Boy in the Iceberg and the Kamen Rider

by GammaTron

The full title is 'The Boy in the Iceberg and the first Kamen Rider,' but it wouldn't fit. A human from our world ends up in the Avatar's world during the 100 Year War...with the power of all Riders.

1. Water: The Journey Begins

The Boy in the Iceberg and the Kamen Rider of another World.

GammaTron: I've always loved watching the series 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' and am really loving the sequel involving our new Avatar, Korra. I own only Saito/Kamen Rider Soul and Netto/SentaiSoul.

---

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days; a time of peace when the Avatar kept peace between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless Firebenders, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the War. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe traveled to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world.

---

The icy sea of the South Pole was littered with icebergs, drifting in the water. Over a large snow-covered iceberg where the untouched snow blanket was broken by two tracks of footsteps. Little chunks of ice were drifting on a line in the sea. Amongst all those icebergs, there was a little canoe. In it were two teenagers, one a boy and the other a girl, both wearing blue and white bulky fur-made clothing. The boy, with tan/dark skin with his black hair done up in a warrior wolf's tail, held his spear to the ready while the girl, with the same skin as the boy with her brown/black hair done up in a small bun with two loops on the sides of her face, stared into the water on the other side of the boat, a fish swimming close to the surface right in front of the boy. The focused boy was following its every movement, hunger evident in his eyes.

"It's not getting away from me this time," the boy grinned confidently over his shoulder toward his sister, "Watch and learn, Katara. This is how you catch a fish."

Katara wasn't impressed by the statement of her brother. When she looked over the side of the boat again, she is surprised to see that another fish swims by right underneath where she was sitting. She shot a quick glance toward her brother before removing the glove of her left hand. She stretched her arm out in the direction of the fish while taking a deep breath. Her look was a mixture of concentration and doubt while she started to make a wavy motion with her wrist, moving her hand up and down. Her was still focused on the fish in front of him and completely unaware of what was happening behind his back. The water in front of Katara started to ripple, and all of a sudden a bubble of water shot up, holding the fish in its center.

"Sokka, look!" Katara exclaimed with excitement.

"Sshh! Katara, you're going to scare it away," Sokka shushed her, a look of bliss adorning his face, as he wetted his lips with his tongue and wiggled his fingers without letting the fish out of his sight, "Mmmm... I can already smell it cookin'."

Meanwhile behind Sokka's back, Katara was making circular movements with both her arms, suspending the bubble of water that held the fish in the air and moving it around. Her face was contorted with the focus it took to keep the water floating and moving in the air.

Katara, struggling with the water that passes right in front of her, continued, "But, Sokka! I caught one!"

The bubble containing her fish slowly drifted over her head toward Sokka who was still oblivious to his sister's success. The moment the bubble hovered over his head, Sokka raised his spear to strike the fish he was following. He burst the bubble of water with the butt of his weapon, accidentally releasing the fish and soaking him. Katara followed the arc of the fish as it soared through the air and into the sea.

"Hey!" Katara exclaimed in annoyance.

"Ugh!" Sokka growled as he turned around angrily to face his sister while placing his spear parallel on the rim of the boat, "Why is it that every time you play with magic water, I get soaked?"

"Urch. It's not magic, it's Waterbending! And it's..." Katara sighed in annoyance as Sokka clenched his fists, wringing out some of the water.

"Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, blah, blah, blah. Look, I'm just saying…" he paused to grab his warrior's wolf knot and squeezed the water out of it, "…that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself."

Katara raised an eyebrow while holding her arms crossed, "You're calling me weird? I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water!"

Katara smiled mockingly at her brother as he was looking at his arm muscles in his reflection in the water. His happy look vanished upon hearing his sister's remark. He turned around slowly to face her, but before they can continue their quarrel they were shaken and with a shock, Sokka realized that the boat has strayed into dangerous rapids, swiftly heading for a barrier of ice that was crushing everything in its path. Sokka paddled the boat in an attempt to stay clear of any floating chunks of ice. He managed to gain just enough speed to keep the boat from being crushed by two icebergs that slammed together right behind the boat.

Katara backseat-paddled as they hit one of the chunks of ice, "Watch out! Go left! Go left!"

The ice floes moved closer together in front of the boat, narrowing their path. The boat managed to stay clear of some of the icebergs, but then it was completely crushed between two ice floes. Katara and Sokka narrowly managed to save themselves by jumping on one of the floes. Katara nearly slid off again, but came to a halt just at the rim of the floe. The waters had calmed down again and the duo was floating astray amongst numerous ice floes with no chance of escaping. Katara quickly scrambled away from the rim to the middle of the floe where her brother landed. His spear stood upright beside him in the ice.

"You call that left?"

"You don't like my steering? Well, maybe you should've…" Sokka mockingly made some Waterbending movements, "Waterbened us out of the ice."

"So it's my fault?"

"I knew I should've left you home!" Sokka growled in annoyance,Katara staring at her brother in anger while he just calmly sat, "Leave it to a girl to screw things up!"

Katara's eye twitched, her face contorting with anger and annoyance. Katara pointed at her brother, snapping.

"You are the most sexist…" She brought her hands up and swung them back down to emphasize her words, the movement creating a small wave of water behind her,
"…immature, nut brained..." she repeated the movement and the water behind her followed her every gesture, "I'm embarrassed to be related to you!"

She swung her hands back with such force that the iceberg behind her cracked. Sokka, annoyed with his sister's outburst, was staring to the ground, but looked up when he heard the iceberg crack. Katara continued her outburst and violent movements, causing little chunks of ice to come loose from the iceberg.

"Ever since mom died, I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!"

She emphasized those last words again by a strong swing of her hand, thus unknowingly enlarging the crack in the iceberg with her Waterbending. Sokka, seeing what Katara's rage was doing to the iceberg, cowered away.

"Uh... Katara..." Sokka began as he pointed to the iceberg behind her, fright evident in his voice, as Katara began to point at him.

"I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, not pleasant!" As she yelled out that last word, she unconsciously Waterbent, causing another split in the chunk of ice.

Sokka in a screeching voice, his eyes open wide in fear, begged, "Katara, settle down!"

"No, that's it! I'm done helping you! From now on, you're on your own!"

Her last movement caused the split behind her to crack even further, moving from the base to the top of the iceberg. Sokka gasped for air and it was only now that Katara noticed the chunk of ice behind her. She turned around to see it collapse and they were sent back several feet by the large wave caused by the falling ice. Sokka held a protective arm over Katara while they were both lying flat on the floe, trying to stay on.

"Okay, you've gone from weird to freakish, Katara," Sokka snorted as he let her go.

"You mean I did that?"

"Yep. Congratulations," Sokka congratulated, sarcasm heavy in his tone, as he gave a nudge with his elbow to her.

Suddenly, the water beneath them began to glow a brilliant blue. As strange bubbles came out of the water, the two siblings cowered back from the rim, scrambling back on their feet. Without warning, an enormous iceberg burst to the surface. Katara strayed closer and stared at the iceberg while Sokka behind her stretched out his hand as if he wanted to hold her back. Katara blinked as she looked at the ice, seeing a figure within. The figure, perched in lotus, had a glowing arrow on his head and hands while something large was above it. Katara questioningly raised one eyebrow at seeing the figure. Was it…a boy? Suddenly, the boy opened his eyes, which glowed just like the arrows on his head and hands. The sudden movement startled the two siblings.

"He's alive! We have to help!" Katara gasped as she grabbed Sokka's club and pulled her hood over her head before running to the ice when Sokka tried to grab her.

"Katara, get back here! We don't know what that thing is!"

He quickly retracted his spear out of their floe and followed his sister. The two used five handily placed floes as stepping stones to get to the large iceberg that encased the glowing boy. Katara was the first to reach it and she repeatedly struck the iceberg on the same spot with Sokka's club. When she slammed through the ice, she and her brother were thrown back by a strong just of wind that escaped from within the iceberg. The hole Katara made caused fissures, releasing more wind, to run over the whole iceberg and crack it open with an explosion. An incredible beam of light rocketed towards the sky, spreading and dispersing clouds in its path. Nearby, various tiger/seal fusions erected themselves to growl at the beam of light in the sky and the ripples of light that came from it.

The shot changes to a Fire Nation ship where a boy in a Fire Nation uniform is standing on the deck, looking at the light. His ponytail flutters in the wind.

"Finally!" he turned around to face another person in uniform who was sitting at a small table with another teen with shaggy red hair that wore a red shirt and black pants, "Uncle, Netto, do you two realize what this means?-!"

The man, playing some sort of card game, answered calmly while looking over the tile he was holding toward his nephew, "I won't get to finish my game with Netto?"

"I won't be able to beat Dad for once at our normal game, Zuko?" the teen asked as the other teen turned around again to face the light.

