A/N: I know "Sukka" and "Kata" are really dumb, unoriginal, and unlikely names had Sokka and Katara would have been born the opposite sex, but I wanted the story to be read easy and not misunderstood. So, yeah. That their names.

Also, this is a four parter. So, yay, something other than one-shots, but not too much for me to abandon because pressure.

.~.~.~.

Glaring into icy waters, Sukka watched for any movement that might mean lunch. There! The wobbly, blue tinted reflection of a fish came into view. "Easy, easy," Sukka cooed under her breath.

"Sukka, look," her excited brother exclaimed from the other side of the kanoe.

"Unless you just poofed up some meat, save it," Sukka replied harshly. Maybe she shouldn't have been that hard on her brother - away from the village was the only time he could practice waterbending - but there was no way he was coming in between her and lunch. Sukka posed her brother's spear higher to get a better angle. Just a little more! Come on, fishy fishy.

"But Sukka," Kata argued meekly.

Dammit, can't you see I'm busy, Sukka wanted to shout. Instead, she paid her brother no mind as she readied for the kill. One… Two…

"Ahhrg," Sukka squealed, ice cold water suddenly dumped down her parka and a wiggling something smacking her in the head. In her surprise, she accidently let go of the spear and scared off the fish. Great. Well, at least now she could figure out what the hell just happened. Sukka turned on her brother to see his eyes wide in apologetic shock and his mittens covering his mouth. Oh. Magic… right.

"What did you do?" Sukka demanded, voice still a few octaves higher than usual.

"Sorry," Kata mumbled, wincing. "I-I was just practicing,"

Of course he was, and of course she got the short end of it. "Well, you shouldn't be! You're the one who's supposed to be fishing right now, not me! Can't you at least do what you're supposed to and hunt for a change? You know, instead of playing with your magic water?" Sukka mocked.

"It's not magic water, it's bending," Kata argued, looking quite offended. "And I did catch a fish! If you had just turned around when I called you, you would have seen it. Plus, you were the one that poked the bubble in the first place! If you didn't do that, I wouldn't have lost control,"

So, that was what hit me, Sukka thought with annoyance. "Well so-rry we can't all be splashing around in puddles. You're not even supposed to be doing it like that! Gran Gran said you were supposed to learn how to hunt like the rest of the men, why can't you just be normal for once?"

"Excuse me" Kata hissed. "You're the one that volunteers to go with me every time," he said, waving his gloved hand at his sister. "You keep offering to come along and then all you do is whine and complain and do it yourself,"

"That because you don't do it right," Sukka sputtered.

"No, it's because you like doing it," Kata accused, clearly fed up with his sister's bone-headedness. "Why can't you be normal? Stay behind with the other women and learn to sew and cook," Kata growled.

Sukka had to admit, her brother had a point. She glanced at her rippling reflection in the ocean as her brother continued on his rant. Why do I like this stuff? I'm not supposed to...

But she did, and she was good at it! Not like sewing where she made more holes than patched. Not like cooking where she burned herself and anyone in three feet of her. She wasn't even useful for marriage seeing as her brother was the only boy of age in the tribe. But hunting… boy's stuff…. That she could do. She did it, and did it happily, to cover her brother's secret waterbending practice. I want to do more, she realized. I want to be a warrior. She wondered if it would have just been easier to be born a guy.

At his sister's silent contemplation, Kata's speech quieted. "Hey," he said in a hush, placing a reassuring hand on his sister's shoulder. Sukka looked up, eyes sad and confused but not tearful. "I'm sorry, that was a low blow…. You know I love you… and your not weird for liking this stuff," Kata murummered.

Sukka wondered briefly if he was apologizing for what she had heard, or if he said something worse while she zoned out. Eh, so long as I didn't hear. "Thanks, Kata, but I think the village would disagree,"

Kata gave her a sympathetic look, but said nothing. The village was their clan: their family! Kata didn't hate his sister for her oddness, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be looked down upon by the rest of their people. And no matter how much they didn't want to admit it, what their village said went. "Come on, how about we try getting seals instead of fish," Kata tried to comfort her.

Sukka gave him a small smile and nodded. That sounded nice and it would let them forget about all their problems for a bit.

Or at least it would have if the world hadn't suddenly decided to turn upside down. Literally. A sudden surge from the water toppled the sibling's kanoe and sent them overboard. Then they meet the Avatar.

Yeah… thanks, universe. I figured you'd do something like that.

.~.~.~.

Of course he'd go out to play with airboy!

Sukka stopped in her sewing practice and sighed. As she examined the pair of pants in her hands, she couldn't tell if it was better or worse from when she first got it. What in…. Sukka lifted the pants, but felt it tug at something. Raking her fingers over the pants and turning it this way and that, she saw what had caught onto the clothes. I sewed it to the tent? Oh boy… definitely worse off. Sukka groaned in frustration and let the pants drop to the icey floor. It's not fair, she thought as she rose from the ground and pushed her way past the tent flaps. Her brother was playing with some kid when he should be hunting or training. All the while, she was stuck at the tent mending clothes. Well... more like destroying them.

