OKIE, WELL THIS IS CHAPTER ONE, KINDA PROUD OF IT, BUT DON'T WANNA BRAG. SORRY IF YA HATE IT, KEEP CRITISM TO YOURSELF, UNLESS IT'S CONSTRUCTIVE, AND YA.
OH AND I DON'T, WILL NOT, AND NEVER HAVE, OWNED ATLA, SADLY.
YOU'RE JUST AWFUL!" I huffed at my dumb adopted brother, Sokka. We, and my other adopted sister Katara, a few months older, were fishing when after accidentally fire bending, I'd somehow managed to startle him enough to lose control of the boat. And that is why we were now sitting in the middle of the ocean on a lone iceberg, drifting aimlessly. Cold and frustrated Sokka had instantly started blaming me, but really it wasn't my fault. He knows I can't control my bending, and keeping it a secret was a hassle.
"Sokka, it wasn't her fault, you know she can't control it yet." Katara soothed, becoming the peacekeeper between, a role that she often had to assume.
Sokka sighed, exasperated, "Ya see, this is why women shouldn't go fishing." Uh Oh now he'd done it.
Katara's eyebrow twitched and a second later she exploded, ranting and flailing her arms. I paid it no attention, I mean sure I hated that Sokka could be a sexist ass when he wanted to but I always proved him wrong. I'd shown up in a deserted fire nation boat when I was only five, no memory of what'd happened to me, or the other people on the boat. The water Tribe warriors had cautiously inspected the ship and were just about to leave when I sneezed. I guess it was good luck that made me do it, I probably would've died if I had continued hiding form them like that, but they were just so strange and like nothing I'd ever seen before, their tan skin and bright blue eyes, it was so opposite to my pale white skin and gold eyes. My orange hair was also an oddity but that was forgivable I suppose. They brought me back to the village and the chief and his wife adopted me.
I'm not sure why they would want a five year old fire bender girl who'd barely learned how to master her element. The war, that the fire benders started didn't help my chances either, but Mum was a kind and loving woman, and Da was very understanding, I guess they looked past what I looked like and saw the potential I had. Unfortunately that same potential was invisible to me. When I was younger the other kids would tease me, well since I am a fire bender, who unluckily grew up in the Southern Water Tribe, I had no control over my element. Those kids usually crawled home with burns covering them, and some still have the scars. Everyone learned pretty quickly to leave me alone, but not Sokka. He is my best friend, and Kat too.
Sokka had immediately taken to me but Katara had taken a little convincing. When me and Katara were eight and Sokka was nine the fire nation raided our village. I had been playing with Katara and Sokka when it happened. I hadn't hid, I'd ran into battle close on Sokka's heels, between the two of us we took out a fire bender. Katara had run to find mum, I'd always called her mum, not mom as they had. After we found out she'd died, Katara couldn't look me in the face for a month, I think she blamed me, she knew it wasn't my fault but she needed someone to blame.
Well when I fell into the ocean, trying to prove to Sokka that girls can be just as tough she tearfully apologized and we had a little reunion.
But now we were stuck on an iceberg. Looking up at a loud crack, startled from my reminiscing I gaped at the large iceberg that Katara had managed to crack. With a booming crack and splash it toppled over and fell, making a giant wave almost turn our tiny iceberg over. Taken off guard I almost fell into the ocean only Sokka grabbing the front of my parka saved me. Katara was staring open mouthed at the remains of the iceberg.
"You've gone from weird to freakish Katara." Sokka grumbled as we beheld the floating wreckage.
"You mean I did that?" Katara questioned, awe in her voice.
"Yes you did, and I would thank you not to repeat it, I almost fell into the ocean, and I don't need a repeat incident of what happened when we were eight." I griped.
Katara blushed, "I didn't mean to, I'm so-" she began, cutting off when I ran over to the other side of the iceberg.
"Look at that!" I exclaimed, pointing to the largest piece of iceberg, inside was a figure. "It's a person," suddenly the form's eyes opened, glowing blue-white from through the frosted ice. "He's alive!" I yelled, "We gotta help him," and grabbing Sokka's club, earning a hopeless protest from him, I jumped from iceberg to iceberg before arriving at the largest.
