Rumpilstiltskin

Once upon a time, in a world far away there lived a brother named Sokka and his sister Katara. Sokka and Katara lived in the Southern Water Tribe. They lived a quiet life, until one day the Avatar, the master of all four elements, air, fire, water, and earth, came to the South in search of something.

"I am looking for a person who knows water bending. I have a task for them."

Now, Sokka overheard this, and well, Sokka liked to brag. He ran up to the tallest person in the Avatar's party, tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, Avatar."

The man didn't turn around, but a voice to Sokka's left said, "Yes, what do you want?"

Sokka turned, he didn't see anyone.

"Hey, down here."

Sokka looked down, there was a boy standing there. The boy was short, bald and had funny blue tattoos.

"I'm looking for the Avatar. I've got something to say to him."

"Well, you're looking at him."

Sokka burst out laughing. He rolled around on the ground in a very, undignified way. When he finally stopped laughing, he stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Oh, that's rich, wait till I tell Katara. You're the Avatar, yeah right; you're just a little kid."

"So, what's your point?"

Sokka shook his head. He stared at the boy, "Wait, you're really the Avatar?"

"Really, really."

"How can you be the Avatar, you're just a little kid. What are you like, 8?"

"Actually, I'm 12. Besides everyone's a kid to start out with. Plus you're only a teenager. Anyway you said you had something to tell me."

It's about my sister, well, she's a water bender."

"That's great. I have a job for her. Tell her to meet me at the docks tomorrow at dawn if she wants the job."

Sokka ran the entire way home. He burst through the door, yelling his sister's name.

"Katara! Katara!"

"Shh, Sokka. What's the matter with you? We live in an igloo, not a castle. Not exactly large."

"Katara, I've got great news."

"What is it?" Katara walked over to where her brother seemed frozen.

"Sokka?" When he didn't respond, Katara started to get worried. Sokka shook his head and appeared to come out a stupor.

"Katara, you'll never guess, who I met today."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Does she have long flowing hair and eyes the color of the sky. Pearly white teeth and curves in all the right places?"

Sokka started to drool, picturing that perfect creature. He suddenly remembered his important news. After wiping away the drool hanging from his lip he said, "That would be nice, but no one with those perfections lives down here. No the person I met has a way for you to get out of here."

Katara dropped the spoon she'd been holding.

"What do you mean?" she breathed.

"I mean, you're going to work for the Avatar."

"The Avatar?" Katara was stunned she stood there her mouth gapping like a fish.

Sokka reached over and closed her mouth, and said, "Yes, the Avatar."

Katara began running around their igloo, shouting, "Oh my gosh, the Avatar! I can't believe it! The Avatar, I'm so excited!"

Katara suddenly stopped, and looked at her brother, "What about you?"

"What about me?"
"What are you going to do?"
"Stay here of course."

"What about your dreams of leaving, getting out of here?"

"Katara, I'm still young, your birthday's coming up, and you'll be what 19? I'm only two years older than you."

"Yes, but…"

"Look if it makes you happy, you'll be working for the Avatar, right? Getting paid, right? Send home a small portion of your pay each month. I'll save some more of mine. And when we've collected enough, I'll come see you and get a job wherever you are. I promise to see you soon, okay?"

Katara nodded. She couldn't believe that she was going to leave tomorrow and wouldn't see her brother in who knows how long. It was a little overwhelming.

Sokka sniffed the air, "Mmm, something smells good."

"I made salted seal meat stew, your favorite."

The next morning dawned bright, especially against the winter snow. Sokka and Katara stood waiting at the docks for the Avatar to arrive; each lost in their own thoughts.

Suddenly, the Avatar landed right in front of them. Sokka jumped into Katara's arms. Katara looked at her brother, looked at the ground, and then dropped Sokka into a back of snow.

"Good morning," said the Avatar, a huge smile on his face.

"Good morning, Avatar," replied Katara. Sokka stoop up, brushing snow off his body.

"Yeah, yeah, good mornings all around," muttered Sokka.

"By the way my name's Aang. Call me that."

"Okay, Ava … Aang. My name's Katara. And this is my brother Sokka."

"Nice to see you again Sokka. Anyway this is my ship." Aang turned and pointed to a very large ship.

Sokka's mouth dropped open. "That's …that's your ship."

"Yep. That's it." He turned back towards the siblings, "Are you ready to go?"

"Almost just one more thing." Katara turned and hugged Sokka and whispered, "I'll miss you."

Sokka squeezed his sister and said, "I'll miss you too."

"Where are you going?" This question was directed to Sokka.

"What do you mean, 'Where am I going?' I'm not going anywhere, Katara is. Remember she's leaving with you." Sokka stared at the Avatar confused.

"Of course I remember, but you're coming too."

"Really? I get to come too?"

"Yep, it's all been arranged. Do you have all your things?"

"No, I left everything back in the igloo."

"Well, you'd better hurr – ry." Sokka was gone and then back in only a matter of seconds.

Katara stared at her brother, "I've only ever seen you move that fast at meal times."

"Yeah well," Sokka puffed out his chest and spoke like a cowboy, "You see little lady," leaning in towards Katara, "I'm on an adventure with the Avatar, and well, we don't have much time to waste."

"You're right, Sokka, let's get on board."

Once on board, Aang said, "These men will escort you to your quarters. See you later."

Katara and Sokka followed the two men down into the ship through a maze of twists and turns. Katara tried to remember the different passageways, but soon she was completely lost, one hallway, looked pretty much like the next.

Presently they stopped in front of a closed door. One of the men pulled out of a key and unlocked the door. He opened it and allowed Katara and Sokka to get all the way inside before he quickly pulled the door shut. Katara heard the key turn in the lock.

Sokka was the first to speak, "What's going on here!" he wailed.

Then suddenly out of the shadows a voice said, "We'd like to know that too."