A/N: This is my first (posted) story. Fun times, yeah. So... read? Review?
Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA. Not even a little bit.
Chapter One: The Girl In The Iceberg
The arctic air howled through the icy glaciers, the dark, chilling waters silent and unmoving. A canoe of animal skins and bones drifted lazily along in the current.
Sokka stared at the glassy water, and narrowed his pastel blue eyes. "It's not getting away from me this time," he vowed determinedly, his gaze following the movements of a silvery fish as it weaved around the small chunks of ice littering the calm sea.
"Watch and learn, Katara," Sokka raised an eyebrow and smirked in his sister's direction. He focused his gaze back on the crystal clear ocean and raised his spear. "This is how you catch a fish."
Katara glanced dismissively at her older brother. She quickly leaned over the side of the canoe as a silver gleam caught her eye. The fish was swimming out from under the canoe, leisurely swaying from side to side as it moved. Katara tentatively removed one of her blue, warm mittens. She winced uncertainly as she began to move her hand in a gentle up-and-down movement. The fish rose up into the air, encased in a bubble of water.
Katara raised her other hand and continued the bending move, calling excitedly over her shoulder, "Sokka! I caught one!" Sokka didn't move, whispering back, "Shh, Katara you're gonna scare it away!" He licked his lips in anticipation. "Mmm... I can already smell it cooking." The girl persisted, "but Sokka, I caught one!" She gingerly tried to set the fish down in a woven basket on the center of the canoe. Sokka moved slightly and the butt of his spear collided with the sphere of water. "Hey!" He was drenched in ice-cold liquid as the fish flopped unceremoniously back into the sea.
Sokka turned to glare at Katara, placing down his spear on the bench of the canoe. "Why is it that every time, YOU play with magic water, I get soaked?" He grumbled. Katara replied, slightly irritated. "It's not magic, it's waterbending. And it's-" Sokka waved a hand at her dismissively. "Yeah yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, blah blah blah..." He turned around and shrugged. "I'm just saying, if I were you, I'd keep my weirdness to myself." Katara smirked and replied teasingly, "You're calling me weird? I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection!"
True to her word, Sokka was leaning over the side of the canoe, his parka sleeve rolled up as he flexed. He rolled his sleeve back down and turned to face Katara again, glaring at her.
The siblings were shaken out of their squabble as the canoe slid into the rapids. Sokka grabbed the paddle, desperately trying to steer clear of the dangerous icebergs that looked ever closer, threatening to tear a hole in the hull of the frail canoe. Glaciers bumped into the boat, and Katara yelled fearfully, "watch out!" Her eyes widened as she saw two giant icebergs ahead, the gap between the two shrinking rapidly. "Go left, go left!" Katara panicked. Sokka continued to row forward, and with a sickening crunch, the canoe was snapped in two by the giant glaciers. The siblings were thrown onto a flat iceberg, tumbling to a stop and sitting up groggily.
"You call that left?" Katara said drily, rubbing her head. Sokka glowered at her. "Well maybe you should've waterbended us out of the ice," Sokka mimicked the motion of a wave sarcastically. Katara narrowed her eyes. "Oh, so now it's my fault." Sokka glared back at her as she stood up. "I KNEW I should've left you home. Leave it to a girl to screw things up." A look of rage flashed across Katara's face. She clenched her fists angrily. "You are the most SEXIST, IMMATURE, NUT-BRAINED- I'm EMBARRASSED to be RELATED to you!" She threw her arms up in the air and a jet of water sliced through a large iceberg behind the siblings.
"Ever since Mom died, I've been doing ALL the work around here while you've been off playing soldier!" She yelled, throwing one arm out to the side, another crack lacing through the glacier. Sokka looked up in fear. "Uhh... Katara?" He said worriedly, but Katara was on a roll. "I even wash all of the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Well let me tell you- NOT PLEASANT!" She threw her arms back behind her as she screamed, and another crack snaked through the glacier, as chunks of ice splashed into the water. Sokka's eyes widened. "Katara, calm down!" Sokka yelled, attempting to pacify his sister. Katara glared daggers at him. "No! That's it, I'm done helping you! From now on, you're on your OWN!" A fissure sliced through the heart of the glacier with an echoing crack, as Katara turned around with a gasp.
