Avatar: The Lost Arts

Part 1 – 'Blue Planet'

Foreword:
By request, here is the second Chapter. Sorry this one took me so long to put together, I had alot of trouble especially with Sokka and Zuko's characters.

Just in case you missed it before, the character ages are older, but same age differences (I think) Aang 16, Katara 17, Sokka 18, Zuko 19 and so on, pretty much the same age gaps. Again, this will all be explained in the story, so enjoy!

Disclaimer:
I own neither A:TLA or anybody else's work. Please note that there will be references to real places and historical events, (like the holocaust, Silence of the Tibetan Monks and cities and such) these accounts are all fictitiously represented and in no way reflect real life. Some may be offensive to some people, so please don't flame me for this.

The Rating has been dropped to (T) for now.
(Again – I will notify if this changes).

So thanks for reading and I hope keep enjoying!

~BENIGNviewer~


[Chaper 2] - The Monk Returns

"Are you gonna be ok Aang? I know it's a lot to take in… the war and all. I can't imagine what you're going through." Katara was talking to the boy gently as they plodded back towards her small house.
Truthfully she was worried for him. In a very short time they had become very good friends, she couldn't explain it, but he brought a sense of fun and adventure to her life that she'd been missing, and this strange sense of trust. If she believed in Fate, she would have to conclude that their destinies had brought them together for a reason. And that was partly what was concerning her. She, along with everyone else, had heard the rumours of the monks of Tibet. They were more like myths, legends, but she believed in them. A hundred and twenty years ago Emperor Sozin started a war. He tried to invade the surrounding countries, but according to the stories he was stopped. A lone monk from his own country, trained in Tibet, singlehandedly defeated him, and ended the world war, before it could truly begin. No one knew how, just that the Sozin Dynasty feared the Tibetans from then on.
Twenty years later Sozin tried again, launching a massive surprise attack on the Tibetans and claiming their land as a rightful part of his China. It was called the silence of the Tibetan monks, and the whole world watched the genocide yet no one dared to intervene. Sozin moved further and further, his greed for his empire was insatiable, overrunning Africa and much of the Middle East within that year. That was just the start of the Second World War, which had raged on ceaselessly for a hundred years. Over this time the Dynasty had mercilessly hunted down any last remnants of the Tibetans across the world and destroyed them. And now she had found this boy Aang, raised by the Tibetan monks, who had been lost for a hundred years, probably the last monk alive.
Could he really be the world's last hope against the dynasty? She wasn't sure, but he was definitely different. And what about my own powers? This bending as she was told. She had so many questions, that she couldn't ask. Aang was definitely a boy of mystery, yet did those mysteries hold the key to save the world?

"Katara?" his soft voice broke here reverie, and she realized he was gently shaking her shoulder. "Katara, I'll be fine. To be honest it doesn't seem real yet, but as the monks said 'Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future; focus your spirit on the present moment'"

"I don't know how you can be so positive after all that's happened… but I'm glad" she said smiling, as Appa barked seemingly in agreement.

She almost missed his whispered reply as they arrived back at the house "Me too."

"Where have you two been? It's getting late!" Sokka yelled dramatically as Katara and Aang returned. "Where have you been!" He was leaning against the door of their house, glaring at Aang as he Katara and Appa finally returned from their wandering.

"Sokka, you just asked the same question twice!" Katara said exasperated, and reluctant to talk about her time with Aang to Sokka.

"So what? It's an important question!"

"Clam down, it's not a big deal, we just went down to the beach." Aang said placatingly.

"The beach! But it's the middle of winter! Are you guys' crazy?" he gestured around his ear with his hands for emphasis.

"Sokka, we were just walking" Katara snapped.

"You know it's not safe out there! That's where the ship is!" Sokka said brusquely, eyeing Aang mistrustfully. "I still think he could be a Dynasty spy."
Aang noticed Katara start guiltily at the mention of 'the ship', and figured Sokka was talking about the Navy ship that they had walked past. Still, she snorted at the thought of him being a spy, and Sokka seemed to realize it was a rather unfeasible argument as well. "Or he could be some gangland low life. Yeah I'll bet that's what he is, and that's how he got those tats!"

"Sokka even Gran-Gran thought those were monk tattoos, do you seriously think he was lying?"

"I don't know! I don't trust him that's all!"

"Um guys… Do I have some say in who I am or my actions?" Aang interrupted trying to get there attention, but they both ignored him.

"What's going on here?" the gravelly voice of Kanna finally broke the argument, as she pulled the door open behind Sokka. Appa immediately rushed inside with a happy bark, and Sokka almost lost his balance from the combination of dog and door moving behind him.

"Sokka was being a jerk!" Katara quickly chimed while Sokka was floundering around.

"What! That's what I get for looking out for you?" Sokka said indignantly, once he was standing upright.

"You just don't like him coz-"

"Enough!" Kanna grunted wearily, leading Aang to believe these kinds of arguments were a common occurrence. The two of siblings stopped yelling again, looking somewhat chagrined. Aang just glanced nervously between the three family members as their grandmother led them inside.

"I'm heading out" Sokka announced after glaring at Aang and his sister for a moment longer.

"Where?" Katara asked.

"Oh you know, places. To see some… people."

"Right… people" Katara said sarcastically.

"Hey I can have a social life" he said defensively.

"You mean hanging out at the arcade is considered social now?"