"It means my search is about to come to an end," the teen replied as the Uncle sighed, uninterested, and placed his tile on the table while Zuko gestured to the light while facing his uncle again, "That light came from an incredibly powerful source! It has to be him, Uncle Iroh!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko," the Uncle/father looked at the tile in his hand that depicted a symbol of three spiral in an upside-down triangle, "I don't want you to get too excited over nothing." He placed it on another tile that depicted a ball of fire with a spiral in the center before gesturing toward the open place at the other side of the table beside Netto and continued in a soothing voice, "Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming Jasmine tea?"

"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar!"

"Hot cocoa it is?" Netto offered, causing Zuko to growl and turn away.

"Helmsman, head a course for the light!" Zuko commanded as he pointed in the direction of where the light once adorned the sky.

Iroh calmly continued his card game with Netto. When he placed another tile with the three swirls symbol on it on the previous one, a gust of wind washed over him, shaking his tiles.

"Seems that the air is acting in joy today," Netto noted.

"Yes. It must have found something long lost to its path," Iroh stroked his beard.

---

The mist began to settle at the site of the iceberg. Sokka had protectively clutched Katara, but he released her to see what was going on. Light still encircled the remains of the once big mountain of ice. Sokka looked at his sister and they both got up. Katara held onto her brother while he pointed his spear at the crater, ready to protect them. Sokka lowered his spear in shock when they beheld a blue figure emerge from the crater of the iceberg. The blue barely hid the orange and yellow monk-like robes he bore. Sokka held up his spear up again in defense.

"Stop!"

The figure slowly erected himself, sstanding atop the crater, looking down at them, causing the two siblings to marvel in wonder and fear. The circles of light finally died down as the boy stopped glowing. The figure seemed to be nothing more than a young boy who suddenly fainted. Katara gasped and rann forward to catch him before he crashed to the ground. Sokka begann to poke at the boy's head with the blunt tip of his spear. Katara waved the spear away, aannoyed at her brother doing that to just a little kid.

"Stop it!" Katara placed the boy gently against the base of the crater.

The young boy began to slowly open his gray eyes, both of them feeling as if they had been closed for years. He gasped in awe as he beheldld the young girl who stared at him in relieve. Her hair loopies sway in the gentle, comforting wind.

"I need to ask you something..." the boy whispered, his throat a bit sore.

"What?"

"Please... come closer."

"What is it?"

"Will you go Penguin sledding with me?-!" the boy suddenly asked in a happy, hopeful, enjoyable tone.

"Uh, sure... I-I guess," Katara blinked.

The boy elegantly raised to his feet in one swift motion, surprising the other two. Katara looked at him in awe while Sokka backed away in shock, aiming his spear at him again. Katara glanced at him in disbelief and a slight bit of disgust at her brother's actions towards a boy. The boy llooked around and rubbed his head, while Katara scrambled on her feet.

"What's going on here?" the boy pondered.

"You tell us!" Sokka demanded as he ppointed at the top of the crater, "How did you get in the ice? And why aren't you frozen?"

He poked the boy in his side with his spear. He llazily pushed the spear away.

"I'm...not sure," he replied before a gruff noise was heard from within the crater of the iceberg.

Quickly, the boy scrambled up the ice and happily jumped on the head of a large, furry creature that had the same arrow shaped marking on his forehead as the boy.

"Appa! Are you alright?" the boy asked as he hung down the side of the beast to look at its eyes, which were still closed, "Wake up, buddy."

He opened an black eyelid that immediately closed again once he released it. He jumps down to the front of the large, six-legged bison with a fur-coated platypus-like tail and tried to lift its enormous head. Sokka and Katara appeared around the corner when Appa finally started to react by opening his black-lipped mouth and licked the boy with his giant tongue. Sokka's mouth dropped open upon seeing the beast, thinking of two things; the size of it and…dinner.

"Ha, ha! You're okay!" the boy cheered as he hugged the bison's nose before Appa stood upon his six legs and stretched himself before the boy began to pat the bison's nose.

"What is that thing?" Sokka asked.

"This is Appa, my flying bison."

"Right, and this is Katara, my flying sister," Sokka sarcastically introduced, earning an annoyed look from Katara.

The boy looked questioningly at Sokka for a moment, but his attention was diverted back toward his bison when Appa starts to inhale deeply. Appa sneezed, sending a green blast of mucus out of his nose. He ducked just in time…however…Sokka became slathered in it. He squealed in disgust and began to frantically clean it off, rubbing his face in the snow under the amused gaze of his sister.

"Don't worry, it'll wash out," the boy laughed.

Green slime was hanging from Sokka's face to his glove, dripping down as he retracted his hand. Katara covered her mouth in disgust. It smelled just as bad as it looked. It was then the group noticed a human's arm poking on the back of it. The boy jumped onto Appa's back to reveal another teen, around 16. His hair was messy and dark-blue/near-black in color. He wore a strange attire consisting of a black sleeveless jacket with gold trimming, baggy black short with gold trimming, and a white shirt with silver designs of a dragon in the middle. He also had tone muscles from what the boy could see and a medium-sized backpack.

"Are you okay?" the boy pondered as he lightly patted the teen's left face cheek, "Come on, wake up."

"Ow…Stop slappin' me…" the teen mumbled as he cracked open his eyes, revealing they were a gentle emerald in color, "What the…?" 'An Aang cosplayer? Is he trying to dress like the movie Aang or the original Aang? Because he's doing a mix of both from what I can tell, what with the intricate patterns to his noggin's tattoo…'

"Good, you're awake!" the boy grinned as Sokka and Katara peeked over the side.

"Who's this guy?" Sokka demanded.

'Okay…he looks a lot like Sokka…Why am I around Avatar cosplayers? I thought this was a Kamen Rider Convention…' the teen thought as he rubbed an eye, "I'm…"

It was then he saw himself in what remained of the glacier. His eyes widened. Was this…a trick?

'How can this be…? Why do I look like this? My hair's black, not this…dark-blue…' he thought.

"Well, out with it!" Sokka snapped.

"It's Saito!" the teen replied, 'Smooth move, me…Give them a fake name…'

"Nice to meet ya, Saito!" Aang grinned before looking at Sokka and Katara, "So do you guys live around here?"

"Don't answer that! Did you see that crazy bolt of light?-!" Sokka demanded as he brandished his spear once more, startling the two and his sister, "He was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy!"

Katara pushed Sokka's spear away again and addressed him sarcastically with, "Oh yeah, I'm sure they're spies for the Fire Navy. You can tell by that evil look in their eyes." Aang shot the two an earnest grin as Saito blinked in confusion, "The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka. You never told us your name."

"I'm A... a-a-a-Achoo!"

The boy sneezed, creating an air blast that sent him soaring into the air. He landed the ground, unharmed. Saito nearly fell off Appa in shock.

"I'm Aang," Aang sniffled a bit.

"You just sneezed..." Sokka pointed to the sky, "…and flew ten feet in the air!"

"Really? It felt higher than that," Aang tilted his head as he looked up at the sky.

"No frickin' way…" Saito gasped quietly, "It just can't be real…"

"You're an Airbender!" Katara exclaimed in excitement.

"Sure am!" Aang replied proudly.

"Giant light beams, flying bison, Airbenders..." Sokka began to walk away, "I think I got midnight sun madness. I'm going home to where stuff makes sense."

"Not if you're on this bit of ice floating about," Saito rolled his eyes just before Sokka realized the problem he faced, 'How can this be? I mean, this morning, I was walking through the entrance to a Kamen Rider Event in Florida…the very first one of its existence in America…and now I'm here, experiencing the 'Boy in the Iceberg,' the very first episode of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender.' How the hell is this possible?'

"Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I can give you a lift," Aang offered as he patted Appa on the head, crawling onto it.

"We'd love a ride! Thanks!" Katara replied as she started to climb up.

"Oh no! I'm not getting on that fluffy snot monster!" Sokka argued.

"So you want a Polar Bear-Dog to come here and get ya?" Saito asked, making Sokka open his mouth in defiance, "Or would you rather wait and let the cold get ya and freeze to death?"

Sokka slumped his head in defeat. The guy was right on the freezing to death part and possibly the Polar Bear-Dog if it was a feral one. Soon, both siblings were sitting on Appa's saddle. Sokka had his arms crossed in front of him with a sulking expression on his face while Katara was full of excitement and anticipation. Saito was in a mixture of confusion, a bit of excitement, and his own thoughts.

"Okay, first time flyers, hold on tight! Appa, yip-yip!" Aang ordered as he whipped the reins and Appa growled in response.

He moved his tail up and down and took a huge jump into the air. He soared through the air for mere seconds…before belly flopping into the water with a splash. The bison began trudging through the water slowly. Katara crawled to the front of the saddle, while Aang urged his bison again by whipping the reins once more. Saito just laughed a bit, knowing about this happening. Appa was too tired from his 100-year nap to fly.