The other's followed, albeit reluctantly, they had suddenly become hesitant to leave our beloved tiny iceberg behind. Grabbing the hilt of the club with both hands I smashed it against the side of the iceberg encasing the body. Three times I hit it until with a blast of air it cracked, and with a beam of light, shooting up into the sky crumbled inward, creating another wave. Thrown back by the blast I slid back into Sokka and Katara.
Little did we know that that beam of light would shatter the makeshift peace that our tiny village had had for years. Far off in the ocean was a fire nation cruiser.
We stared wide eyed as the figure slowly raised itself up to the lip of the shell it had created, it's eyes still glowing before, with a moan toppling over and down the side.
With a cry Katara flew forward catching the body before it hit the packed ice. Coming forward also Sokka and I saw that it was a kid, twelve, by the looks of him, dressed in strange clothes, not only that but a blue arrow was inked into his skin, pointing to his forehead and going back down into his shirt. "You'd better watch it Kat," I cautioned, "he moaned before he fell, it could be a zombie." taking a step back, ready to flee if it proved dangerous.
At my warning Sokka started poking the boys head with his spear, hoping to wake it up and see. "Get away from him!" Katara shouted, shielding his head with her shoulder before turning back when he moaned again.
"Ya see Kat, Zombie." I affirmed, gesturing at him, "You'd better drop him before he eats you." at this Sokka jumped back from where he had been standing beside them. Katara frowned at me before laying the kid's head down gently on the ice and touching his cheek. Slowly the boy opened his eyes.
Seeing Katara above him he gasped before saying in a whisper, "Come closer, I have to tell you something." his voice hoarse and scratchy.
Katara leaned forward, ignoring my cautionary whisper, "He's a zombie, Kat." and asked, "What, what is it."
Suddenly the previous indisposed boy was bright and vibrant, almost shouting, "Will you go penguin sledding with me!" Katara leaned back as the boy floated into a standing position, making Sokka freak.
I just laughed, "Well Zombie, what's your name?" I asked chuckling a little. This kid was just plain weird.
Seeing me the boy gasped again, zooming closer he poked me saying, "You don't look like them, you look like a fire bender." his voice full of awe.
That struck a tender spot in me, I'd always felt that the rest of the tribe, outside of Mum and Sokka, and Da, had never really accepted me, knocking his hand away with a wave of my hand, I breathed out steam and growled, "What's it you?"
He zoomed away from me, his hand red from where I'd breathed on it and behind Katara, who looked at me with a disapproving face. "I'm Aang," he called out from behind Katara's shoulder, seeing it unwise to refuse to answer my question.
Sokka was suspicious as he sternly questioned the zoned out kid, "Why were you in the iceberg, and why aren't you frozen?" he demanded, poking Aang in the side again with eh but of his spear.
Aang absently swatted the offending spear away as he looked back, answering with a confused, "I don't know." before hearing a rumble from the other side of the ice wall he scrambled up it. Walking around I stopped dead when I saw a giant buffalo.
"Uh guys," I called out, beckoning them crazily to come see, "The zombie has a giant buffalo."
"Yeah right, Zephyr, I thought you grew out of lyin-" Sokka began as he and Katara rounded the corner, only to stop dead a few feet behind me.
Turning, "For your information, Sokka, I haven't stopped lying, I've just gotten better at it." then facing the giant buffalo and the zombie I walked over, straight faced and reached up to pet the bison's head. I noticed an arrow running, like Aangs an pointing to it's forehead.
"Zephyr stop, that thing'll eat you!" Sokka cried out, I only stuck my tongue out at him as Katara forward, wanting to pet it's creamy fur too.
"This is Appa," Aang exclaimed, sitting on the beast's head. On it's back was a saddle and reins were attached to its horns. "He's my flying Bison." Aang announced proudly, ruffling the bisons hair. Abruptly Appa reared up and sneezed, shooting snot all over Sokka, who freaked, once again at the slime covering him, frantically fell down and started rubbing himself all over the snow.
Turning back towards Aang, I asked, "Can we ride him? Or is the saddle just for show?" gesturing to the grey saddle.
"Oh, do you guys have a way of getting, getting, gett- ACHOO!" Aang sneezed, flying twenty feet in the air, making me fall back in surprise.