"Well it's not like you get out and do anything miss 'sit at home and read'" Sokka shot back.

"I do get out!"

"To do the shopping maybe."

"Huh! So you admit it!" she said triumphantly

"Admit what?"

"That it was me doing the shopping the other day."

"That was-"

Aang, sensing that their bickering would never stop if he didn't do something chose then to intervene. "What's an arcade?" Both Katara and Sokka stared at him as if he was crazy. "What's with the looks again?"

"Dude, as if you don't know what an arcade is!"

"Raised by monks in the Himalayas, remember Sokka?" Aang said in frustration, Sokka just snorted. It was obvious he had chosen not to believe him.

"Consider yourself blessed." Katara said snidely, giving her brother a pointed look.

"Well technically I am a master which means I'm enlightened…"

"Ok seriously?" Sokka said disbelievingly "And your 'enlightenment'" he made air quotes with his fingers at the word "couldn't enlighten you as to what an Arcade is?"

"It kinda doesn't work like that…"

"Ok, well I'm going to leave Mr. 'enlightened' here with Miss 'fantasy world' and head off to the mall where things make sense." He yelled to his grandmother who had retreated to the living room.

"Have fun dear!" she called back, Sokka blushed, and catching the other's smirks he marched out of the house in a huff.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Zuko paced wearily down the Halifax streets. In truth he was nervous this far away from his warship in enemy territory. His ship was some where off the coast of Nova Scotia but he was comforted by the fact that it could be here in a couple of hours at the most. When he found the monk he would be able to get him and get out before the United Allied Navy could stop him. Yet despite this he was still nervous.

"Nephew, are you even sure he's here?" Iroh said quietly and vaguely lest they be overheard.

"I know he is Uncle, I saw him."

"How can you be sure?"

"The tattoos could only belong to one of the enlightened monks." He snapped, tired of his Uncles questioning. He had tried to follow the tattooed man he'd seen on the beach, but never had a chance. He had returned back to the trade ship and slipped quietly into the city with the few elite soldiers he'd taken with him, and his uncle. Now he knew that the monk was in the city, it only increased his frustration at being unable to find him.

"Are you positive you weren't seeing what you wanted to see?" His uncle asked pointedly

"Yes I am positive, god damn it!"

"Alright, alright…" Iroh held his hands up submissively "Do you have any idea where he is then? 400,000 people live here, where do you expect to find this monk? "

Zuko let out a long sigh, hating the only answer he had to give his uncle "…I don't know"

"Well think Zuko! We can hardly linger here, lead with your head for once!"

"I know what I am doing uncle!"

"No, you know what you want to do, but you have no idea how to achieve it." Iroh said gruffly.

"I have had it with your foolish sayings; we are not leaving here without the Tibetan!"

"That's what I'm afraid of."

~~ A V A T A R ~~

"Ooh yeah! Who's the man? Who's the man? Baby you the man!" Sokka cooed to himself. He was absorbed in his game, intent on setting a new high score. Katara and Gran-Gran thought he was immature playing around in the arcade all the time, but the truth was it was a refuge for Sokka. He continued shooting using the game's remote pistol, arrogantly posing as he showcased his skills.

"Oh no you don't sucka!" he yelled as he nailed another virtual bad guy "James Bond's got nothing on me" he blew imaginary smoke away from the gun's barrel for emphasis.

"Okay, time to rescue the president's daughter, doll-face come to daddy" he smirked as he saw the picture of the girl in a tank top and a skimpy pair of shorts. Virtual or not, she was hot he thought to himself "Man I love this game!" Maybe it was just a little immature he conceded.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Zuko was looking around the mall with disdain.

"Loosen up nephew!" Iroh said jovially "You definitely won't find a place like this back home. Try to enjoy it if you can."

"Uncle…"

"I find myself in dire need of a good cup of tea; I'm going to try the coffee shop over there. Why don't you entertain yourself in that arcade?"

"We don't have tome for tea and games!"

"Relax Zuko; good things come to those who wait."

Zuko just stared at Iroh for a long moment. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

Iroh just shrugged and grunted non-committally, making a beeline for the Coffee shop. Resignedly he walked into the arcade. It was filled with a bunch of young kids, and surprisingly one older boy who looked to be about his age.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

"Man I hate this game!" Sokka was cursing heartily at the game he had just finished "This is complete shit! I can't believe I wasted two bucks on it!" He was staring at the high score screen broken hearted. It was his best score yet, and it should have been number one. In fact it would have been number one, a few days ago when he last played. But now one name with a ridiculously high score was above his.
"Cabbages?" he asked of no one "What kind of ridiculous name is that! Where is this Cabbage man and how dare he beat me at my own game!"

"Jeez dude, calm down." A tall guy, about his age strode up to him. He had dark black that mostly hid his eyes, and what looked like a red tattoo around his left eye.

"That's easy for you to say, your dreams weren't just crushed" he bemoaned.

"It's just a game" He said dismissively.

"Just a game! You try playing it buddy, and then tell me it's just a game!" Sokka said, smiling despite himself.

"Sure, Give me a shot and I'll show you" The other guy said smirking.

"Fine!" Sokka said grudgingly, putting a few coins in the machine. "What's your name by the way?"

"Zuko" the guy replied, and Sokka entered it in the game machine.

"Alright then, Zuko what kind of name is that anyway?"

"The one I'm stuck with" Zuko answered shortly.