"Come on, Appa. Yip-yip!"

"Wow, that was truly amazing..." Sokka rolled his eyes, earning a look from Katara and a slap to the back of the head by Saito, "Hey!"

"Appa's just a little tired. A little rest and he'll be soaring through the sky. You'll see," Aang beamed.

Katara smiled at Aang who returned the gesture. When she wanted to move back, she realized that he was still smiling at her. Saito just chuckled quietly, seeing the two soon-to-be lovers.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?"

"Oh, I was smiling?" Aang pondered

Sokka threw his head back and stuck his tongue out in disgust while groaning loudly. Katara glared at him while Appa continued to make his way through the icy sea, flapping his tail in the water. Saito facepalmed at Aang, sighing. Avatar? Yes. Casanova? No.

---

Zuko stood on the helm of his ship, staring into the distance. The young man was approached by his uncle and cousin.

"I'm going to bed now," Iroh yawned and stretched, "Yep, a man needs his rest."

"…Father, I don't think it's working," Netto whispered, seeing no reaction from Zuko.

"Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you're right, and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him. Your father, grandfather and great-grandfather all tried and failed," Iroh pointed out.

"Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does. This coward's hundred years in hiding are over," Zuko scowled.

Netto rolled his eyes. He walked over to one of the guards nearby. The guard wore deep crimson armor over a black jumpsuit made of silk. The helmet's front was blocked by a white mask resembling a demonic skull.

"We still have that bet going on down in the boiler room on what the Avatar looks like?" Netto asked, earning a nod, "Put 100 in for me on the guy being a kid."

"Why a kid?" the guard asked.

"Because I like looking for the least expected," Netto replied as his hand brushed against something in his red and black pajama's left hip pocket.

---

Appa was still swimming in the water as night began to fall. Aang laid lazily on his head, his arms tucked under his head. Katara crawled to the front of the saddle again to have a better look at the boy. She leaned on the front of the saddle and rested her head upon her arm. Nearby, Saito was doodling on a snoring Sokka, chuckling silently as he drew a black eye. He was about to draw a pair of cat whiskers before stopping. He tapped his chin before drawing on Sokka's face various wolfish designs.

"Hey," Katara greeted.

"Hey. What'cha thinkin' about?" Aang asked.

"I guess I was wondering, you being an Airbender and all, if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar?"

"Oh, no. I didn't know him. I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't. Sorry," Aang apologized as he smiled weakly at Katara.

"Okay. Just curious," Katara slanted her eyes in disappointment for a second before smiling again at Aang, "Good night."

"Sleep tight." Aang uncomfortably turned around and a look of guilt crossed his face.

Saito watched as Katara went over to her brother, pausing to giggle at the other teen's handiwork on her brother. Saito nodded as he went over to where Katara had been.

"…Sure is amazing, the stars above us," Saito noted as Katara fell asleep near her brother.

"Yeah," Aang replied.

"…Ya mind me askin' why you're lying about that Avatar?" Saito asked, making Aang look at him in surprise, "Relax. I won't tell anyone. That's your job, Aang. Still, do you know how long we've been in there? I mean, all I can recall is something big and white hitting me as I was trying to cross the ocean in a storm. Worst mistake I ever made, I'll tell you that."

"Uh, well…" Aang gulped.

"I'm guessing since you're trying to avoid the Avatar bit, that you were running away from one of the temples," Saito continued, "I guess you were told something so shocking, you couldn't-or wouldn't-stay."

"Look, it's late, so can we…"

"You're the Avatar," Saito stated, making Aang pale, "That's the only explanation since no Water Tribe Avatar appeared."

"…"

"We can talk tomorrow," Saito narrowed his eyes before going to the other side of the saddle and looked up at the stars.

He knew it was risky, but maybe Aang revealing himself sooner would do good, give the village the hope it was missing for so long. He looked over at Sokka and Katara, knowing the road would be tough for all three of them. He'd try to make the pain lessen, but some lessons needed to be learned. He looked over at his backpack and began to rummage through it, smiling a bit.

He pulled out a rather large notebook and opened it, revealing various notes he had made. He was glad he packed up his Avatar: The Last Airbender notebook. He reached an arm into the front pocket when his hand brushed something cool and metal. He pulled it out, revealing a gold and black cell phone, shaped like the head of a dragon. He noted the small scanner-like slit going down the middle of the 'head.' He looked around his backpack more before pulling out a set of cards. No frickin' way…How could this be? He had only been drawing this for fun and interest, detailing the necessary details to not make it too powerful yet powerful in its own way. He slashed the card through the slit.

=KAMEN RAIDA: TAMASHII=

"No frickin' way!"

---

Saito yawned as he crawled out of the igloo, having shared it with Aang. He stretched a bit in the rising sunlight, amazed at how even though they were in the South Pole, sunrise was actually normal instead of having long nights and short days. He looked over to see Sokka working on his 'tower' and shook his head.

"Sokka, you need to fortify the base of the tower or else it'll fall over," Saito advised, earning a glare from the teen and resumed his building, "Okay, but when whoever it is you're building that tower for comes, I retain all rights to say 'I told ya so' for the rest of the day."

"Whatever," Sokka snorted as he resumed patting, 'Wait. What did he mean by 'whoever?''

"Anyone care to bet on how long it'll be before the 'tower' falls?" Saito asked some of the women there.

A few of the women shied away while the others began to make bets with fish and chores. Saito chuckled as he took the bets, thankful he took Chinese in High School. Eventually, Aang was dragged out the tent toward the entire congregation of villagers. He passed Sokka who was currently sitting at the side of the tent, sharpening his boomerang while glaring at Saito as he finished taking the bets.

"Aang, this is the entire village," Katara introduced as she pointed to the line of villagers in front of them, "Entire village, Aang."

Aang bowed respectfully towards the villages, but they cowered away in fear, bringing a surprised look to Katara and Aang's faces. Sokka just watched from a distance. Saito rolled his eyes, knowing why they were acting like that with Aang.

"Uh, why are they all looking at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?" Aang asked as he checked his clothing while an elderly woman stepped forward out of the line of villagers, wearing a magenta version of their clothes.

"Well, no one has seen an Airbender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct, until my granddaughter and grandson found you and…him," the woman pointed out Saito, currently giving a piggyback ride for one of the children.

"Extinct?-!" Aang gawked in shock as Saito walked over with the little girl on his back.

"Aang, Saito, this is my grandmother," Katara introduced.

"Call me Gran-Gran," the woman informed.

"It's an honor to meet you," Saito bowed, earning a giggle from the child on his back as he was bowing, as Sokka walked toward Aang and abruptly snatched his staff out of his hands and started to examine it.

"What is this, a weapon? You can't stab anything with this!" Sokka demanded.

"It's a staff, you numbskull," Saito rolled his eyes before swiping the staff and bonked Sokka on the head with it, "You don't always need something sharp to cause pain and this is one of those things. Here Aang."

"Thanks," Aang nodded as he used a small air current to get his staff back out of the open hand of Saito's, "It's not for stabbing, Sokka! It's for Airbending."

He opened his staff into a glider, making Sokka gasp in fright and cover his head with his hands. The glider's 'wings' were orange in color and it was slightly bigger than Aang in height and the wingspan as wide as his arms spread out to the sides. Saito chuckled at the teen, yet could probably understand that it was because of the Hundred-Year War they were in.

"Magic trick! Do it again!" the little girl on his back gasped in excitement as the children became excited.

"Not magic, Airbending," Aang corrected as he moved his glider around him, visually demonstrating what he was talking about, "It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly."

"Ya know, last time I checked, humans can't fly!" Sokka stated.

"Care to wager a week's worth of women's chores on that?" Saito asked as he took out a fresh notebook that had the tower bets in it and a pencil.

"Check again!" Aang declared.

Aang grabbed hold of his glider and pushes himself of the ground, leaving Katara and Sokka behind to cover their faces against the sudden wind. The village stared in awe as Aang made some loops and turns in the sky. Saito kept silent, but was truly amazed at seeing the Avatar in flight not on the TV but in real life.

" He's flying!" one of the women gasped as Aang mades another set of loops and sped up to soar past the gazing villagers and teen.

"It's amazing!" the girl on Saito's shoulders exclaimed as Aang's shadow passed over Katara, who was smiling broadly at him.

Aang, wanting to impress the villagers some more, flew sideways and closed his eyes while grinning broadly. As a result of this, he smacked full on against the village's new 'watchtower,' causing it to crumble. Katara covered her mouth in sympathy as she watched Aang's struggles to get his head out of the icy watchtower. Saito and the children began to snicker and giggle at seeing Aang's attempts. Aang, eventually, succeeded to free himself and tumbled down. Katara and Saito immediately rushed to his side while Sokka stared in shock at the damage inflicted to his watchtower. Nearby, Gram-Gram smirked as she won the bet.