Sokka, who'd recovered nicely from the coating of snot that had just covered him went slack jawed as Aang fell back down sliding to a stand still down the side of the iceberg. "You-You just sneezed, and flew fifteen feet in the air." he stammered out, his spear loose in his grip.
"Really, it felt higher." Aang questioned, looking up and scratching his head.
"You're an air bender!" Kat exclaimed, amazement in her voice as she stared at Aang her eyes shining.
"Sure am." Aang affirmed rubbing his nose, and grinning.
"Well that's new." I interjected, "But can someone tell me how we're supposed to get off this thing?" I questioned gesturing to the water around us. Katara and Sokka looked helplessly around them.
"Well, do you need a ride? Appa and I could help, do you guys live around here." Aang began only to be cut off by Sokka who, thrusting his spear in his face exclaimed, "Don't answer that! Did you see that flash, he probably signalled the fire nation." pointing at the sky.
"Oh yeah sure he's a Fire Nation spy, you can tell by that evil look in his eye." Katara said, exaggerating her words.
"I don't think the Fire Nation hires zombies," was all I added to that. Everyone looked at me strangely, "Well I just don't think so." I finished, growing uneasy with everyone looking at me.
"But wait, aren't you from the Fire Nation?" Aang questioned, looking confused, "Why are you here in the Water Tribe, and why would it be bad if the Fire Nation was signalled?" he finished. We all stared at him, like he had grown an extra head, "What?" he asked growing self conscious.
"Where have you been for the last hundred years, zombie?" I asked looking incredulously at him. Katara sent me a reproving look, "What, it's not like any of you weren't thinking it?" I said in defence.
Katara looked at Aang, "There has been a war fro the last couple of years, the Fire Nation has been trying to take over the world. The avatar disappeared and everyone thinks he wasn't born into the next generation." Katara explained looking down. "Zephyr, showed up on a Fire Nation ship that was full of dead people. She was the only survivor." Katara continued in a quieter voice, sneaking glances at me. I kept my face stoic and used my long years of practice to not burst into tears when she came to the part about everyone being dead. I never remember those days, living among the dead, taking food from the galley when I was hungry and trying not to watch the carrion crows and maggots feed on the corpses surrounding me.
Suddenly a hand was on my shoulder. Jumping I looked up quickly only to see Sokka looking ahead at Aang, a cautionary look on his face. Looking over at Aang I saw how his face was a maelstrom of emotions. "Well can you give us a ride, or not." I broke in, trying to get that look of pity off Aangs face, I hated pity.
Aang brightened instantly, and exclaimed, "Sure, you'll see, Appa really can fly." he reaffirmed when he saw Sokka's sceptical look as he climbed the bisons head.
A few minutes later saw us al on the back on the saddle as Aang sat in the front, the reins in his hands. "You just watch," he said, grinning back at us as he looked forward shouting, YIP, YIP!" gathering breath Appa leaped into the air, only to come crashing back down into the ocean, where he swam towards the main land. "Come on Appa, YIP, YIP." Aang tried again, only to have Appa groan at him.
Looking back at us Aang smiled sheepishly, "Appa's just a little tired, you'll see. Pretty soon he'll be soaring through the air."
"Sure." Sokka snorted as he sat dejectedly in the back.
Back on the Fire Nation boat.
"Helmsman!" cried out Zuko, "Head a course for the light." and staring back ahead he thought, 'Finally, the Avatar.'
"Prince Zuko, you should really relax, it's probably just the celestial lights." his uncle Iroh reasoned. Iroh was a simple man with simple pleasures.
"No it was the Avatar, I'm sure of it." Zuko insisted through clenched teeth.
Iroh sighed, "Even if it is the Avatar, you won't find him. Your father, your Grandfather, and your grandfather's father all searched for him and all failed.' Iroh reminded, shaking his head.
"That's because their honour didn't depend on the Avatar's capture." Zuko argued through clenched teeth. Determination shone in his eye.
"Hey," Katara said, having crawled to the front of the saddle and was now staring down at Aang as he easily reclined on Appa's neck. Zephyr and Sokka were fighting in the background over whether Aang was really a zombie or not.