"Whatever. Now don't be disappointed if you get killed right away." Sokka said, demonstrating how to use the remote gun. "We're gonna do this two player, so follow my lead."

"You take this a little too seriously" Zuko told him gruffly as the game started. Quickly and expertly he raised and held the pistol in front of him, hitting every one of the bad guys that popped up on screen. Sokka couldn't hit any of them.

"Wow you're good" he admitted "I thought you thought this game was nothing"

"It is."

"Coz you obviously don't play much to get this good" Sokka said sarcastically.

"Never played before in my life" Zuko said tersely.

"Yeah right. Where did you learn to handle a gun so well then? On the streets?" Sokka said, not believing that anyone could be as good as he was and never have played before.

"Pretty much" Zuko answered seriously.

"God all you tattoo freaks are the same" Sokka said, remembering his previous aggravation with Aang.

"What do you mean by that?" Zuko said angrily. "This is a scar"

Sokka glanced at the guy beside him "Oh sorry, it's not you, my sister just picked up this weird guy with these arrow tattoos. Guy had never even heard of an arcade before can you believe that?" he babbled.

"Wait; were these arrows of his a pale blue?" Zuko asked, no longer paying any attention to the game.

"Uh, yeah" Sokka gulped nervously "You got some kind of beef with him?"

"You could say that" Zuko said darkly.

"I knew he was trouble" Sokka said "He attacked me; all along I thought he was some kind of gang member or something. He the one that gave you that scar or something?"

Zuko didn't answer. He took a long and lasting look at the guy beside him and for a moment considered holding him prisoner and using him to lead him to the monk. It might be nothing though… he thought. Kidnapping the guy would tip his hand… but maybe there was a better way. If this guy really knew where the Tibetan was, then all he had to do was follow him, and he would be led right to his prize. "Thanks for the game" Zuko said, grinning wolfishly at Sokka. "I gotta go now, my uncle's waiting for me"

"Right, well it was good shooting with you" Sokka replied, somewhat rattled. "I gotta go too, anyways. Got some things to… take care of back at home" With that he hurriedly walked out of the arcade.

Zuko watched him closely as he left, before swiftly marching over to the coffee show grabbing his uncle and dragging him, tea and all, in pursuit.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

"So what do you usually do now?" Aang asked to fill the sudden silence.

"Well this is kinda where I go and read a book." She said, embarrassed. "So what do you want to do?" she asked him.

"Well I have nothing against reading, but how about I teach you some of those martial arts moves?" He suggested after thinking for a moment.

"That sounds great!" she said enthusiastically, secretly looking forward to being able to kick Sokka's butt the next time they fought.

"Before we do anything you have to take an oath." Aang said once he had led them outside. "It's a kind of sacred pledge, which everyone who is trained in our ways takes."

"What does this 'pledge' entail?" She asked nervously.

Aang obviously saw her worried and laughed. "Don't worry, you don't have to become a vegetarian or anything, you just swear to use what you are taught in self defence or defence of others only."

"Oh" she muttered, embarrassment colouring her cheeks. "Well in that case I accept."

"Kinda informal, but it'll do" Aang said grinning. "I trust you wouldn't misuse this."

"How?" Katara asked in spite of herself "I mean, how can you trust me just like that?"

"Well how can you trust me?" he said as way of reply "Call it my intuition, call it wisdom, whatever you want, but you took me - a guy who threatened you in an alley - in to your home, out of compassion. That says a lot about a person to me, I know you won't misuse this." His smile was teasing, but his bright grey eyes were serious.

"Fair enough" She replied, for the first time taking a moment to consider how bizarre her actions of the past day really were. "Kicking Sokka's butt from time to time isn't counted as misuse is it?"

"Of course not" He said, his goofy grin growing wider. "Now let's begin!"

With that he began to lead her through the basic steps of a Tai Chi movement. The form required perfect balance, and she blushed as he corrected her stance several times. Before long much to her and his amazement, she had mastered the move. It was simple really; she started in a central position before twisting her weight to one foot and pushing out in front of her with her arms. She then twisted back and repeated the motion to the other side. She felt exhilarated doing it, she could feel her energy flowing and Aang had stopped giving her instructions. Looking around for him she found him sitting quietly watching her.
"That felt great!" she said, surprised in spite of herself. She was tired, but relaxed, it was nothing like the intense work out she had been expecting.

"You looked great" he said, unaware of the double entendre of his words.

She blushed and looked away. "It wasn't anything like I was suspecting, it was calm and… soothing."

"Yeah, Tai Chi is all about the flow of energy, it's more a mastery of yourself than ways to cripple others. It was commonly used in our meditations, but don't let its calm nature lull you, a Tai Chi master is an opponent who has completely mastered themself. Any attack you launch at them" he made a slow exaggerated punch towards Katara, who quickly twisted and redirected Aang "Can be diverted or even used against you." He smiled at how Katara moved instinctively at his motion.

"So what now?"

"Well training requires sustenance, how about we get something to ea- whoa!"

Katara looked down at herself and saw a thin trail of water following the unconscious movements of her hands. She shrieked in surprise and instantly the water fell to the ground with a soft splash. "I, uh… wow" she mumbled. She didn't know how to feel about her bending it was all so knew and strange to her, yet somehow familiar like it had always been a part of her. To some extent she realised it always had. But how? Her rational mind queried people can't just move elements…These aren't even the real elements … It's just not possible!