"My watchtower!"

Aang lied covered in snow at the base of the partially collapsed tower. Katara, Saito, and some other girls of the tribe run smiling toward Aang. Katara offered her hand to pull him out of the snow.

"That was amazing!" Katara exclaimed.

"Aside from the crash, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen, Aang," Saito grinned.

Sokka ran towards his watchtower and started to pat it in the hope that he could save it from collapsing any further. While Aang spun his staff around to retract its wings, Sokka was knocked down by a large pack of snow that fell down. Saito pointed and laughed with the children as some of the women began to giggle to themselves.

"Great. You're an Airbender, Katara is a Waterbender. Together you can just waste time all day long," Sokka growled as he wedged himself free from underneath the weight of the snow and stalked off.

"You're a Waterbender?" Aang awed.

"Well, sort of. Not yet," Katara looked away sheepishly.

"Alright, no more playing. Come on, Katara, you have chores," Gram-Gram ordered ash she led Katara away from Aang, the surrounding villagers parting to let the duo pass.

"I told you, he's the real thing Gran-Gran! I finally found a bender to teach me!" "Katara, try not to put all your hopes in this boy."

"But he's special! I can tell!" Katara clenches her fist and closes her eyes in hope, "I sense he's filled with much wisdom."

Katara opened her eyes again and glanced back toward Aang who was surrounded by the kids of the Water Tribe. He smiled while his tongue was stuck to his staff. Saito snickered as he watched nearby.

"See? Now my tongue is stuck to my staff!"

Much to Aang's discomfort, one of the smaller village boys started to yank his staff, pulling Aang along with every movement. The village kids laughed and applauded Aang as his tongue remained stuck to his staff. Saito just laughed and grinned as he patted the twelve-year-old on the back.

---

Zuko faced two soldiers in their armor. Iroh sat on a small chair next to them. Netto took a sip of his hot chocolate as he sat beside Iroh. He drew a card and looked at the 'Ace of Hearts' he had drawn. He put it in the upper right corner of his Solitaire game.

"Again," Iroh ordered sternly.

Zuko opened the fight by spreading his arms in the direction of the two soldiers, showering them with flames that erupted from his arms. His adversaries blocked Zuko's attack with ease. Zuko shifted his weight to duck under a retaliation blast of the Firebender to his left. The Firebender to his right jumped forward to aim a blast at Zuko's feet. The prince propelled himself out of the way. He twisted around midair and directed another fire blast with his hand to the Firebender that retaliated first and another with his foot to the Firebender that aimed for his feet. Both soldiers jumped out of the way of Zuko's flames. Zuko landed and stretched his fists out toward his adversaries, ready to face another attack. Iroh sighed while he got up.

"No!" Iroh scolded as Zuko lowered his arms and looked at his uncle, "Power in Firebending comes from the breath…" Iroh moved both his hands up in front of him to emphasize the breathing motion, "…not the muscles." He stretched his left arm out as if he were sending a fire blast, "The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes: Fire!" Iroh directed a fire blast at his nephew that evaporated just before it would scorch him, "Get it right this time."

'Thank god I can't bend,' Netto thought.

Zuko with suppressed anger, walked towards his uncle and addressed him with, "Enough! I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set! I'm more than ready!"

"No, you are impatient," Iroh sat down again on his chair, "You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!"

Zuko clenched his teeth in anger. Netto knew what was going to happen next, since it always did in training. Zuko turned around and directed a power fire kick toward one of the soldiers. The Firebender was unable to stop the fire blast and was thrown on his back by its power.

Zuko, the suppressed anger very apparent in his voice, argued, "The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements! I'll need more than basic Firebending to defeat him. You will teach me the advanced set!"

Iroh conceded reluctantly with a dire tone of, "Very well," before his expression changed completely to one of delight as he picked something up from the ground, "…But first, I must finished my roast duck."

He quickly munched down the roast duck, much to the dismay of Zuko. Netto fell over, laughing at his father's response. As he always said, 'make them earn it the hardest, but hilarious, way possible.'

---

Sokka paced to and fro, his arms behind his back. Sokka's face gave a stern expression. Leaning against the wall was Saito, looking at the sight before him.

"Now men, it's important that you show no fear when you face a Firebender," He brought out his club and held it proudly, "In the Water Tribe, we fight to the last man standing! For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?"

He clutched his fist to emphasize the word 'men' as he stared down the people in front of him. His 'men' were actually just six, uninterested, little boys. One waved his hand in the air.

"I gotta pee!" he called out, causing Saito to snort in his laughter while Sokka got mad.

"Listen! Until your fathers return from the War, they're counting on you to be the men of this tribe, and that means no potty breaks!" He made some wide arm gestures to emphasize his words again.

"But I really gotta go!"

Sokka sighed, "Okay, who else has to go?"

Every child immediately raised his hand. Sokka was surprised by that for a second and then facepalmed himself. Saito collapsed in the snow, laughing his heart out. Katara ran up to Sokka as the children left and Saito recovered.

"Have you guys seen Aang? Gran-Gran said he disappeared over an hour ago," Katara pondered.

"He's in the bathroom," Saito replied, pointing at Aang as he was seen coming out of an igloo that served as the bathroom and he pulled his pants up a bit higher.

"Wow! Everything freezes in there!" He pointed toward the bathroom with a smile on his face, causing Sokka's 'soldiers' halt beside Aang and laugh with him.

"Uh!" Sokka growled as he angrily pointed at Aang and Saito, "Katara, get them out of here! This lesson is for warriors only!"

Sokka was about to walk away when he heard the sound of playing children. He turned around and gawked as the village children slid down Appa's tail like a slide. The end of the tail was held upwards, so the children were propelled into the air. They flew over Sokka's spear that now served as a mark that they needed to cross before landing in a soft pile of snow. Katara laughed as a boy landed head first in the snow, but Sokka rushed forward.

"Stop! Stop it right now!" Sokka roared as the laughter of the children died down immediately and Appa turned his head to look at Sokka who accusingly directed his anger to Aang and Saito, "What's wrong with you two?-! We don't have time for fun and games with the War going on!"

Sokka took back his spear and looked annoyed at the laughing children who ran past him. Aang slid down from Appa's head.

"What war? What are you talking about?" Aang asked, causing Sokka to raise an eyebrow in disbelief.

"You're kidding, right?"

"He's not kidding. We don't get what war you're talkin' about," Saito admitted as Aang looked questioningly at Sokka, but then the expression on his face changed to enthusiasm as he caught sight of an otter-penguin, a penguin with an otter's face and four flippers.

"Penguin!"

The animal startled at Aang's outburst and quickly waddled off. Aang gave chase, racing past Katara, Saito, and Sokka, enhancing his speed with his Airbending. He left a deep trail in the snow as he dashed after the penguin.

"He's kidding, right?" The siblings glance at each other, not sure what they need to think of Aang's reaction, as Saito fell over, laughing.

---

"…and with a mighty roar of 'Double Rider Kick,' Ichigo and Nigo slammed their feet into the Great Leader of SHOCKER, destroying him!" Saito finished, earning cheers from all the children, "But…that was not the last of the Riders. Soon afterwards, a new faction of SHOCKER appeared and Ichigo and Nigo helped save a man, dubbing him 'V3!' And soon after that, there was Riderman, X, and so many others, each one protecting our world in secret. No one knows if the Riders are alive anymore, but I believe. For as long as someone remembers them, the Kamen Riders will always be there!"

"What was that?" Sokka demanded after the villagers and their kids went off.

"Stories of hope to inspire the kiddies here," Saito replied, "The Kamen Riders are my heroes and many of them know the worst of life."

"Hope? You think hope will do anything here?-!" Sokka demanded, "We're at war! I mean near our village, there's a ship that has haunted my tribe since Gran-Gran was a little girl. It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks and killed a lot of people down here!"

"You mean the Fire Nation War that's been going on for almost 100 years?" Saito asked.

"That's the one! Wait, I thought you said you didn't know about the war," Sokka narrowed his eyes.

"That was Aang. I'm quite knowledgeable about this place all thanks to me spending time at a special library, one not known of on the soils of this land," Saito half-lied, "A Fire Nation vessel is heading our way."

"How do you know that?" Sokka asked before a small boom was heard, making him look up to see a signal flare going off, "You didn't…"

"Nope. Katara and Aang did by accident. They'll be coming here soon and explain that they were at the ship you mentioned," Saito explained, "I'll be packing things up on Appa for me and Aang since you'll most likely banish us from the village."

---

Prince Zuko peered through a telescope with his good eye. He followed every movement the duo makes as Aang, still holding Katara, jumped down the side of the Fire Nation ship that had been raised upon the land and frozen by ice.

"The last Airbender!" Zuko realized as Aang and Katara reached the ground again and Aang set Katara down before they started to walk away, "Quite agile for his old age..."