Sukka stomped away from the tent and outside the meek walls of their village. She was going to drag Kata back by the ear if she had to. Nailed dug into her palms as she curled her hands into fists. Her brother shouldn't even be trusting that kid. No one just pops up out of the ocean all okay and dandy.

The angry stomping came to a halt as a blazing light lit the sky. "Oh no," she whispered, staring up at the beckon. That couldn't be good. Spirits, it probably wasn't too off from disastrous. The pale blue light - almost too blinding to look at - was an endless pillar in the sky. Omashu could probably see that. The Earth King, inside his palace in the heart of Ba Sing Se, could probably see that. A shudder went through her as a sudden thought struck.

Fire Nation could see that.

Sukka turned around and raced to find Gran Gran, betting a month of seal jerky rations it had to do with that Aang kid.

It didn't take long before Kata and Aang showed up again. Sukkta waited beside the rest of their village with the most threatening disposition she could muster. The moment the two boys were close enough that they could hear her, Sukka began, "You! I knew you were nothing but trouble! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare, didn't you?"

Kata stepped between his sister and Aang quickly. "Aang didn't do anything! It was an accident," he argued.

"Yeah," Aang cut in, poking his head over Kata's shoulder. "We were on that abandoned ship. We didn't know it was booby trapped! We… boobyed right into it," Aang said, at least looking abashed by his actions.

"Kata, you know that ship is forbidden. It could have been dangerous," she argued, stalking up to her younger brother to look down her nose at him.

"It wasn't his fault," Aang quickly cut in, coming to stand beside Kata, "it was my idea."

"So you confess," Sukka declared, poking the young air nomad in the chest. Sukka squared her shoulders before looking back at the village behind her. "Everyone, away from this traitor! The foreigner has brought us danger and therefore banished," she declared. She may not be a man, but she was the Chief's daughter dammit! She had authority.

"Sukka, you're making a mistake," Kata growled, clenching fists at his sides.

"No, I'm protecting his village," she declared, refusing to back down.

"Gran Gran?" Kata asked desperately, looking at the last villager still idling by the entrance.

The old woman shook her head. "I am sorry, Kata, but you know that ship was forbidden. I agree with Sukka, I think it is about time our guest left,"

"Then..." Kata began, shifting eyes everywhere desperately for some sort of solution. "Then I'm banished too," he replied, whipping around to the shocked airbender. "Come on, Aang," he spat, still furious with his sister.

"No," Aang drawled, "Kata, I don't want to come between you and your family." Aang looked to Sukka and gave a slight nod of his head. "I'll leave," he agreed.

Kata gave Aang pleading eyes, but after a moment accepted his decision. They exchanged goodbyes and after a swift hug before the young boy left. Kata immediately turned on his sister. "Happy now? There goes the world's last hope,"

"Yeah, well right now you're this village's last hope," Sukka said pointedly, but voice softening. "Get inside and get into your warrior's armor, the Fire Navy will be here any minute and you're the only one to defend us," She said softly.

Still fuming, Kata shouldered passed his sister and into the village. I want to help, Kata. Really, I do! But what can I do? Sukka looked at her hands, tender and still pale with being pricked so many times. I can't bend. I can't wield a weapon. I can't fight. I'm just a girl. I want to, but I can't.

Sukka sighed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her parka. The afternoon wasn't usually this chilled, was it?

Sukka trudged her way back inside the walls. She needed to grab the children and hide them away. At least if there was another raid, the Southern Water Tribe could still survive.

.~.~.~.

One black piece of ash falling like snow was all it took.

Sukka stared up at the sky in immobilized fear. It's happening… again! Sukka bit her lip before tearing her eyes away from the blue sky. It would likely turn gray from smoke and she just didn't want to see that. Sukka rushed another pair of kids into the igloo and told them to keep quiet. Two elders sat with them to keep the kids from wailing. She knew they were scared. Spirits, she was scared too! But now was not the time.

Sukka raced out of the igloo in time to see her brother - now adorned in traditional warrior's clothing and war paint - and followed into step with him. "Remember no bending," Sukka ordered him unnecessarily. The siblings knew Kata would never bend infront of Fire Nation soldiers. If he did, what their mom died for would have been for nothing. But Sukka didn't want to lose the last of her dwindling family, and she'd be damned if she didn't remind her brother though they were fighting.

"I know," he replied coldly, refusing to look at his sister. Sukka halted and watched as her brother continued to the watch tower and stood there. Our only hope is my little brother. The same guy that can barely hold a spear. She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry.

It wasn't long before the shadow of a ship came into view. The metal monster was booking it to their little patch of ice. If the ship didn't slow down soon, they'd tear right into the village. Not that they'd care, Sukka thought venomously to herself. The concerned voices from behind her brought her attention back to the igloo. Older women called to her to come back to them, but it didn't feel right. She should be out there helping Kata, woman or not! But… that was not the ways of the Water Tribe. You better stay alive little brother, Sukka thought to herself before running back to her people.