"Hey," Aang answered, staring contentedly up at Katara's face. "Watcha thinking about?" he asked, not moving his gaze.
"Well, you're an air bender right?" Katara asked.
"Yup, all my life," Aang answered still laying back, though he now looked more alert.
"Did you know the Avatar?" Katara asked hesitantly.
Aang sat up fully alert now and looking to the side answered slowly, "No, I knew of him, but I didn't know him, why?" he asked turning his grey eyes towards Katara.
"No reason," Katara answered then looking back, hearing the fight between Zephyr and Sokka worsen she added, "I'd better get back there, we wouldn't want blood on your fancy saddle." and with that she crawled away.
Aang released a breath after she'd gone, 'What am I gonna do?' he thought to himself miserably.
The sun was rising in a cloudless sky as Aang was shaken awake by Zephyr. "Hey Zombie," she called, kicking his sleeping bag, "Time for you to wake up now. Ya gotta meet the village." then she left.
Aang sat up and pulling his shirt on he lumbered out, still half asleep. Yawning he stepped out of the hole only to be grabbed by Katara and yanked across the clearing that the tents made to the entrance. Gesturing to the assembly of women and children she announced, "Aang this is the entire village, entire village this is Aang." no one spoke or said anything.
Laughing nervously Aang said, "Hi everyone." Turning to Sokka eh asked, "Why are they staring at me?" only to be answered by Zephyr.
"Cause they think you're a zombie." she sadi with a straight face all the while having Sokka sicker behind her back.
"Because we didn't know there were any Airbenders left." said a very old looking woman with a solemn face.
"Aang, this is Gran Gran." Katara said stepping to the elderly lady's side.
"She's the unofficial ruler of the South Pole." said Zephyr in Aangs ear. "aren't you Gran Gran?" Zephyr smiled across the gap at the Elder who smiled the first smile that Aang had seen so far.
"Of course not." she admonished, but with a twinkle in her eye.
"What did you mean, no air benders left?" Aang questioned, almost fearful of the answer.
"The Air benders were known as extinct for a hundred years, then my grandchildren found you." Gran Gran explained, her face adopting its solemn expression once again.
"Extinct?" Aang repeated, looking confused. "But that can't be." he persisted, shaking his head.
"Yes it can." Gran Gran insisted, then turning she took Katara by the arm, and leading her away she said, "Come on Katara, it's time for your chores."
Katara looked over her shoulder at Aang, calling out, "Okay, See ya later Aang." then turning back around she continued on with her grandmother.
Aang looked wistfully after Katara, until Zephyr interrupted his thoughts, "Yeah, you like Katara." she simply said, looking after them too. Before Aang could protest she continued. "Yup, her being the chiefs daughter got her a lot of suitors too, when she turned 13."
"What happened to them?" Aang asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"Oh they went off to fight the war, the only reason Sokka didn't go was because he was a year too young." she gestured over to where Sokka was trying to control a bunch of toddlers.
"OHH." Aang said. "Why don't you have to do chores?" he asked, changing the subject.
"What you don't like me? I'm sad now." Zephyr joked with a grin on her face. Growing serious again she explained, "I just never did them so Gran Gran stopped making me." then with a smile she turned to face Aang again exclaiming, "Katara should be done her chores in an hour or so, then she can hang out. Sokka is teaching one of his, How To Be A Warrior, classes so that'll be boring. What do you wanna do?" she questioned.
Aang's face lit up, "Do you wanna go Penguin Sledding with me?" he asked excitement making him levitate an inch off the ground.
Zephyr laughed, "Sure, but do you wanna wait for Katara?" but Aang wasn't listening, instead he was staring, transfixed at something behind her. Turning around Zephyr spotted a penguin standing on the ridge that sheltered the camp. Suddenly a rush of air made her flinch and spin around only to fin Aang nowhere to be seen. Seeing others people who were playing outside start to shriek with laughter and pint at the sky she looked up. High above them was Aang hanging onto a glider that had gone unnoticed before. Noticing the people on the ground Aang wheeled around and started to show off, executing a loop, right into Sokka's watch tower. Katara, who'd gone outside to get more firewood fro the main tent ran over to help him, beaming. "That was amazing Aang!" she called out as she pulled him out of the snow drift he was stuck in. Sokka in the meantime was frantically trying to keep the top of his watch tower up.