"I still say that the Avatar is just a kid that got frozen in ice for 100 years!" Netto argued nearby as he put a 10 on his Jack and then a 9 on that, letting him flip over a card on his 'pyramid.'

Zuko turned and angrily yelled to a soldier behind him, "Wake my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar!"

Zuko peeked through his telescope again to see that Katara and Aang were running. Zuko followed the direction they are running in with his telescope and discovered that they must have been headed for the village he spotted.

"As well as his hiding place..." Zuko's right eye squinted it to look in the direction of the Southern Water Tribe.

---

The Southern Water Tribe villagers were standing in the snow, waiting as Aang and Katara approached, Saito sitting on Appa's head as they were at the back. Aang and Katara approaching the village and the children became overjoyed upon seeing Aang.

"Yay! Aang's back!" Some of them ran over to him while the others remained cheerful in the crowd, the adults less welcoming

The children reached Aang and Katara and the crowd around him gleefully. Aang happily greeted them back. Sokka broke himself free out of the line of villagers and stepped forward to face Aang, Appa following him.

"I knew it!" Sokka accusingly pointed a finger at Aang as he and Katara draw closer, "You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

"Aang didn't do anything! It was an accident," Katara argued.

"Yeah. We were on the ship and there was this booby trap, and well…" Aang awkwardly rubbed his head, "…we boobied right into it."

"Heh-heh. 'Booby,'" Saito snickered.

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship! Now we could all be in danger!"

"Don't blame Katara. I brought her there. It's my fault," Aang defended.

"Aha! The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy," Sokka ordered as the children began to sadly walk away, "The foreigners are banished from our village!"

Katara irritated, clenched her fists, "Sokka, you're making a mistake."

"No, I'm keeping my promise to Dad," Sokka argued as he pointed to Aang, "I'm protecting you, from threats like them! Especially that teen over there! He seems to know more about things than I'm comfy with."

"Aang and Saito are not our enemy!" Katara snapped as she continued in a calm, soothing voice, "Don't you see? Aang's brought us something we haven't had in a long time: Fun."

"Fun?-! We can't fight Firebenders with fun!

"You should try it sometime," Aang noted optimistically.

"Get out of our village! Now!" Sokka snapped.

"Grandmother, please. Don't let Sokka do this!" Katara pleaded.

"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the Airbender leaves."

"Fine! Then I'm banished, too!" Katara snapped as she dragged Aang to Appa, "Come on, Aang, Saito, let's go."

"Where do you think you're going?" Sokka demanded.

"To find a Waterbender. Aang is taking me to the North Pole."

"I am?" Aang pondered before brightening, "Great!"

"Katara! Would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?" Sokka demanded, making Katara stop in her tracks.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family," Aang noted, seeing her expression.

"So, you're leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?" Katara asked, her tone quieting near the end.

"Thanks for penguin sledding with me."

"Where will you go?"

"Guess I'll go back home and look for the Airbenders."

"Should we start with your room?" Saito joked.

"…Wow. I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that," Aang joked as he used his Airbending to hop onto Appa's head, "It was nice meeting everyone."

Sokka replied sarcastically with arms crossed, "Let's see your bison fly now, air boy!"

Aang encouragingly spoke to his partner, "Come on Appa, you can do it. Yip-yip!" Aang flicked the reins, but Appa merely raised and growled.

"Yeah, I thought so!"

"Ahhh!" Saito looked down to see the little girl who he had given a piggyback ride earlier ran over to Katara, her eyes tearing up as she looked at him, "Saito, don't go! I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you, too, little one," Saito smiled gently as Aang looked at Katara, who frowned back at him, her eyes saddened while her hair loopies swayed in the wind.

"Come on, boy," Aang sighed.

Appa turned and plodded away, disappearing over the hill. The young girl sighed and trudged back to the village, already missing Saito, while Katara remained standing in the snow. Gram-Gram walked up to her granddaughter.

"Katara, you'll feel better after you…"

Katara quickly turned around and cut her off, "You happy now?" She gestured in the direction Aang and Saito took off, "There goes my one chance at becoming a Waterbender!"

She marched away furiously, leaving Gram-Gram disappointed…in both herself and in the village. Meanwhile, Sokka coached the young boys to prepare for battle just outside the village.

"Alright, ready our defenses! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now!"

"But I gotta..."

Sokka fed up, pointed to inside the walls, signaling that the boy should just go, "…and no potty breaks!"

---

Aang, Saito, and Appa were resting in an ice formation, Appa lying lazily on his back in the lower section and Aang resting above him while Saito looked through a notebook. Appa grunted.

"Yeah, I liked her too," Aang sighed before catching sight of Fire Nation ship advancing towards the Southern Water Tribe, "The village!" He slid off the ice formation onto the ground, "Appa, wait here. Saito, can you stay here?"

Appa responded by merely grunting lazily.

"…I guess so. We'll be the cavalry," Saito nodded.

---

Sokka prepared for battle inside a Water Tribe tent. He donned gloves, boots, bindings, and applied gray, white, and black face paint, making his face resemble a wolf. After necessary preparations, he placed his boomerang away on his back.

---

Upon Zuko's ship, servants were helping the Fire Nation prince to put on his Fire Nation outfit, complete with a red helmet ending in a sharp point. Through all of it, Zuko never moved a muscle. They first started by tying on scarlet armor accented with gold on his hips, knees, and lower arms. Shoulder and torso armor, resembling the spikes upon the bodies of demons. Finally, a solid black helmet with red fire designs on the front and three blade-like horns was put on.

---

Sokka kneeled inside the tent, grabbing his club. He glanced at a candle that flickered as he exits. Sokka stood atop the wall, overlooking the foggy horizon. A mother squatted beside her child, before jerking up upon hearing a loud, cracking noise. Her son gasped for air and the surrounding villagers turned around in fright to see what the source of the noise was. Gram-Gram, sitting on a log by a campfire, raised up and gasped for air. The ground quaked as a rumbling sound was heard in the distance. Gram-Gram gasped louder in horror. A mother carried her child slowly away in fright as the walls began to crack and fall off. A watchtower on the wall, shaking under the pressure of the trembling, completely collapsed.

"Oh man!" Sokka whined as the citizens were beginning to flee from the scene. Katara ran up and looked up at her brother, still standing atop the wall and her look turned to one of horror. An enormous shadow of the bow of Zuko's ship came into view.

"Oh maaan…" Sokka paled as he saw the vessel was cutting through the ice as it headed towards them.

Gram-Gram stood in the snow, looking up in terror at the vessel while backing up slightly. Villagers passed her in their haste to get to safety and the shadow of the large ships descended over her. Sokka looked up, terrified by the large ship. The ship's approach created a large crack that quickly traveled towards the village and over the wall. Katara, while helping her grandmother into a tent, heard a frightened scream. She gasped in terror when she realized that the sound came from a small boy, kneeling on the ground. The fissure was rapidly approaching him, but Katara quickly ran over and scooped up the child before the ground splintered underneath. She set the child down again in front of a tent, which he quickly entered, and then Katara turned back to view her brother.

"Sokka, get out of the way!" Katara screamed.

Sokka didn't move from his spot. He stood upon the wall, the bow of the ship plowing through the snow. Sokka raised his club in defense, ready to strike. Before he could make his move, however, the bow crumbled a large portion of the wall into snowy ruins. The snow slid downward, pushing Sokka several feet back before he landed to a halt. With a loud hiss of steam, the ship halted in its current spot.

Villagers who were curious came out of hiding and stared in complete shock at the large, obsidian vessel. Katara and Sokka gasped when they caught sight of the bow of the ship opening and creaking forward in a burst of steam, forming a walkway. Sokka backed up and fell to the ground once the bow hit the ground with a loud thud. The villagers gathered closer around for support and several people even covered their eyes. Katara took a step back upon noticing the shape of three figures cloaked in the mist.

Upon the walkway, Prince Zuko emerged from the mist, two guards following close behind him. The villagers huddled together and Sokka kneeled in the snow in front of them, ready to defend his tribe. Prince Zuko descended from the ship along with the two guards. Sokka let out a battle cry and charged at the prince with his club at the ready. When he reached Zuko, the Prince merely kicked the club to his left and, without ever resting his leg on the ground, kicked Sokka over to his right, sending him into the snow where his head became trapped. With Appa, Saito fell off the flying bison, laughing for reasons he couldn't figure out. The warrior desperately tried to free himself as Zuko continued on his way to the village, followed by six more men. Katara covered her mouth in shock upon witnessing her brother's quick defeat.

"Where are you hiding him?" Zuko demanded as he surveyed the crowd of villagers, who fell completely silent, before, without warning, he extended his arm out into the crowd and grabbed Gram-Gram, holding her by the hood of her parka, "He'd be about this age, master of all elements?"