The chunks of ice fell into the dark ocean, and a wave sent the siblings' glacier flying backwards. Sokka looked sidelong at his sister as the water settled. "Okay, you've gone from weird to freakish, Katara," he remarked drily. She looked in wonder at the place where the iceberg used to be. "You mean I did that?"
Sokka rolled his eyes and replied sarcastically, "Yep, congratulations." The siblings were distracted from their banter when the dark water in front of them began to froth and glow a bright blue. Katara and Sokka scrambled to their feet and backed away in fear. Katara stared in awe as a sphere of ice burst out of the churning waters, bobbing on the waves. She took a few tentative steps towards the glacier. Sokka held out a hand to stop her, but she ignored him.
Katara gasped. "There's a girl in there," she said sadly. The girl's eyes opened in an instant, glowing a bright white. Katara'a eyes widened. "She's alive!" She grabbed Sokka's club from behind his back and pulled her hood up, racing towards the edge of the glacier, and jumping onto chunks of ice as she made her way across. "Katara, get back here! We don't know what that thing is," Sokka said cautiously before following his sister, his spear in hand. Katara began to swing the club, burying it in the ice with a grunt, before pulling back and swinging again. She cried out as a gust of air knocked her and Sokka down, and fissures spread through the sphere. The top of the iceberg broke open with a loud rumbling crack, and a beam of blue-white light shone up into the sky.
The gray-black ship sliced through the frozen waves like a knife through butter. A young man stood at the helm, clad in red and gray Fire Nation armor. His head was shaved except for a black ponytail in the back, and one eye was scarred a painful red. He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the pillar of light.
"Finally..." He turned to a short, pudgy, graying old man seated at a low table. The older man was focused on his game of solitaire. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?!"'the young man said. The older man looked up at him. "I won't get to finish my game?" The teenager turned away from him and scowled. "It means, my search. It's about to come to an end." The young man's uncle sighed and shook his head, placing another tile down calmly. The teenager pointed at the light and snapped, "that light came from an incredibly powerful source," he said angrily as the light began to fade. "It had to be him!" His uncle closed his eyes. "Or, it's just the celestial lights," he said, motioning at the arctic sky. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko."
His hand lingered over one column of tiles portraying the elements- the first tile air, the second water. The older man's hand shifted and the tile settled in another column. He gestured at the opposite side of the short table. "Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea," he motioned to an ornate red teapot on the edge of the table, matching teacups littered around it.
The young man named Zuko whirled around angrily. "I don't need any calming tea!" He yelled at his surprised uncle. "I need to capture the Avatar!" He cupped his hands and shouted towards a lone figure on a balcony. "Helmsman! Head a course for the light." Zuko's uncle frowned slightly, placing a fire tile over an earth tile. A gust of wind billowed across the deck of the warship, and the game pieces rattled slightly.
Sokka sheltered Katara protectively from the gale of wind that erupted from the crooked gap in the ice. He held up his spear defensively, as a shadow moved over the glacier.
A figure appeared, eyes glowing an indescribably bright white, dressed in a yellow tunic and loose-fitting pants, tucked into knee-high, tight brown boots. a dark orange mantle was draped over her shoulders and a matching orange belt was tied around her waist. Blue waves of color above the girl twisted and swayed as if they were alive.
Sokka positioned his spear and called out uncertainly, "Stop!"
The girl's eyes faded to a gray-blue, the color of stormy ocean waters as the lights vanished from the sky, and she tumbled headlong down the icy drop. Katara rushed to catch the girl as she fell from a mountain of snow and ice. Her white-blonde hair billowed out in soft, thick curls. The girl's heart-shaped face, high cheekbones and arched eyebrows made her appear delicate. Her skin was pale, a rosy hue dusting her cheeks.