Her confusion must have been evident on her face, for Aang quickly placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, you can puzzle about it later. Now let's make something to eat."

She abandoned her thoughts and returned her attention to him, giggling slightly. "You know you sound like Sokka"

"Spare me that!" Aang said in mock horror and they both laughed easily, heading back inside for something to eat.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Sokka came rushing back from the mall a look of dark fury obscuring his face. His rage was nothing more than a product of his fear, despite and maybe even because of his relationship with his sister he was very protective of her, and right now he knew Aang was a threat. He had already lost too much of his family, and he'd promised his dad to protect them before he left. He wasn't going to let any of his family get involved in whatever gang wars Aang had been in on the streets. I was right not to trust him he told himself. He's dangerous.
He arrived back at the house and rushed inside to see Aang and Katara chatting together. "Katara! Get away from him!" he yelled

"What? Why?" She exclaimed.

Sokka didn't wait for her to move; he kept walking over to her from the door and roughly pulled her away. "Come on" he said, dragging her.

"Are you out of your mind? What is wrong with you Sokka!" she shouted, pushing him off her.

"He's dangerous!" Sokka yelled right back.

"No he's not!"

"Yes he is! I ran into some guy at the arcade who knew him, had a big scar on his face, coz of him" Sokka explained.

"So what?" Katara said pointedly

"Yeah I don't know any guy with a-" Aang began

"Shut up!" Sokka shouted over him.

"What is going on here?" Gran-Gran walked in, seeing Sokka standing aggressively between Katara and Aang.

"It's him!" Sokka said pointing at Aang "He's involved in some bad Gang types, he's dangerous!"

"But Sokka he's a monk, don't you know those markings" Katara said "You know them, right Gran-Gran?" Kanna nodded, but still looked undecided.

"I don't care who he is, or if he's from a lost country or even the moon! He. Is. Dangerous. I promised Dad I would protect you!"

"Protect me from what? I don't need to be protected from Aang"

"Yeah, I never wanted to hurt anyone…" Aang said softly

"Don't lie! You attacked me! You tried to mug Katara and I!"

"Katara, is this true?" Kanna asked

"Well yes, but it wasn't his fault! He was starving and-"

"It was his fault!" Sokka screamed. "And now this other gang guy I ran into knows him. He isn't safe to be around!"

"But I don't know any gangs…" Aang protested weakly

"This guy knew you! And you attacked me once before, with all of that kung fu shit you do, you can't deny that you're dangerous!"

"I didn't mean anyone any harm…" Aang said sadly.

"Sokka!" Katara said angrily, torn, as she watched Aang. She trusted him. She didn't believe he could ever be a danger to her, she didn't know what had gotten into Sokka.

"Perhaps Sokka is right" Kanna said softly. "Katara you have done a good thing for him, you have helped this young man, and while I don't think he is evil, or means us any harm, your brother has a point. You've done enough, it is best he leave now."

"You're making a mistake!" Katara sobbed, an uncontrollable tear rolling down her cheek. "If he is leaving I am going with him! Aang is going to teach me," She ran over to him, and stood beside him against her family. "I need to learn…" she trailed off, not knowing how to tell anyone about her water bending which had suddenly burst into existence when she met Aang.

"Katara, think this through!" Sokka said angrily "What can he do for you? Would you really just run away with him, and leave your family?"

Katara was so tempted to say yes, and just take Aang's arm and run out of the house. She even started to answer "Ye-" but was cut off by Aang.

"Katara" he said quietly. "I don't have a family, I don't have a home. You do. Don't abandon it for my sake. I don't want to come between you and your family"

"Aang…" she said sadly

"I never meant to hurt you" he said.

"I know. Where will you go?" She was hugging him tightly, despite only knowing him a day she didn't want to let him go. It had been the best day she had had in eight years.

"I guess I will try and find a way back to one of the temples." He answered her with forced optimism.

"I'll miss you"

"I'll miss you too"

"Enough with the emotional drama! You've known him a day Katara!" Sokka yelled. "Go on, beat it! I don't want to see you again!"

Casting a long sad look behind him, Aang strode out the door, Appa slowly slinking behind him. He walked sluggishly down the road, as the neighbours watched, having heard the fight and come out to see what was going on. Katara watched him the whole time from their door until he was out of sight, and Sokka stood beside her, his arms crossed and a look of fierce satisfaction twisting his face.

"Katara, you only knew him for a day… you'll feel better-" Her grandmother began, but she wouldn't hear any of it.

"Are you happy now? You don't know what I've just lost, my only chance to- to…" Unable to full restrain her tears of anger and pain, she ran to her room.

"She'll get over him" Sokka said.

Kanna just looked between Sokka and Katara's room forlornly "I hope so."