He shoved the elder forcefully back into the crowd. The elderly woman shuddered in fear and embraced Katara, while Katara shot an angrily glare at Zuko. Receiving no response, Zuko swung his arm out and released a blast of fire that passed just over the heads of the people, causing them to cover their heads and cry out in fear.

"I know you're hiding him!"

Sokka rans over and picked up his club, most of his war paint having come off at that point. He let out another battle cry as he charged toward the prince. Zuko swiftly turned around just as Sokka approached. He ducked under Sokka's wide swing and hurled the warrior forward. Sokka landed on his rear in the snow and was quickly forced to dart from his spot when Zuko fired a blast of flames at him. He spun to the side and tossed his boomerang at the enemy who barely managed to miss getting hit by the weapon. Zuko growled in anger at the near hit. One of the village boys tossed Sokka a spear.

"Show no fear!" the boy called.

Sokka handily caught the weapon and charged at Zuko once more. Zuko broke off pieces of the spear with his forearms, pulled the remains of the weapon out of Sokka's hands and poked him thrice in the head with the blunt end. Appa looked at Saito, the teen now laughing harder for some reason. Sokka fell to the ground as Zuko snapped the spear in two and tossed the pieces to the ground. Sokka who rubbed his head in pain before Sokka's boomerang spun into view, unnoticed by Zuko. The weapon struck Zuko on the back of his helmet with a loud cling; momentarily pushed forward by the unexpected blow. Zuko rearranged his helmet and growled at Sokka. The boomerang plummeted into the ground in front of Sokka's feet. Enraged, Zuko readied two fire daggers. No one saw Aang, rapidly riding on a penguin toward the battle scene. He held his glider horizontal on the animal and he had a determined look on his face, his tongue out of his mouth in pure concentration. Aang collides into Zuko, making him fall backwards as Aang sped past, soaring into the air and landed several feet away on his face, his legs in the air. He spun around a few times before coming to a halt in front of his men, his helmet landing on his rear. Netto snickered on the ship and he slapped his knee.

The villagers cheered as Aang rode speedily towards them, still mounted on the penguin. The children cheered upon his arrival…until they were showered in snow as Aang rode past, however, after giving each other silent, unamused looked, they began cheering once again. Aang came to a halt before them. The penguin-otter crawled out from under him, tossing him off. Aang fell on his rear, blinking stupidly. Aang smiled at the penguin-otter when the animal quacked at him before waddling away.

"Hey, Katara. Hey, Sokka," Aang waved cheerfully.

"Hi, Aang. Thanks for coming," Sokka replied, moodily.

Aang looked back at the Fire Nation soldiers, where Zuko just got back on his feet again. Upon his signal, his men spread out, surrounding Aang while Zuko assumed a fighting stance. Aang assumed a fighting stance as well, his staff held firmly in front of him as he was being surrounded by the soldiers. He swept the ground side-to-side with his staff, showering the men with snow. He then slammed the ground, sending a rush of snow at Zuko who braced for the impact. After being sprayed with snow, and heating it up so it would melt off, Zuko looked up angrily.

"Looking for me?" Aang asked.

"You're the Airbender? You're the Avatar?" Zuko demanded in shock as Aang resumed his fighting stance.

"Aang?" Katara gasped.

"No way!" Sokka exclaimed as Zuko and Aang moved about in a circular pattern, both awaiting the attack of the other.

"I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training, meditating," Zuko growled, "You're just a child!"

Aang replied calmly, tilting his head to one side, "Well, you're just a teenager."

With Appa, a black and white Polar Bear-Dog runt, barely able to carry a human, watched as Saito rolled about in the snow, laughing harder as he wondered just who kept making the worst cracks today. Zuko launched a series of fire blasts at Aang, who defended himself by twirling his staff, dissipating the flames. Zuko fired another blast at Aang who twirled his staff once again to ward the attack off. The villagers cowered as the flames were accidentally directed towards them. Aang widened his eyes in horror at the sight of the frightened villagers and immediately ceased to defend himself.

"If I go with you…" Aang held his staff in front of him as an offer, making sure Zuko understood that he didn't wish to continue fighting, "…Will you promise to leave everyone alone?"

After a brief moment of hesitation, Zuko erected himself and nodded in agreement. Aang was apprehended by Zuko's men, who took his staff. Katara ran forward as they began to lead Aang away.

"No! Aang, don't do this!" Katara pleaded.

Aang was surprisingly calm as he replied, "Don't worry, Katara. It'll be okay." Aang gasped when he was shoved on the walkway. Katara's face contorted with sadness and fright.

"Take care of Appa with Saito for me until I get back," Aang spoke.

"Set a course for the Fire Nation. I'm going home," Zuko commanded.

The villagers looked up at the ship, Aang standing at the top of walkway. He was smiling weakly, surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers. Katara looked up, tears in her eyes, causing Aang to frown as the bow raised and closed. The bow was locked into place with a thud.

---

Saito ran his hand through the hybrid animal's black and white fur. Surprisingly, the animal smelled like chocolate with a hint of vanilla. The Polar Bear-Dog licked his face a few times, its tail wagging happily at the petting.

"You remind me of another Polar Bear-Dog I saw on TV. Her name was Naga and she was Korra's spirit animal," Saito reminisced, "Man…Just a while ago, I was just watching this on TV before heading out to a Kamen Rider Convention. Now…I'm actually experiencing the events. Maybe I can help, even if it's just only a bit."

Appa grumbled as he began to walk over, Saito looked up to see Katara and Sokka on his back.

"Saito, what are you doing?-!" Sokka demanded.

"Petting Shirokuro here," Saito replied.

"Who?" Sokka repeated.

"Shirokuro. She's got the softest fur I've felt," Saito noted as the Polar Bear-Dog nuzzled into him, earning a chuckle from the teen, "She's quite friendly."

"Don't you know how dangerous those things are?" Sokka demanded.

"Not really," Saito replied before looking at the two on Appa, "So…we going after Aang and the Fire Nation's banished prince and his uncle, the Dragon of the West?"

"How…? Ah!-!-! That's ticking me off! How do you know these things?-!" Sokka demanded.

"Simple; I like to be informed about things," Saito replied, Shirokuro putting her head on top of his and getting giggles from Katara, "Now let's go get our crazy Airbending buddy!"

"But how?" Sokka asked.

"You're riding on him," Saito replied.

"…Yeah…I don't think so," Sokka snorted.

"Still can't believe he'll fly, eh?" Saito asked as he got on Shirokuro's back once she offered, "Katara, take the reins and say 'Appa, yip-yip' before cracking them."

"Uh…"

"Trust me, it'll work," Saito nodded.

"Okay, then…" Katara got on Appa's head and grabbed the reins, "Please, Appa. We need your help. Aang needs your help. Sokka doesn't believe you can fly, but I do, Appa." She stroked Appa, "Come on, don't you want to save Aang? Appa, yip-yip."

Appa grunted and beat the snow-covered ground with his tail. He performed a brief running start before taking flight and soaring through the air.

"You did it, Saito!" Katara exclaimed in excitement.

Sokka ecstatically looked over the rim of the saddle, shouting, "He's flying! He's flying! Katara, he's…" he stopped when he saw Katara smirk at him before he tried to play it cool, "I mean, big deal. He's flying."

Shirokuro barked as she followed them to the neritic zone and jumped into it, earning laughs from Saito. The Polar Bear-Dog began to swim after Appa, crossing from the neritic zone into the oceanic zone of the epipelagic realm of the sea.

---

Aang panted as he ran through a corridor. He had barely escaped the Fire Nation men that had been ordered by Zuko to take him to the brig. He was currently searching for his staff, which was given to Iroh by Zuko to put it in his room…only for Iroh to comically give it to another guy with 'Hey, would you take this to his room for me?' He stopped in his tracks and yelped when he encountered three soldiers standing with swords drawn in the middle of the corridor.

"You haven't seen my staff around, have you?" Aang asked sheepishly.

The three men prepared to attack him, but before they could make a move, Aang sprinted across the hallway at the speed of wind, along the floor and the walls, spiraling in circular patterns past the soldiers, through their legs, and managed to escape, leaving the soldiers looking dumbfounded.

"Thanks anyway!" Aang called as he continued racing through the hallways of the ship and encountered a single guard when he raised another deck. The soldier fired a blast at Aang who leapt forward. Aang somersaulted over the soldier and, using the sharp tip of his helmet to cut his bindings, freed himself. The soldier fell over from the impact and Aang proceeded down the hall. The young Avatar raced through the interior, opening two doors leading to various compartments of the ship. Upon opening the third door, he found Iroh sleeping blissfully, snoring. Nearby, Netto was polishing a key with the white part of the Tao symbol. He looked over at the door to see Aang. The Avatar began closing the door, his mouth still visible through the crack.

"Sorry," Aang apologized quietly.