Sokka's eyes narrowed and he cautiously approached, and began to poke the girl's prone form with the butt of his spear. Katara pushed him away. "Stop it!" exasperation filled her voice.
The girl's eyes fluttered feebly and opened, taking in the world. She looked up at Katara's worried face, as she waited for the mysterious girl to show some sign of good health. The girl coughed shakily, her eyes half-lidded. "I need to ask you something..." She mumbled hoarsely. "What?" Katara asked softly. "Please... Come closer..." She murmured. Katara leaned towards her. The girl's eyes opened fully and she said in a strong voice, "will you go penguin sledding with me?" Katara leaned back in surprise. "Uh... Sure! I guess..."
The girl grinned and quite literally flew to her feet. Sokka leapt back with a yelp, aiming his spear at the girl's face. "What's going on?" She asked as she looked around. "You tell us!" Sokka said loudly. "How'd you get in the ice? And why aren't you frozen?" He began to poke the girl with his spear again, but she pushed it away absentmindedly.
A grunt echoed from behind the wall of snow and ice. The girl's eyes widened and she scrambled up the hill, sliding down the other side. "Appa!" She cried out as she hugged a giant furry animal. The thing's fur was a cream color with a large tan arrow on his head. The girl lifted up his eyelid, trying to wake him, but the creature's bright brown eyes remained unmoving. She leapt down and began to try to lift Appa's head. Sokka and Katara came around the side of the ice, and Sokka's jaw dropped. Appa grunted and licked the girl affectionately. "Appa! You're okay!" She smiled happily. Appa stood up and shook his fur out.
"What is that thing?" Sokka approached Appa warily. "This is Appa, my flying bison," the girl said cheerfully. Sokka scowled. "Right. And this is Katara, my flying sister." Appa growled, and his nose began to twitch. The creature sneezed loudly; green slime covering Sokka from head to toe. He let out a disgusted groan, and frantically tried to get the slime off his parka. "Don't worry, it washes out," the girl said sheepishly. "So, do you guys live around here?" She asked.
Sokka pointed his spear at her neck. "Don't answer that," he ordered Katara. "Did you see that crazy bolt of light? She's probably signaling the Fire Navy!" Katara rolled her eyes and pushed past Sokka, towards the girl. "Oh yeah, I'm sure she's a spy for the Fire Navy. You can tell from the evil look on her eye," Katara said sarcastically. The girl grinned innocently.
Katara motioned one gloved hand to the Water Tribe boy. "The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka," she explained. Sokka raised his hand, giving the stranger a small wave. "You never told us your name," katara continued. The girl smiled again. "I'm K... K... ACHOO!" The delicate girl sneezed loudly and rocketed up in the air. She floated back down and landed daintily, rubbing her nose. "I'm Kija," she said.
Sokka looked at her, an expression of utter disbelief written on his face. "You just sneezed... And flew 10 feet in the air!" Kija frowned. "Really? It felt higher," she commented idly. Katara gasped in realization. "You're an Air-Bender!" She said, her voice barely masking her excitement. Kija nodded proudly. "Sure am!" Sokka shook his head. "Light beams, giant flying bison, Air-Benders..." He turned to walk away. "I think I have Midnight Sun Madness. I'm going home to where stuff makes sense."
Sokka stopped at the edge of the ice, his mouth turning down at the edges. He looked out at a sea of freezing water and ice chunks, with no way back home since the canoe was shattered. Kija shrugged. "Well, if you guys are stuck, I could give you a lift on Appa," she suggested. Kija jumped nimbly onto Appa's back, grabbing the reins and beckoning to Katara and Sokka, patting the saddle invitingly. Katara smiled. "We'd love a ride. Thanks!" She said graciously, running up to the side of the sky bison, where Kija held out a hand to help her up into the saddle.
Sokka crossed his arms. "No way am I going anywhere on that fluffy snot monster," he said stubbornly. Katara sighed in exasperation and scowled at her brother. "Oh really, so you're hoping some other kind of monster is going to come along and give you a ride home? Y'know, before you freeze to death?" Sokka frowned and began to reply, before seeing the sense in her words and sighing dejectedly. He trudged over to the "fluffy snot monster" and climbed clumsily into the saddle, taking a seat next to Katara. He crossed his arms and huffed indignantly. Katara looked in excitement at Kija as she grabbed the reins.