Zephyr laughed, running up she clutched her side, "That was the funniest thing I've seen all year!" she giggled. Regaining her composure, "Hey Katara," she asked, "You done your chores yet?"
"Oh, yeah, all finished, Gran Gran just wanted me to patch up a tear in the tarp at the main tent."
"Great, then you can come penguin sledding with us." Zephyr decided then turning she walked away towards the ridge on the far side of camp.
Katara grabbed Aangs hand and ran off after her, oblivious to Aangs look of utter happiness.
Half an hour later their penguins slid out of the ice tunnel and in front of an abandoned fire navy ship. "Look at that!" Aang exclaimed, falling off his penguin.
"That's the ship I got here on." Zephyr quietly explained, looking at the ship with a grave expression on her face.
"Can we go in it?" asked Aang, walking forward into it's shadow, only to be stopped by Katara's yell.
"Aang no, we're forbidden to go near it." she shouted, looking fearfully at the ship, as if it was some dangerous animal that would pounce on them if they got too near.
"Katara, you're a water bender right? Well to be a good bender, you have to let go of fear." he said looking at her in an understanding way. Katara still looked undecided, "Zephyr are you coming?" he asked.
Zephyr stared at the ship with a haunted expression in her eyes. "I was on that ship for who knows how long, and I don't plan on spending another minute near it." and with that she turned to go away.
Katara grabbed her shoulder stopping her, "Zephyr, then just wait for us outside okay? It's getting dark anyways, and it's dangerous for someone to be out by themselves here, you know that." Zephyr sighed and with one last hateful look at the ship nodded. Don't tell me what you saw, I've seen it all before and don't want or need to see it again." and with that she went and sat on the snow a few meters away form the ship.
Katara looked at her affectionately before turning and with a deep breath walked into the shadow towards Aang, who holding out her hand took it without hesitation. They walked over to the edge of the ship and Aang picked up Katara and jumped up to the deck.
Landing they looked around, all around them were bones, bleached white by the sun and the pounding of the elements. Skirting any skeletons they reached the door into the depths of the ship. Going down the passed doors and doors, looking in each one until they entered a weapon store room. Entering the room Katara started explaining to Aang how her father found Zephyr. "Wait, why would it be dangerous for a Fire Nation ship to come here?" Aang asked confused. "I have friends all over the world, and in the fire Nation, it doesn't make sense." he shook his head.
Katara regarded Aang thoughtfully, "Aang, how long do you think you were in that iceberg?" Katara asked hesitantly.
"I dunno, a few days I guess." Aang answered absent minded.
"I think it was more like a hundred years." Katara said awe entering her voice as she looked at Aang.
"Wait a sec, do I look alike a hundred year old man to you?" Aang asked, his voice doubtful.
"But just think about it Aang, the war is a century old, and since you know nothing about it, you must've been frozen before it happened." Katara insisted, excitement in her voice.
Aang looked shocked, "A HUNDRED YEARS!" he said, sitting down heavily on the snowy floor of the abandoned ship.
Looking at him with compassion Katara sat down next to him and, putting her hand on his shoulder she said in a gentle voice, "I'm sorry Aang, but maybe there's a silver lining to this." she continued.
"I did get to meet you." Aang mentioned, smiling up at her, Katara smiled back.
"Come on lets get out of here." she said pulling him up.
Walking around Katara tripped over a thin wire stretched across the floor and seconds later they heard the scream of a flare go up and explode in the sky.
Acting quickly, unsure of what would happen next Aang grabbed Katara and jumped out the window. Landing they saw Zephyr already on her feet, her mouth open, shocked at what happened. Running to her they both grabbed one of her hands and tugging her around took off, racing back towards the village, all three kids spooked.
Out at sea the flare was watched by Prince Zuko through a telescope. Seeing Aang and Katara jump out of the port hole and race towards a strange looking person Zuko yelled to a nearby crew member, "Wake my Uncle, tell him, I've found the Avatar."
WELL, WHAT DID YA THINK. I'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE SEASONS EPISODE BY EPISODE, SO YUP. R&R PLEASE.