Netto just stared at the door for a few seconds before shrugging. He picked up a book and began to read that nitrogen, in the form of Nitrate, was the shortest supply of nutrients in the ocean, making it the limiting nutrient. Aang ran past an open doorway only to slow down and trace his way back upon catching sight of his glider. He dashed through the open door, his face brightening up significantly at the sight.

"My staff! Aang cheered as he entered the room…only for the the door to close behind him.

Zuko stood by the door, having clearly waited to corner Aang. Aang looked surprised upon hearing the sound of the closing door. He turned around, his face falling upon seeing the prince standing in the room.

"Looks like I underestimated you," Zuko noted.

After a slight pause, Zuko assumed a fighting stance and fired a blast at Aang, who yelped and narrowly avoided the attack. Zuko fired again, forcing Aang into the corner of the room. Aang began to pant heavily from alarm. Zuko fired once more; Aang spun around out of the corner and against the back wall. He ducked to avoid another fire blast. Zuko stood in the middle of the room, Aang managing to roll over directly behind his opponent. Aang deftly managed to stay behind Zuko, utilizing circle-walking. Zuko spun around, desperately attempting to land a blow.

Aang used Airbending to try and deter another one of Zuko's attacks by catching his flames in a current of air. After extinguishing yet another one of his attacks, Aang used Zuko as a stepping stone. He pushed himself off against his head and created a ball of air half his size in midair. H proceeded to use it to ride around the room and over the walls and ceiling as Zuko resumed attacking.

He avoided Zuko's repeated attacks; however, the prince managed to dissipate the air scooter by shattering it with a flame arc. Aang was smacked against the wall underneath a hanging tapestry. He quickly pushes himself up under the tapestry to avoid another fire blast. When he emerged at the top, he grabbed the tapestry off its hooks and wrapped it around Zuko's body, tangling him momentarily. The brief intermission gave Aang enough time to grab his glider and turn around to face his opponent, pointing the end of the staff at Zuko who destroyed the tapestry with Firebending. Zuko assumed a fighting stance while Aang looked on with alarm. Aang used Airbending to propel a mattress lying in a corner towards Zuko. The mattress slammed into the Fire Nation prince, sending him colliding into the wall, before falling onto the mattress. Aang propelled the mattress upward, sending Zuko slamming into the ceiling of the room. Aang made a break for it before the mattress touched the ground again. Zuko and the mattress fell to the floor and Zuko remained lying face down upon it. Zuko raised his head and glanced around the empty room, fuming.

---

"Ooh!" Saito flinched as Shirokuro ran along the Cliffside made of ice, watching as Aang and Zuko fell to the deck after Aang was about to escape, "Now, girl, now!"

Zuko's eyes narrowed in anger as he started to rise…until Shirokuro landed between him and Aang.

"Saito!" Aang exclaimed.

"Hey, Aang," Saito mock-saluted, "I'll handle this guy now."

"Don't get in my way!" Zuko snapped as two more Firebenders ran onto the deck, "Just who are you?"

"Just the Avatar's partner in this war," Saito replied as he pulled out his device and a card depicting the black half of the Tao symbol.

"Fire!" Zuko ordered.

"Henshin!" Saito declared before slashing his card through the device.

=KAMEN RAIDA: TAMASHII=

The card glowed before shooting out in front of him. It expanded and blocked Zuko's attack at him before it engulfed Saito. Standing before the Fire Nation men was a figure in a white jumpsuit with black designs resembling dragon wings and a tail on the back. Covering the jumpsuit was black dragon-like armor with a full-covered helmet. His helmet had a pair of black horns pointing backwards with red 'eyes' on the sides of the top. The visor in the dragon's 'jaws' was tinted red.

"Ore wa Kamen Rider Soul. "Saa…Hōhō o sakusei shi, kakumei o Nettoshi shimasu (So…Make way and start the Revolution)!"

"Whoa…" Aang awed.

"Look up," Soul advised, making everyone look in the direction he pointed at.

"What is that?" Zuko pondered as he saw Appa appearing.

"Appa!" Aang exclaimed in joy.

"Yep. He's got our traveling buddies," Soul replied as he patted Shirokuro on the snout, earning a happy yip from her.

Soul then shot and slammed a fist into the torso of a Firebender, denting his armor. He flipped over a Firebending blast and delivered a chop to the helmet, breaking it in two. Nearby Aang turned around to face Zuko and managed to deflect a Firebending attack by spinning his glider around like a baton. However, he propelled himself by accident into the air and landed on the ledge of the deck. He leaned precariously over the side, unsteadily balancing himself, but managed to regain his balance only for Zuko to fire another blast at him. He twirled his glider again to deflect the attack. Two more blasts were fired his way before he lost his grip on his glider and the object spun away. The staff fell several feet away. Aang ducked, spun and leapt out of the way of blasts and landed on the very ledge, struggling to keep his balance, as Soul dodged more fireballs from the two Firebenders in his path. Zuko hurled more fire blasts Aang's way. Aang held up his hands in defense, but the last blast seemingly knocked him out cold and he fell backward off the ship into the water where he slowly sank.

"Aang! No!" Katara screamed as Aang sunk deeper, "Aang! Aang! Aang!"

"And we've got Avatar State in 3…2…" Soul whispered as he got on Shirokuro's back as she ran to the other side of the vessel, "…1."

Aang rocketed upward and erupted from the surface of the freezing cold waters, riding a humongous spinning water vortex. His tattoos and his eyes were glowing a pure white as his visage adopted a stern, attack-mood image while Zuko's ship was overshadowed by the water tornado. Zuko looked up in horror. This…This was the power of the Avatar? Aang landed on the saddle on Appa, summoning the water behind him. His eyes and tattoos still glowing, he brought his hands around behind his head. The water swirled around him, forming a protective circle, before spreading outward like a snake at the vessel, knocking Zuko and several soldiers off their feet. Zuko fell over the edge and shouted in surprise.

"Did you see what he just did?" Katara gasped.

"Now that was some Waterbending!" Sokka gawked as Aang collapsed onto the saddle from exhaustion, his glow fading.

"Aang! Are you okay?" Katara asked as she knelt down, holding Aang.

Aang weakly greeted the two, "Hey, Katara. Hey, Sokka. Thanks for coming."

"Well, I couldn't let you have all the glory," Sokka smirked.

Soul picked up the staff when Zuko's hand grabbed it. Soul flicked him in the forehead.

"Bad, Zuko, bad!" Soul scolded before Shirokuro licked Zuko's face, causing him to lose his grip and fall to the anchor, where he barely grabbed it.

"That's for the Southern Water Tribe!" Soul mock-saluted as more Firebenders and a yawning Iroh and Netto walked on board.

"Duh? Huh?" Iroh pondered as he saw Soul and Shirokuro as the two Firebenders that Soul had fought managed to get Zuko back on the ship.

"You're free to go, Shirokuro-chan," Soul spoke gently as he patted her head.

Soul jumped high into the air and landed on the top of Appa's head. A rain began to fall upon the area as he pulled out the SoulDriver. He flipped it open, revealing the numbers '1' – '9' and six images; a mask, a body, a star, a body kicking another body, a motorcycle, and a sword. He pressed '0-0-7' and then the mask button.

=KAMEN RAIDA: STRONGER=

CUE: KAMEN RIDER STRONGER NO UTA

"Henshin Stronger!" Soul roared as he posed.

Lightning crackled in the sky before revealing that Soul was replaced by another figure. He wore a black jumpsuit under bulky red armor. His helmet was black with a large red horn and green 'bug eyes,' giving his body the appearance of a Kabutomushi. On his neck was a scarf while his gloves and boots were red. On the center of his torso was a black 'S.'

"The Heavens calls me…the Earth calls me…Humanity calls me…They call on me to defeat Evil," the Rider recited, sending chills up a few of those who were staring at the sight before them, "Listen, Evildoers…I am a Warrior…of Justice. Kamen Rider Stronger!-!"

"Holy…" Sokka gawked.

"Tchhh!-! What the Hell!-?" one of the remaining Firebenders snapped as they began to prepare to attack.

"Hehe. Come, underlings," Stronger chuckled before lightning erupted from his hands and traveled through the rain, striking the Firebenders except for Iroh and Zuko.

"Guh…ah!-!-!"

"A lightning-strike through the rain…" Aang whispered.

"He can Lightningbend?" Katara gasped.

"In a sense," Soul-Stronger chuckled, "Appa, yip-yip."

"After t…" Zuko began.

"No, Prince Zuko. We cannot fight a Lightningbender," Iroh argued, "Especially one that didn't need to go through the motions of Lightningbending."

"Electro-Fire!" Soul-Stronger roared as he sent a blast of lightning at a side of the ice they were travelling through.