It felt like hours before the Navy ship finally made it to their home. The sound of metal scrapping ice rang clear through the village, as well as the sound of snow toppling and the indigent yelp of her brother. That tears it! Sukka stood from where she was huddled with some of the older women and bolted out the door. The sound of smaller feet followed her, but she hardly noticed.

Outside, Kata had just freed himself from out of the snow pile he was buried under. The boy shook of the remaining snow with obvious annoyance and tightened his hold on his club. He hadn't noticed his sudden audience.

The Navy ship had broken through a few yards of ice before dropping their ramp. A moment later, three soldiers stepped out of the shadows of the inner ship and made their way towards the village.

Kata charged for them with club posed above his head. Sukka winced as she watched. Bad move, bro. The hell are you thinking? You're gonna get creamed!

The soldier in the middle didn't so much as flinch at the sight. A swift crescent kick and the club was gone. An opening formed as Kata looked stunned and the soldier grabbed him by the front of his parka before throwing him off the side of the ramp. Sukka took in a sharp breath as Kata hit the pile of snow. Hopefully it softened the fall, but that wouldn't matter if he landed wrong. Please be okay.

Sukka clutched her grandmother's arm, partily to protect the elder and part for her own reassurance. The soldier approached before stopping in front of her and Gran Gran. Pale gold eyes looked over the line villagers.

Sukka knitted her eyebrows together. Getting a closer look at the soldier, she noticed something was off about him. There was a disfiguring scar eating the left half of his face, but the right looked… soft. High cheek bones that were dusted with a light blush. Sharp features and sharper eyes, but his long, dark lashes looked mesmerizing against his skin. Full lips that were pink and glistened in the sunlight. It was a face that belonged on a tapestry. Minus the whole burn thing. Not to mention his figure looked oddly curved under that armor. The chest plate was also unusually bulky. Sukka wondered how that could have been comfortable to wear.

"Where is he?"

Oh.

That was it. The soldier's voice had a rough edge to it - like some of the elders that smoked too much when they were young - but it was clearly a woman's.

"I know he's here, where are you hiding him?" She asked again.

Sukka's widened and her mind raced. A women in the army? Unheard of! Impossible! But… it was as clear as day. A female soldier… and not just any soldier, no, she's the commander! A high ranking woman that gave orders to an entire ship. And they listened! She's good too. That kick was just enough force to keep Kata away without overexertion or unnecessary bloodshed.

Sukka had clench her jaw to make sure it didn't hang open. There was an odd feeling in her chest. Hot and swelling as though she had just swam for miles. Despite herself, Sukka felt hopeful. If there were female soldiers, then maybe it just her village that was like this. If she left, she could be accepted as the warrior she felt she was and not the women she was born as. She could leave the village. Leave and make something of herself. Make her dad proud. Her people proud. She could-

The Fire Nation woman grabbed Kanna and yanked the elderly woman closer to her. "He'd be about this old? Master of all four elements," She prompted, shaking the elder. Oh hell no.

"Get off of her," Sukka growled, lunging for the soldier.

The woman pushed Kanna away before sidestepping Sukka's pathetic attack. Sukka whirled back at the soldier, but a sweeping motion of booted feet and an iron grip sent Sukka back in line with the rest of her people. Sukka attempted to get back to her feet, but a small fireball shot at the ground kept her still. Great, she's a firebender too. Sukka could have slapped herself in the forehead. Of course she'd fuck up this bad. Attack a firebending Navy commander? Sure, why not?

Kata - wonderful Kata - took that moment to come back with a spear. The firebender didn't even need to look before grabbing the wooden shaft, breaking it in her grip, and using the broken spear to poke Kata in the forehead and off his feet.

"I'm done playing nice," She growled, steam blowing past her lips. "Where. Is. The. Avatar,"

"Right here,"

Aang glided in on the back of a seal otter. The firebender was knocked off her feet and landed in an undignified pose with her helmet on her butt. Sukka had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from snickering.

"Kata, Sukka," Aang greeted, leaping off the seal otter.

"Aang," Kata cheered, still sitting in the snow.

"Hi, Aang, thanks for coming," Sukka muttered.

The firebender was up and looked royally pissed. She readied her stance and after a banter with the twelve year old airbender, the two exchanged blows.

That's kind of impressive. Sukka looked to her brother who had been beaten by a poke to the head. She herself hadn't fared better, having been thrown around like a rag doll. Okay, really impressive. It was hard to admire the Navy commander - she was the enemy after all - but woman to woman, it was amazing. There was power and strategy in every move. Bet no one makes her sew pants.

But the feeling of awe died as soon as Aang gave himself up and was marched into the ship. Sukka felt the wave of unjust anger overpower the strange new inspiration. This was the enemy, not some hero to look up to.