South Pole, he's met with a storm. He's tossed into the waters and nearly drowns. But he sees a vision of Yue, who urges him to continue living. He surfaces, and finally makes it to shore, but he's miles off-course. Surrounded by what appears to be a perpetual blizzard, Sokka wanders, trying to find his way to the village. Most of this sequence would be without dialog or narration, but it should be long enough to show that quite a bit of time is passing while he's trying to make his way through the storm. He's also being stalked by a giant wolf. When Sokka grows weary, the wolf strikes.
At the Southern Tribe, Aang, Katara and the others are greeting the others as they arrive. When Suki arrives, they question where Sokka is. They had assumed he had decided to come later with her, but Suki says that he had left Kyoshi Island a week ago.
Aang tries to use his powers to trace Sokka's energy, but he's stopped by the wall of the storm. He comments that the storm seems to be the work of spirits. Aang, Katara, Hakoda, Suki and Iroh (Iroh offers to help as he's the most experienced with the spirits besides Aang), set off on Appa to try and find Sokka. They find the wall of snow and Aang pushes Appa to try and press through the storm. Finally the storm abates, and one of them spots the body of a giant wolf, half covered in snow. Sokka's coat can be seen underneath it.
Before Appa can completely land, Suki and Katara have already jumped into the snow. Aang helps Katara bend the snow to push the wolf off of Sokka, Suki kneels at his side. As he starts to come to, Sokka sees a vision of Yue again, and calls at her name. He blinks and finds that it's Suki, not Yue.
Hakoda and Iroh examine the wolf, Iroh noticing that it's not just a normal wolf. Hakoda confirms that it's one of Amarok's children, and summarizes the story of Amarok: a giant spirit wolf said to hunt down and devour anyone foolish enough to hunt alone at night. (This conversation could just take place between Aang and Hakoda if Iroh doesn't come along, but I like Iroh)
Back at the village, Sokka is awarded the title of The Southern Wolf, for having slain the beast and surviving.
Lani finishes there, and while Ayumi still has questions, Lani says that she'll have to ask Sokka for the rest of the story. There's a few more bits of training, but Ayumi is too timid to ask. Then, at Kaya's wedding, when she notices how Sokka and the others seem distant, she finally asks.
"When I finally got to the village," Sokka explains, "Zuko was there, with news for Aang." (switching to flash back at this point)
Azula had gone missing. Sokka's furious, first at Zuko, and then at Aang. How could Zuko let her escape, why hadn't Aang taken away her bending like he had Ozai? He's embittered, having learned from Suki the torment and torture she'd gone through at the hands of Azula.
Aang assures him that Azula will be found, but Sokka isn't appeased. They search for years, but are always a step behind her.
Life goes on for the gaang, Katara starts a family, her daughter Kaya is 4 years old now, and Suki has just had a newborn. Aang, Zuko and Toph are all away doing official things, leaving the two mothers with Sokka.
An opportunity that Azula's been waiting for - the filthy peasant who bested her and her favorite prisoner are too busy trying to protect their children to fight. She's gotten faster at producing lightning, more chaotic in her firebending. Sokka fights, he's gotten better over the years, but it looks like he might loose. Suki and Katara are injured, Suki has lost consciousness. Azula lets loose a lightning bolt, and Sokka throws his sword. The metal of the blade catches the lightning and carries it back, piercing Azula through the stomach. The electric shock and the sword in her gut bring Azula down, and Sokka doesn't hesitate to finish the job.
Aang arrives in time to witness the final blow. He and Sokka argue, Aang saying that every life is precious, even Azula's - that he could have helped her. Sokka says that if Aang hadn't been so soft and dealt with Azula at the end of the war, it wouldn't have happened.
Sokka's narration trails off here. "Aang was right," he says. "I could see it in everyone's eyes that they agreed with him, but I couldn't admit it to myself. I couldn't stand to see them hate what I'd done, I couldn't stand for them to hate me."
Ayumi, eyes wet with tears, abruptly hugs him.
"You idiot," she sobs "You didn't do anything wrong. You were just trying to protect your family. You saved them. You saved me."
Sokka is speachless, but he hugs her back.
Aang, Katara and the others are watching the exchange, maybe even crying a little themselves.
At this point I'm a little torn. One idea is for Aang and the others to express their agreement with Ayumi, that they never judged Sokka like he perceived it. The other idea is for Suki to speak up then (wouldn't have seen her at the wedding so far) and express as much - allowing for Sokka to reunite with her. Either way it'd wind up with the Gaang back together as a family.