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Aang walked miserably through the streets of the sprawling metropolis, holding his staff loosely in one hand. He looked aimlessly for anywhere he could call 'home' for one night at least. Appa walked beside him, equally upset, his ears were flattened and his tail drooped. He let out a low pitiful whine, and Aang petted him to try and cheer him up. "I know buddy, I really liked her too"

Suddenly Appa raised his head and one ear; he was listening intently, before he growled and raced into a side street. Aang rushed after him, and was just in time to avoid being seen by the man walking down the other street. Appa growled again, and Aang looked up to see a man with a scar across the left side of his face heading back the way he'd come towards Katara's house. That must be the guy Sokka was talking about Aang thought. Then he focused on what the guy was holding in his hand. He was poorly concealing what looked like a small gun, some sort of large pistol with an elongated clip, although Aang had never seen a gun of its kind before. He didn't have to time to dwell on the new technology as he saw several men following the scarred one's lead, all carrying similar weapons.
"Appa stay here!" he whispered urgently to his dog. He wasn't going to let these people hurt anyone on his behalf; I'm not going to become what Sokka despised me for. His face set in hard lines of determination he began to run swiftly after them, not paying attention to the fact that his feet never touched the ground.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Katara was in the small yard behind the house, practicing one of the moves Aang showed her, when she heard the loud crack of gunfire. Cautiously she slipped inside, and moved across the house until she could see out the front window. There was a man with an angry red scar across half his face with an Uzi held in front of him. "Come out!" he yelled. When nobody did, he strafed his gun across the houses on this side of the street. A man suddenly banged down the door of their house, and roughly pulled Katara outside. She found Sokka and Gran-Gran already waiting out there, and the rest of the neighbourhood assembling in the street.

"So this is your friend?" Katara muttered to Sokka.

"This proves I was right! We should never have taken him in!" He shot back.

"Where is he!" The angry man with the scar yelled. He strode over to Gran-Gran and pulled her away from the huddle of people. "He'd be about this old? Blue Arrow Tattoos? Last Monk from Tibet? Traitor to my family!"

"He's gone!" Sokka said with faked bravado, stepping forward to face Zuko. "Now leave, we don't want any part in your gang wars here!"

"Idiot," Zuko scoffed "This is not about some gang grudge; this is a matter of country and honour! Now where did he go?" He raised his gun to Gran-Gran's temple, and Katara looked on in fascinated horror.

"Who are you?" Sokka asked

"Prince Zuko of the Sozin Dynasty, and you'd do well to remember it! Remember me when our troops come marching in to victory!" He grinned cruelly at them, before cocking the firing pin of his gun. "Now where is the cowardly monk!"

"Looking for me?" Aang remarked from behind Zuko. Instantly he and his troops turned to face him, and he released Gran-Gran to point his weapon at Aang.

"Come quietly, and this doesn't have to get messy" Zuko said.

"Try me" Aang replied, but he was unprepared for Zuko's weapon. The gun rapidly strafed the ground in front of him, kicking up a mass of snow from the impacts.

"I have spent years preparing for this encounter" Zuko said cockily "Training, meditating, and your just a child!"

"I am sixteen!" Aang insisted, and saw how young the man with the scar was "You barely count as an adult anyway"

"Urgh!" Zuko growled "Take him!" he yelled to the soldiers standing by him. The men behind Zuko split into two groups and approached Aang from both sides.

Aang was ready for them this time however, the moment they closed distance on him he leapt into action, literally. He took a huge flying leap to his left, and rolled upon landing. He scythed his leg out as he completed the roll, tripping up two of the men. There was only one left standing and he dropped him with a series of precise strikes with his left hand and elbow to his side. He spun his staff in his right hand and struck the two men struggling to get off the ground, incapacitating them.

The other three men who had been closing in from his right side opened fire on him with their Uzi's. Now knowing what the guns were capable of, he dodged out of the way, with seemingly inhuman speed and agility. An obscuring spray of snow was kicked up from the bullets impacts with the ground, and the sound of ricocheting pings against the houses in the line of fire was clear.

The crowd of people watching at Zuko's gunpoint grimaced as they saw the display. When the soldiers stopped shooting however, there was nothing there, except the bullet ridden houses and ground.

"What-?" Zuko muttered, before suddenly Aang jumped down from the roof behind the soldiers.

Twirling his staff viciously, Aang riposted and in a series of short hooking blows struck his opponents in their sides and heads, incapacitating them all.
Zuko didn't wait for him to turn and face him; he turned his gun on Aang and fired. Aang dodged again, seemingly knowing where the bullets were headed before they reached him. Zuko only had a few rounds left in his magazine, and dropped the gun as soon as it was spent. Iroh stood behind him watching over the civilians, as Aang Zuko faced off.

Zuko charged him, throwing a series of hard punches and short forward kicks. Aang for his part waved like a read and avoided the majority of his attacks, trying to place himself behind him. Zuko however was aware of his intent, and forced him back with a wide roundhouse kick. Unable to hit the little monk, Zuko's fury intensified. Somewhere behind him something exploded and burst into flames.

Aang's face paled as he saw flames begin to emerge from Katara's house. The soldiers he's taken down were beginning to get back up again and they were herding the terrified residents of this neighbourhood.

Aang looked between them and the burning house, and stood down. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave these people unharmed?"

"Aang, no" Katara said moving forward, but her grandmother held her back. Involuntarily tears welled up in her eyes.

"See ya guys" he said with a fake smile on his face, as Zuko's men grabbed and relieved him of his staff.

"Yeah bye Aang, thanks for coming" Sokka said, somewhat humbled by Aang's actions on behalf of all of them, despite how he'd treated him.

"Take care of Appa for me!" he called, his eyes never leaving Katara's and his smile faded as he was lead away.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

The whole neighbourhood was shaken up after the shooting incident. About twenty minutes after the Dynasty soldiers had left with Aang, the police and fire department arrived. They crowded around the area cataloguing evidence, all the while Katara knew Zuko was getting away with Aang. They had said that the navy had been called, but by the time they arrived Zuko would be long gone.