"First time flyers, hold on tight!" She cried out, and flicked the reins. "Appa, yip-yip!" Appa let out a growl, and his tail slapped against the ground. He jumped into the air and landed with a splash in the icy water. "C'mon Appa!" Kija called out encouragingly. "Yip yip!" Appa snorted and began to plow through the ocean waves.
Sokka leaned back in the saddle and rolled his eyes. "Wow," he muttered sarcastically, "that was truly amazing." Kija's smile faltered. Katara turned and gave Sokka a scathing look. Kija sighed. "I-I think he's just tired... A little rest and he'll be soaring through the skies. You'll see!" Her smile reappeared. Sokka groaned. "Ugh..." Appa's tail rose up and splashed back into the dark waters, propelling himself onwards towards the village.
Zuko stood silently on the ship's uppermost balcony, staring out at the vast landscape of ocean and ice as daylight faded from the sky.
His uncle stood a little ways behind him. "I'm going to bed now," he said. He stretched and let out an exaggerated yawn. "A man needs his rest." He discarded the hints and said plainly, "Prince Zuko, you need to sleep." The younger man didn't reply.
"Even if you are right, and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him!" The man sighed, shaking his head. "Your father, grandfather, even your great-grandfather all tried and failed!" Zuko clenched his fists. "Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does," he said determinedly. "This coward's hundred years in hiding are over."
Twilight had fallen over the trio as they sat quietly, the only noise being Appa plowing through the chilly water.
Katara crawled to the front of the saddle, leaning over the edge to look at Kija, who was relaxing against Appa's furry neck, her arms behind her head. "Hey," she said simply. "Hey," Kija replied. "Whatcha thinking about?" She asked curiously.
Katara shrugged. "Well, I was wondering- with you being an Air-Bender and all, if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar." She looked at Kija hopefully. Kija stared back at her with wide eyes. She shook her head to clear it before replying hastily, "uhhh... No. I didn't know him. I mean, I knew people who knew her- Uh, him, but I didn't. Sorry." Katara looked at her oddly before shrugging and turning around. "Okay. Just curious. Good night!" She called over her shoulder. "Good night..." Kija called back as she curled up against Appa's warm fur, a worried crease in her brow.
Kija was alone, holding on to Appa's reins as lightning cracked and thunder boomed. Her hair flew into her face as a mixture of wind and rain pelted her relentlessly. She clutched the reins tightly as Appa plummeted down towards the angry, foam capped surf. Water was everywhere, in her nose, her mouth, her lungs. She couldn't tell up from down as she tumbled deeper into the churning ocean. Her hands slipped from the reins as she began to lose consciousness. Suddenly, she was locked in the lotus position as a pocket of air formed around her and Appa. She looked down, the small, intricate tattoos on her hands glowing white. "Kija?" A voice called.
"Kija!" A hand shook her awake and she gasped. "It's alright, we're in the village now," Katara's voice said comfortingly. "C'mon, everyone's waiting to see you!"
She backed out of the low animal skin tent, looking back to see Kija pulling her Air-Bender uniform on over thin, intricate arrow tattoos. Her eyes widened as she saw matching tattoos on the teenager's legs.
Kija had just barely gotten her boots on and grabbed her staff, the only thing she had besides her clothes, when Katara grabbed her arm and pulled her out into the open. Kija winced, the cold air stinging her flesh.
Katara dragged her stumbling form in front of a crowd of people, all dressed in blue parkas. All of the village inhabitants were women or younger children, she realized, with the exception of Sokka. "Kija, this is the entire village," she said, gesturing towards the small huddle of people. "Entire village: Kija." Kija smiled and clasped her hands around her staff, bowing respectfully.