Sokka hops into his small boat and sets off, but before he reaches the South Pole, he's met with a storm. He's tossed into the waters and nearly drowns. But he sees a vision of Yue, who urges him to continue living. He surfaces, and finally makes it to shore, but he's miles off-course. Surrounded by what appears to be a perpetual blizzard, Sokka wanders, trying to find his way to the village. Most of this sequence would be without dialog or narration, but it should be long enough to show that quite a bit of time is passing while he's trying to make his way through the storm. He's also being stalked by a giant wolf. When Sokka grows weary, the wolf strikes.
At the Southern Tribe, Aang, Katara and the others are greeting the others as they arrive. When Suki arrives, they question where Sokka is. They had assumed he had decided to come later with her, but Suki says that he had left Kyoshi Island a week ago.
Aang tries to use his powers to trace Sokka's energy, but he's stopped by the wall of the storm. He comments that the storm seems to be the work of spirits. Aang, Katara, Hakoda, Suki and Iroh (Iroh offers to help as he's the most experienced with the spirits besides Aang), set off on Appa to try and find Sokka. They find the wall of snow and Aang pushes Appa to try and press through the storm. Finally the storm abates, and one of them spots the body of a giant wolf, half covered in snow. Sokka's coat can be seen underneath it.
Before Appa can completely land, Suki and Katara have already jumped into the snow. Aang helps Katara bend the snow to push the wolf off of Sokka, Suki kneels at his side. As he starts to come to, Sokka sees a vision of Yue again, and calls at her name. He blinks and finds that it's Suki, not Yue.
Hakoda and Iroh examine the wolf, Iroh noticing that it's not just a normal wolf. Hakoda confirms that it's one of Amarok's children, and summarizes the story of Amarok: a giant spirit wolf said to hunt down and devour anyone foolish enough to hunt alone at night. (This conversation could just take place between Aang and Hakoda if Iroh doesn't come along, but I like Iroh)
Back at the village, Sokka is awarded the title of The Southern Wolf, for having slain the beast and surviving.
Lani finishes there, and while Ayumi still has questions, Lani says that she'll have to ask Sokka for the rest of the story. There's a few more bits of training, but Ayumi is too timid to ask. Then, at Kaya's wedding, when she notices how Sokka and the others seem distant, she finally asks.
"When I finally got to the village," Sokka explains, "Zuko was there, with news for Aang." (switching to flash back at this point)
Azula had gone missing. Sokka's furious, first at Zuko, and then at Aang. How could Zuko let her escape, why hadn't Aang taken away her bending like he had Ozai? He's embittered, having learned from Suki the torment and torture she'd gone through at the hands of Azula.
Aang assures him that Azula will be found, but Sokka isn't appeased. They search for years, but are always a step behind her.
Life goes on for the gaang, Katara starts a family, her daughter Kaya is 4 years old now, and Suki has just had a newborn. Aang, Zuko and Toph are all away doing official things, leaving the two mothers with Sokka.
An opportunity that Azula's been waiting for - the filthy peasant who bested her and her favorite prisoner are too busy trying to protect their children to fight. She's gotten faster at producing lightning, more chaotic in her firebending. Sokka fights, he's gotten better over the years, but it looks like he might loose. Suki and Katara are injured, Suki has lost consciousness. Azula lets loose a lightning bolt, and Sokka throws his sword. The metal of the blade catches the lightning and carries it back, piercing Azula through the stomach. The electric shock and the sword in her gut bring Azula down, and Sokka doesn't hesitate to finish the job.
Aang arrives in time to witness the final blow. He and Sokka argue, Aang saying that every life is precious, even Azula's - that he could have helped her. Sokka says that if Aang hadn't been so soft and dealt with Azula at the end of the war, it wouldn't have happened.
Sokka's narration trails off here. "Aang was right," he says. "I could see it in everyone's eyes that they agreed with him, but I couldn't admit it to myself. I couldn't stand to see them hate what I'd done, I couldn't stand for them to hate me."
Ayumi, eyes wet with tears, abruptly hugs him.
"You idiot," she sobs "You didn't do anything wrong. You were just trying to protect your family. You saved them. You saved me."
Sokka is speachless, but he hugs her back.
Aang, Katara and the others are watching the exchange, maybe even crying a little themselves.
At this point I'm a little torn. One idea is for Aang and the others to express their agreement with Ayumi, that they never judged Sokka like he perceived it. The other idea is for Suki to speak up then (wouldn't have seen her at the wedding so far) and express as much - allowing for Sokka to reunite with her. Either way it'd wind up with the Gaang back together as a family.