She had walked down to the beach where she and Aang had gone sledding, and silently looked out over the ocean. There had to be some way she could save Aang, she knew he was more than just a lost monk, and if the Dynasty was after him so badly as to send a prince with an elite team, then he must be trouble for them. For the first time ever Katara had hope that somehow this war could be ended. And maybe, just maybe, Aang was that 'how'.

"Katara" Sokka said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"What!" she turned to face him. "Here to slander Aang some more?" She asked harshly.

"Katara I-"

"No, you didn't think! You see now he's a better person, he sacrificed himself to save us and our neighbourhood! And how did you treat him?" She said scornfully

"No Katara, that's not-"

"Don't tell me that's not what happened! I know you don't like Aang but don't try to stop me from going after him!" She yelled

"That's not what I'm trying to say!" He said abruptly. "What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry."

"Well say that to Aang." Katara scoffed.

Sokka knew he deserved that. "Well that's the plan" he muttered.

"What plan?" she asked, curiosity overriding her anger momentarily.

He pulled out their dad's old revolver and showed it to her, before slipping it back into its holster on his hip. "I figure that we have the element of surprise now,"

"You mean you're going to help me rescue him?" Katara ran and hugged him. "Thank you Sokka!"

"Yeah yeah, I'll help you save your boyfriend" He said, unable to resist teasing her.

"He's not my boyfrie-"

"Sure." He said sarcastically. "Now come on, we gotta get after them. The cops said something about spotting a warship off shore, that must be where Zuko is headed" He ran over to an old tin rowboat, with a small outboard motor, and began dragging it into the surf.

"Hate to rain on your plan there Sokka, but there is no way we're gonna catch a warship in that."

"Well have you got a better idea?" He said, aggravated again.

She didn't answer at first, until she spied a familiar white and brown dog. "Appa!"

The dog barked once and began to run along the beach. "Are we seriously gonna follow that drool monster again?" Sokka asked disparagingly.

Katara grinned wickedly, mimicking his words and attitude from before. "Well have you got a better idea?"

~~ A V A T A R ~~

"This is a fine staff, a priceles relic." Zuko said, standing on the deck of his destroyer. He smirked as Aang was lead aboard from the trade ship Zuko had snuck in on. "It will make an excellent gift for my father, but I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers being raised by monks."

Aang just stared hardly at Zuko, not answering.

"Take him below! His vow of silence can keep him company in the hold until we reach home."

"Yes sir" the soldiers guarding Aang answered.

"Here uncle, make yourself useful and put this in my quarters."

"But I just started my cup of tea!" he protested. Zuko just grunted and left him with the staff. "Here you mind putting this in his quarters for me?" The soldier he dumped the staff with just rolled his eyes, but complied and walked off with the ancient stick, grumbling.

In the corridor leading to the hold, the soldiers shoved Aang along. Two were escorting him from behind, one in front. "So I suppose you've never fought a monk before huh?" Aang said.

"Silence" The guard behind him said, shoving him viciously in the back.

"That was uncalled for!" he protested "I bet I can take you all anyway with my hands tied behind my back. Oh look they are, so now we can find out." He didn't wait for the guard to reply this time; instead he back flipped and brought his hands around in front of him. "Now it'll be even easier."

He flattened himself against the corridor's wall and avoided the guard's immediate attempt to subdue him by hitting him in the back. Off balance and not expecting to meet no resistance to his strike, the guard stumbled forward. Aang grabbed him by the shoulder and positioned himself behind the man, sending him crashing into the guard that had been escorting him at the front.

It all happened in a matter of moments, the third and final guard tried to raise his gun and level it at Aang, but Aang was too fast. One sweeping round house kick later and all the guards were on the floor in various states of consciousness, and he swiftly ran back up the corridor and out onto the deck.
He stood on the deck for a long moment, considering just jumping overboard and swimming back to shore but discounted the idea. It was probably too far with his hands were still bound in cuffs, and he couldn't leave without his staff. It was the only possession he had left from the monks of old, apart from Appa. He quickly took his bearings and spotted the door Zuko had gone through, and figured it was the best place to start looking. As he ran through the door he didn't hear the lone guard emerge from the hold and shout up to the bridge. "The Monk has escaped!"

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Katara followed Appa as fast as she could, the dog was racing along the shoreline in front of her, and would stop and wait every few moments if he got too far ahead.

"Can you slow this bloody dog down!" Sokka yelled, several yards behind.

"Oh what, you not up for a little running mighty warrior?" Katara said snidely over her shoulder.

"I'm wasted on cross-country, I'm a natural sprinter" He puffed out.

"I've never seen you sprint for anything other than first helpings of Gran-Gran's pot roast"

"You can not under estimate the importance of meat in a man's diet" He said, somehow managing to keep running.

"Nor it's effect on your cholesterol" Katara said grinning. She was so engrossed in her bickering that she didn't realise she had completely overshot Appa, until he started barking like crazy.

"Looks like cholesterol filled Sokka beat the health nut" Sokka crowed, standing with his hand on Appa like he was the finish line for their race.

Katara ignored Sokka, and instead looked around where Appa had led them. They were standing in amongst a large rocky out crop. Somewhere along the way the beach had given way to a tumbling rocky shoreline, and lying in amongst the Ice covered tumble of rocks was a sleek boat. It was foreign, with a graceful curving hull. It looked large enough to hold half a dozen people, with a Cabin built into it and what looked like the broken remains of a mast rising from the middle of the deck, it was cleanly cut about four feet from its base. At the back of the boat there was what looked like an engine of some sorts.