The tribespeople cowered away from her, pulling their children protectively away from the newcomer. Kija glanced at Katara, confused. "Why are they all looking at me like that? I didn't do anything!" She said defensively. An older woman walked forward, and Kija raised an eyebrow.
The old woman was dressed in an almost purple parka, her face riddled with wrinkles. Her hair was a dingy gray, tied back away from her face. "Relax, young one," she said quietly. "It's just that no one has seen an Air-Bender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct." Kija raised her head incredulously. "Extinct?"
Katara sighed. "Kija, this is my grandmother." The older woman nodded. "Please, call me Gran-Gran." Kija smiled just as Sokka reached out to grab her staff.
"What is this, a weapon?" He asked. "You can't stab anyone with this!" Kija snatched her staff back and frowned. She bonked Sokka lightly on the head in annoyance. "It's not for stabbing. It's for airbending," she explained. Sokka scowled. "Screw airbending, stabbing is better." Kija raised an eyebrow. "Oh really." Sokka crossed his arms. "Yes really."
Kija grinned wickedly, and took in a big gulp of air. She exhaled forcefully and a blast of wind sent Sokka tumbling backwards, landing against a crudely made snow tower. "Aww, my watchtower!" He grumbled. Sokka stood up, brushing himself off. "Fine. You win this round," he said to Kija, pouting in defeat. Kija smirked. "Now, watch this!" She sent a small current of air through the holes in her staff, causing it to unfold into a glider.
"Magic trick, do it again!" A little girl cried out. Kija smiled kindly. "Not magic, airbending!" She explained. "It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly!"
Sokka sulked near his watchtower, and took an opportunity to chip in drily, "you know, last time I checked, humans can't fly." Kija flashed him a daredevil grin. "Check again," she said as her hands gripped the supports of her glider. She jumped up, her feet sliding through the wooden braces at the rear of the glider as she soared through the air.
Amazed gasps sounded from the villagers. Kija winced as her hand slipped from the wooden bar, and she fell to the ground. A cushion of air prevented her from injuring herself, and she reached up, catching her glider deftly in her hand.
"Well, that was a little rocky," she shrugged apologetically. Katara looked at her with wide eyes. "What do you mean? That was amazing!" sh said excitedly. Sokka crossed his arms and stuck out his lip like a little kid. "Great. You're an Air-Bender, Katara's a Water-Bender, you two can just waste time all day long."
Kija looked at Katara in surprise. "You're a Water-Bender?" Katara shrugged sheepishly. "Uh... Sort of. Not yet."
Her grandmother's voice sounded from over her shoulder. "Alright, no more playing. Come on Katara, you have chores." She walked over to her grandmother, shooting an apologetic glance over her shoulder at Kija.
Zuko stood on the gray deck of the ship, dressed in armor, sparring two firebending guards.
"Again," his uncle ordered from the sidelines. Zuko narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, twin jets of flame flaring from his fists. He bent down, avoiding a fireball from one of his sparring opponents and twisted around, a high axe kick sending an arc of flame rolling towards the guard. He stopped with both his fists extended, waiting for the guards to make a move.
His uncle sighed. "No! Power in firebending comes from the breath! Not the muscles! The breath becomes energy. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire!" He thrust his hand forward, a tongue of flame flickering inches from Zuko's scarred face. He didn't flinch. The older man clasped his hands in front of him. "Get it right this time."
A scowl formed on the young prince's face. "Enough," he commanded. "I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready." His older uncle didn't falter. "No. You are impatient. You have yet to master your basics! Drill it again!"
Zuko's hands clenched into fists and he snarled, twisting around and using a powerful side kick to send a ball of flame spinning towards a guard, knocking him over. He turned back around. "The Sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Air-Bender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master all the elements. I'll need more than the basics of firebending to defeat him! You WILL teach me the advanced set!" Zuko's face was contorted into a mask of rage.
His uncle nodded. "Very well." His expression changed and a smile spread across his face. "But first, I must finish my roast duck!" He reached underneath the low stool he was sitting on and pulled out a bowl and some chopsticks. Without another word, he began to devour the roast duck with vigor. Zuko looked at his uncle, bewildered.