The impact caused an avalanche of snow and ice to begin falling. Zuko looked up in horror at the event, raising one arm protectively. The front of the ship became buried in a mass of snow and ice while Appa climbed higher and higher, the four laughing as they escaped successfully. Aang waved goodbye as Appa disappears around the cliff. Shirokuro whined sadly as she looked at Saito as he released his Henshin, the boy looking down at her sadly.

"Good news for the Fire Lord," Iroh noted as he wiped some snow off, "The Fire Nation's greatest threat is just a little kid."

Zuko lifted his head and raised while his uncle was speaking, barely holding back his rage, "That 'kid,' Uncle, just did this!" He motioned to the damaged ship, the whole front covered in ice and snow, "I won't underestimate him again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" he sweatdropped when he saw three Fire Nation soldiers using their Firebending to melt the icy encasings coating the three soldiers who caught caught in the avalanche, "As soon as you're done with that."

"And once you're done paying me my money from our bets!" Netto added, making Zuko sigh in aggravation at his cousin's addition to the orders, unaware of Shirokuro leaving.

---

Appa soared lazily in the sky while the sun was beginning to set. Aang was perched on the rim of the saddle, while Sokka and Katara sat at the back of it with Saito.

"How did you do that? With the water? It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" Katara exclaimed.

"And how did you just Lightningbend and turn into those weird armors guys!-?" Sokka added as he looked at Saito.

Aang quietly, slightly downcast, sat on the edge of the saddle, "I don't know. I just sort of... did it."

"As for me, I'm what you would call the last Kamen Rider: Kamen Rider Soul," Saito replied, "This is my SoulDriver, which I use my Raida Card and the Kenka Cards to become and fight as Soul while the Rider Dial I used can let me summon or turn into Kamen Riders. But…I'm not that good yet."

"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" Katara asked.

"Because..." Aang turned away slightly, saddened, "…I never wanted to be."

"But Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war," Saito noted, "According to legend, you need to master Waterbending, than Earthbending, and finally Firebending, ne?"

"That's what the monks told me," Aang replied.

"'Ne?'" Sokka repeated.

"Well, if we go to the North Pole, you can master Waterbending," Katara brightened up.

Aang turned to face her, smiling and brightened up completely, "We can learn it together!"

Katara faced her brother and new friend, cheerfully, "And, Sokka, Saito, I'm sure you'll both get to knock some Firebender heads on the way."

"I'd like that. I'd really like that," Sokka noted.

"I'd just like to spread the word about the allies of the Avatar: the Kamen Riders," Saito shrugged, 'And try to alter some things…'

"Then we're in this together!" Katara nodded.

Aang pulled out a rolled up scroll, "Alright, but before we learn Waterbending, we have some serious business to attend to." He used Airbending to situate himself onto the saddle and unrolled the scroll, revealing a map of the Avatar World, "Here, here and here."

"What's there?" Katara pondered.

Aang pointed to each location, "Here, we'll ride the hopping llamas. Then waaay over here, we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish." Katara and Sokka stared at him in wonder as Saito began to snicker, "Then back over here, we'll ride the hog monkeys" The siblings glanced at each other as Saito's snickers developed into chuckles, "They don't like people riding them, but that's what makes it fun!"

Aang smiled enthusiastically, his eyes widened with excitement. Saito couldn't take it anymore and fell onto his back, laughing. This was going to be a great trip in his opinion. Appa flew peacefully in the sky, sunbeams breaking through the clouds behind him.

---

A/N: And that is the first chapter. Anyways, I'll be skipping some episodes and adding some to the three Books AKA Seasons. Hmm…Main Cast List!

Aang: Zachary Tyler Eisen

Katara: Mae Whitman

Sokka: Jack DeSena

Zuko: Dante Basco

Iroh: Mako

Appa/Shirokuro: Dee Bradley Baker

Saito: Ryouta Murai

Netto: Greg Cipes

---

RIDER FASHION CHECK: SOUL PART 1 AND KAMEN RIDER STRONGER

---

Saito: *walks into a private theater room with Iroh* Hello. I'm Saito. My Rider Form is Kamen Rider Soul. *the projector started, playing his Henshin and his fight* I use the SoulDriver, my cell phone here, along with my Kamen Rider Card to become Soul by slashing it through the Realizer Scanner on the top of my device. This also lets me use the Kenka Cards, or Attack Cards, to summon weaponry and use my finisher.

Iroh: *awes as he watches Soul transform into Stronger* So who is this Lightningbender?

Saito: That's Kamen Rider Stronger. *the screen changes to show a Kamen Rider whose armor was modeled after a rhinoceros beetle. He had red armor on his upper torso with a black S in the centre, wore a black bodysuit, white gloves and white boots. His helmet sported large green eyes and a horn in between said eyes. He also wore a white scarf. He wasn't alone, however. Standing next to him was a girl in a red costume with a red miniskirt, yellow gloves and boots with a yellow scarf hanging from her neck. The costume had two rows of black spots on the front, two which covered her breasts with 'T's on them. She wore a red helmet decorated with black spots and antennae with a black mask over the upper portion of her face with green lenses covering her eyes* Kamen Rider Stronger is the seventh Kamen Rider and the girl there is her partner, Denpa Ningen Tackle. *it began to show various clips of the Kamen Rider Stronger Series and his two introduction chapters in the Kamen Rider Spirits Manga* Shigeru Johad, bravado and an eccentric personality. He wore various t-shirts emblazoned with the letter 'S,' along with numerous other items of clothing, including a denim jacket with a rose emblem. Stronger usually made an entrance by whistling and then saying what I did when I became Stronger this chapter.

Iroh: And the Lightningbending? *his eyes widen at seeing the operation that caused Shigeru his Rider abilities*

Saito: As Stronger, he used the power of electricity that flowed throughout his body. All his attacks were based on electricity, and the Cyborg aspect of his body was much more prominent than in the previous series; for instance, his hands were metal coils that had to be covered when he was not transformed.

Iroh: So it's fake bending?

Saito: That is somewhat true, Iroh-san. After the death of his best friend and mentor by Black Satan, Shigeru faked ignorance of their part in the murder by accepting their offer to become a Cyborg in order to get his revenge on the organization, escaping before he could be brainwashed. In the process, Shigeru met Yuriko Misaki as they worked together against Black Satan. The two eventually meet Tōbei Tachibana as well.

Iroh: *looks as the projector displayed the moments of wisdom Tachibana-san gave them* He seems to be a wise man, that Tachibana.

Saito: He was. Tachibana-san was the mentor to almost all the Showa Riders, even taking in Amazon when he came to Japan.

Iroh: Ohh…!

Saito: Stronger, Tackle, and Tōbei fought valiantly against the evil Cyborg forces of Black Satan, continually meeting the head agents General Shadow, and Mister Titan. Finally, Stronger was able to topple Black Satan once and for all. With his former organization in ruins, General Shadow formed the 'Delza Army' to continue his malicious goals. Stronger would later undergo surgery and receive a new devastating 'Charge Up' form that made him more powerful than before.

Iroh: Why didn't he use it in the first place?

Saito: I'll explain why later. Ultimately, all the previous Riders: Kamen Riders Ichigo, Nigo, V3, X-Rider and Amazon Rider would assist Stronger to finally defeat the Delza Army and General Shadow."

Iroh: *watches as it began to display moments of romance between Shigeru and Yuriko* How touching…*watches as it showed Stronger and Tackle fighting together*

Saito: Yuriko Misaki was a modified human created by Black Satan. However, she was still inactive. While Shigeru Jo made his escape from Black Satan, being modified as Kamen Rider Stronger, he discovered Misaki on an operation table and awakened her. After being revived by Shigeru, she decided to become his partner to fight Black Satan. Overtime, she would eventually fall in love with him.

Iroh: She is a fine woman and he is a good man that Shigeru. Did something happen to her?

Saito: …*the screen displayed her death in both the manga and show* She would later be killed by Doctor Kate, when she sacrificed herself to save Shigeru from being poisoned by unleashing the Ultra Cyclone, where she and her opponent would be torn apart by an incredible shockwave erupting through them both starting at her hands. Her death affected Stronger greatly, and he vowed to keep fighting until evil is defeated.

Iroh: *starts to cry a little* She was of marrying age and she died. *sniffles* Such a poor, yet happy ending for Kamen Rider Tackle…

Saito: But, she was never declared a Kamen Rider.

Iroh: What?-! *looks at me*

Saito: Shigeru would later, on a visit to her grave, tell the enemy that was threatening to kill him and everyone he knew there that "She fought more than enough. She'll never be called a 'Kamen Rider.' Misaki Yuriko is now a normal woman.' *sniffles*

Iroh: …*starts to cry quietly*…Her death was what drove him to have the operation, wasn't it?

Saito: Yeah…He tried to join her that day of fighting by using the Ultra Cyclone as well, but…

Iroh: He still lived?

Saito: Hai. He still had to protect the world…for Yuriko's sake.