"Sokka look at this!"

"Wow, nice yacht." He said "How did Appa know it was here?"

"No idea, but is there someway we can get it into the water? It'll be our best chance of catching Zuko" Katara said hopefully.

"Yeah that's provided that there is fuel for the engine to run, or that the engine will run, or that there was even an engine in the first place," he said listing all the possible flaws in the boat.

"Just help me get it off this rock Sokka! It looks in pretty good shape, apart from the mast I can't see any damage."

"Yeah you know what, you're right. Well ain't that weird. Now if we get this out to sea and it sinks on us and I drown I will haunt you forever." He said glumly.

"I'd rather go to hell."

"Well your boyfriend will be there pretty soon unless you figure out someway to get this thing off the rock." He said sarcastically.

"I thought you were the one with the plan Sokka?" Katara shot back.

"Hey my plan was to use the rowboat; I have no idea what to do with some leaky yacht, this is your show."

"Fine." She stepped back and regarded the boat. We could never move that on our own, she thought desperately If only the water was high enough to- That's it! Water bending! "Sokka, get on the boat."

"What? Why? It's obviously not going anywhere." He said sceptically.

"Just get on their now! Come on Appa!" With that Katara jumped over the rail of the boat and up onto the deck, Appa bounding after her.

"I have no idea what this is going to accomplish" Sokka muttered, but decided he'd humour his sister anyway.

"Now hold on to something." Katara said calmly, while Aang's words ran through her head. Listen…Feel the waves she remembered breathing slowly and deeply with him, and she did the same now, closing her eyes. Feel the waves…
She closed her eyes and focused on the rhythm of the waves as they beat against the shore, the harmony they made with her, the simple flow of energy. She focused on that energy, and gave it her own energy, so that the waves now flowed to her will. Feel the waves…
Beneath her she could feel the energy surge in response, the smooth flow of the water that others would see, painting a picture clearer than her eyes could in her mind. She was the wave beneath the boat at that moment, and the wave was her, and together they rose, and flowed back into the greater pool of energy. Feel the waves…
And as quickly as it had come the wave of energy receded and she drifted with the natural balance of the sea.

"Whoa that was freakish!" Sokka said, breaking through her haze of zoncentration. "I mean, I thought you were freaky before, but how did you know that big wave was going to come right then? That was like psychic! And were you praying?"

"What on earth are you babbling about Sokka?" She said, dazed from her experience.

"Well there was giant wave Katara! It washed over the rocks and lifted the boat up! The boat then kinda righted itself and was pulled out to sea, which is where we are now."

"Whoa" Katara muttered as she saw that they indeed were about a hundred yards out from the shore now.

"I guess I can understand why you were praying though, I mean that was pretty freaky" Sokka said, trying to be comforting.

Katara was just amused however. "You've said freaky like a dozen times Sokka, were you scared?" She asked, putting on a sarcastic motherly voice. "Poor baby"

"It only said it three times" Sokka defended.

"It's ok I understand that you were scared of the big nasty wave" Katara said, still in the patronising tone of voice.

"Was not!" Sokka said. Appa barked in disagreement. "Thanks for backing me up there buddy" He whispered angrily. "Don't give me the puppy dog eyes now! I know you were whimpering like a baby too."

"Have you two finished there or do I need to tuck you in?" Katara asked barely restraining her laughter.

"Very funny Katara." Sokka said clearly not amused. "This is your boyfriend we're trying to save here."

"I told you before, he's not my-"

"-Whatever" Sokka said disinterestedly.

"Urgh! Why don't you make yourself useful and get the engine started?" Katara said, exasperated.

"Aah now there's something reasonable and straightforward that I can do."

"Coz you are a master mechanic aren't you?"

"Sarcasm isn't going to get us anywhere faster" he chided "and I'll have you know I am quite the mechanic."

"Shame you couldn't have figured that out earlier" She muttered, but he didn't hear her.

"Still" Sokka continued his previous statement "I rather doubt this old hunk of junk will run, it looks like it's over a hundred years old." He stood and peered at the engine at the back of the deck. "It doesn't look like there's any way to start it either."

Just then in a stroke of what Sokka insisted was his universally bad luck the engine rumbled to life. Katara just looked at him, smirking, and Appa barked from inside the cabin.

Grumbling again Sokka climbed into the small cabin from the engine and glared at the two of them. "Big deal, it runs."

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Aang was running swiftly through the corridors of the ships main living quarters. He was checking every room as he went. He had overheard Zuko order his uncle to put his staff in his room, and he was searching desperately for it. He turned another corner and came face to face with a guard at the opposite end of the hall. They stared each other down for a moment, like an old western shootout, except Aang didn't have a gun.

In that single moment the guard realised this and levelled his fire arm. Aang leapt over the guards stream of bullets and into the guard, hooking the chain of the handcuffs around the guards neck long enough to choke him into unconsciousness. A quick check of the body led to a pair of keys which undid his cuffs. Aang realized he must have been one of the guards who had been escorting him down in the hold. That meant the whole ship must know he'd escaped by now. He had to get out of here fast.