"Now men," Sokka said, pacing back and forth. "It's important that you show no fear when facing a Fire-Bender. Because in the Southern Water Tribe, we fight till the last man standing. For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?" Sokka finished his speech, and looked to see a group of bored faces from the little boys of the tribe.
Kija raised her hand casually. Sokka scowled. "Kija, you're not even a tribe member, much less a warrior." Kija looked at Sokka innocently. "I just wanted to say they might find it more fun if you gave a demonstration." Sokka rolled his eyes. "No one here knows how to fight except me. That's the point of this warrior training."
Kija stood up and stretched, hiding a grin. "I know how to fight," she suggested. Sokka rolled his eyes. "Your little air magic doesn't count," he wiggled his fingers, imitating airbending. Kija scowled back."you don't airbend like that," she said, annoyed. "And I wasn't talking about my 'air magic' I was talking about weapon or hand to hand combat."
Sokka looked slightly surprised. "You know how to fight? Well, that's a first." Kija walked up to him, the snow crunching under her feet. "Well, get in your stance..." She waited as Sokka moved his feet around, finally settling into a comfortable position.
"You won't have time to do that in a real fight," Kija said as she smoothly knocked Sokka's legs out from under him with a clean right sweep. She relaxed, and waited for Sokka to get back up. Kija turned as a voice sounded from behind her. "Kija! There you are!"
Sokka clambered to his feet, grumbling. He turned to Katara indignantly. "Katara, get her out of here! This lesson is for warriors only." Kija smirked. "You're just mad cause I beat you," she stuck her tongue out at the water Tribe boy.
"C'mon guys! Lets go play some games!" She called out to the bored little kids. They began to grin, and one by one they stood up and began to run haphazardly out into the snow.
"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Sokka yelled. He glared at Kija. "What's wrong with you? We don't have time for games with a war going on!" Kija frowned. "War? What war?" Sokka stared at her in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"
Kija suddenly looked over Sokka's shoulder, and her eyes widened. "PENGUIN!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, before racing towards the black and white animal, who was unaware of a certain overly energetic teenager until she was running full-pelt towards the small animal.
Sokka groaned. "She's kidding... Right?" He said to Katara as Kija disappeared over a hill.
Katara found the young Air-Bender girl lying in the snow, penguins waddling around her. She sat up, lunging for one of the small creatures. It evaded her grasp easily. "Hey, c'mon! Don't you wanna to sledding?"
Kija fell into the snow dejectedly, putting her head in her hands. Katara walked up to the younger girl and smiled. "Kija, I'll help you catch a penguin if you teach me waterbending." Kija brightened immediately. "You got a deal!" Kija said excitedly. A crease appeared in her brow. "There's only one problem. I'm an Air-Bender. Not a Water-Bender. Isn't there someone in your tribe who can teach you?" Katara hung her head sadly and turned away. "No... You're looking at the only Water-Bender in the whole South Pole,"
Kija frowned. "This isn't right... A Water-Bender needs to master water... What about the North Pole?" Katara sighed. "Maybe... But we haven't had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. It's not exactly 'turn right at the second glacier.' It's on the other side of the world." Kija replied happily, a small smile on her face, "but you forget. I have a flying bison! Appa and I could personally fly you to the North Pole! Katara, we're gonna find you a master!"
Katara looked down and kicked the snow around absentmindedly. "That's... I mean, I don't know. I've never been far from home before." Kija placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That's okay. You think about it. In the meantime, can you teach me how to catch one of these penguins?"
Katara looked up at the girl and smiled brightly. "Okay. Listen carefully, my young pupil. Catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art. Behold." Katara pulled a small fish out of her pocket, and tossed it to Kija. The penguins began to waddle towards her, trying to eat up the food. Kija looked around and began to laugh as the penguins swarmed over her.
Kija zipped over a ledge on the back of a larger penguin, laughing as the snow flew up around her. Katara wasn't far behind, letting out a yelp of surprise as her penguin flew into the air and landed with a thump on the snow, sliding towards Kija.
Katara was neck in neck with the other girl. "I haven't done this since I was a kid!" She called out. Kija laughed. "Depends what you call being a kid. Cause to me, you still are a kid!" With that, she slid ahead of the young Water-Bender and into a tunnel.
Kija let out a whoop of laughter as she spun around inside the tunnel, sliding up onto the walls. She turned to stick her tongue out at Katara, and pushed her penguin forward with a jet of air, and they rocketed out of the tunnel. She came to a stop on a flat icy plain.
She looked up and a shadow loomed over her. "Woah... What is that?" She breathed. A giant mass of cast iron and steel, a ship, she realized, was pushed up by giant, jagged pillars of ice. A torn red flag with the Fire Nation insignia fluttered in the icy wind.
"A Fire Navy ship," Katara answered, anger lacing her voice. "And a very bad memory for my people," she said grimly. Kija walked towards the metal monster, and Katara held out a hand, reaching for her. "Kija, stop! We're not allowed to go near it. The ship could be booby-trapped!"
Kija turned around, and said determinedly, "if you want to be a bender, you have to let go of fear." Katara let her hand fall back to her side, and she grimaced before following Kija closer to the warship. She gulped, the eerie silence around the old, rusty iron battleship unnerving. Kija took her hand, and helped her over the ice, towards a hole in the rusted hull. Kija climbed carefully into the dark hole, the rusted framework creaking as she walked bravely into the darkness.
The halls were dusty and the crude metal walls were falling apart. A low groan of shifting metal echoed around the ship as they continued on. Katara flinched at the sound.
The Air-Bender was as confident as ever, leaning around the side of a door to examine the room. Her eyes widened at the sheer amount of weaponry leaning against the walls. Katara spoke as Kija leaned forward to investigate a heavy battle-ax. "This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran-Gran was a little girl. It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks."
Kija closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. "Okay, back up," she said a few seconds later. "I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation. And I have never seen any war." Katara's eyes opened wide. "Kija," she said softly. "How long were you in that iceberg?"
She bit her lip, confusion in her eyes. "I don't know, a few days maybe?" Katara shook her head. "I think it was more like a hundred years." Kija lifted up a heavy spear caked in dust and replied, "what? That's impossible. Do I look like a one-hundred-fifteen year old woman to you?" Katara shook her head. "Think about it. The war is a century old. You don't know about it because somehow, you were in the iceberg that whole time! It's the only explanation." Kija looked up at her with fear filled eyes. "No... I-I don't believe it..." She stumbled backwards, slumping down against the wall. Katara put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Kija. Maybe there's a bright side to all this?" Kija looked up at her hopefully. "Well, I did get to meet you and Sokka," Katara smiled slightly. "C'mon. Lets get out of here," she grasped Kija's hand and pulled her to her feet. Kija shook her head, and went to climb a ladder at the side of the room. "I can't. I might learn more about what happened. I need to know." Katara followed her, a worried frown on her face.
"Come on. Let's go," Katara urged as Kija walked into yet another room. "This place is creepy." Kija took a few steps forward. "Huh?" She looked down to see her foot had pulled a wire that had been hidden in the dust. She swore under her breath as a gate slammed down over the exit. A set of dials began to spin as smoke leaked out from the pipes.
Kija pressed her hands to a glass window on the far side of the room, and looked out to see a flare rocketing up into the sky. "Monkey feathers," she grumbled. "Take my hand," she said to Katara. "What're you- AHHH!" Katara grabbed the girl's hand as she used a jet of airbending to propel them out of a hole in the roof.
The telescope zoomed in on the flare, then on the two people escaping the ship. Kija's's ashy-blond hair looked white in the glaring sunlight. Zuko watched as the figure jumped nimbly down the chunks of ice. "The last Air-Bender... Quite agile for his old age," he murmured, narrowing his eyes. He turned around, yelling to the guard, "Wake my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar!" He turned back to his telescope, following the figures as they moved towards a small, almost unnoticeable mass of snow huts. "As well as his hiding place."