He quickly moved down another corridor and found a pair of stairs leading higher up in the ship. At the next level there was a group of three doors, one was wide open and lead to a lavish cabin but it was empty of both crew and his staff. He opened the next door and saw the sleeping form of Iroh in an even more lavish cabin. He ducked out as quietly as he could and shut the door behind him. The final door opened to reveal the biggest cabin of the three, but it was Spartan in comparison to the others. There were no decorations apart from a plain double bed, opposite a modest wooden desk. The only other thing to grace the room was a large drape on the wall of the Sozin Dynasty insignia – a twisting black flame against a red field. Of more interest to Aang however was the item leaning up against the desk, his staff. The moment he stepped into the room however, the door slammed behind him to reveal Zuko.

"So I underestimated you monk. But I guess I just get the chance to take you down for myself!"

"Look I just want my staff and then I'll be going" Aang reasoned.

Unfortunately reason was the last thing on Zuko's mind. "I am not letting you leave here, you're mine, monk." With that he launched an aggressive series of kicks and punches. Aang evaded them around the room, flowing with Zuko, sometimes only just narrowly avoiding being hit. Zuko then tried an over ambitious roundhouse kick and Aang slipped under it and behind him. From there he followed Zuko's movements with ease, lightly sidestepping and evading, never allowing Zuko to turn and face him. He struck Zuko a hard blow to the shoulder and jumped back from his position, collecting his staff in the process. He and Zuko stared at each other from across the room. The stalemate seemed to stretch on for hours, but barely an instant later Zuko was charging him once again.

Without thinking Aang raised his staff and swept in front of him. Zuko's eye's boggled as the mattress from his bed suddenly flew towards him from the right side of the room and slammed him into the opposite wall. Aang then swung his staff in a short upward flick and the mattress flew into the roof, slamming Zuko into hard metal again. As Zuko slipped between semi-consciousness he could just make out Aang's form running out of his room and continuing up the stairs.

Aang flew up the stairs in record time, helped by the fact that every few steps he was literally flying. He ended up in the main bridge of the ship. All the crew that inhabited the place stared at him in shock, before he spied his way out. The bridge opened up onto a large raised balcony above the deck, without stopping his mad flight, Aang dashed straight out onto the balcony. However when he reached the edge he hesitates, and that was when Zuko pounced.

Zuko hadn't been incapacitated for long; he had rushed straight up the stairs after Aang and had arrived on the bridge to see him standing at the edge of the balcony. In a mad lunge he tackled the monk, and they both toppled over the balcony edge. The fall was about ten yards, and they separated in mid air, both rolling and smoothly to avoid injury when they hit the ground below them. They were now standing on a large observation deck which opened off the same floor as Zuko's cabin. About another thirty yards below the stretched the deck of the ship, with only its large guns breaking the otherwise flat surface. Aang watched as his staff continued to fall past the observation balcony and onto the deck below. Swiftly he jumped over the edge of the second balcony and swung from strut to strut down to the deck.

Zuko took one look at the distance and rushed inside and down the stairs. Aang was halfway to his staff when he emerged, this time with his gun drawn. Firing at him, Aang was forced to dodge and weave away from his staff, and towards the edge of the boat.

"What is that?" Zuko asked suddenly, looking at something over Aang's shoulder.

Aang turned so he was partially facing whatever it was, and saw a familiar boat moving swiftly past the warship, a short distance away. An unmistakeable bark came from the small boat and Aang smiled "Appa!"

Zuko had recovered from his surprise however and fired another shot at Aang. Aang had barely registers the sound of the shot and tried to move out of the way, but even with his speed he didn't have time enough to react. He felt the bullet graze his leg painfully, and before he even realized where he was, he was toppling over the side of the ship and into the freezing Atlantic below.

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Katara watched in shock from the small boat as Aang toppled into the sea. "Aang!" She cried desperately, "No, Aaaang!"

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Aang hit the water hard. The moment he went under his staff was ripped from his hand and he became aware of the biting cold. His clothes became wet and leaden and he sank quickly into the dark waters. Some where above he fancied he could here someone calling his name…

Everything began to fade; a huge pressure began building in his ears, a pounding that reverberated through him like the voice that carried his name… "Aang!" it echoed through him, even beneath the water "Aaaang!"

Suddenly a massive surge of energy flowed through him, and the last thing he could remember was a possessing feeling of warmth, like the cold had just faded away from his body, or more like he had just faded away from the cold…

~~ A V A T A R ~~

Katara watched in dumbstruck horror at the water where Aang had disappeared below. She wasn't even aware of the young man watching the same spot from his vantage point on the warship, a similar feeling overwhelming him, although for different reasons. A long moment passed, and there was still no sign of Aang, and yet Katara could not look away from the spot he had disappeared, hoping beyond hope that he would reappear. That was when the water started glowing.

A swirling orb of water rose out of the sea and everyone from her and Sokka to Zuko and his Dynasty soldiers alike just looked on in awe and fear. In the middle of that swirling mass of water was Aang and he was glowing. More specifically his eyes and tattoos were, and a strange mask of pain and anger contorted his face. The sphere of water surrounding Aang flattened into a single band, still being suspended by a whirling vortex of air. He then lashed out with the band water in a gargantuan whip, lashing over the deck of the warship, flattening all of the soldiers. A gale force gust of wind followed throwing those foolish enough to attempt to arise against the superstructure of the ship and freezing them. The chilling wind froze the water around the ship and ripped the rudder to pieces.

Seemingly judging his task complete Aang lowered himself down onto the deck of the small boat Katara and Sokka were watching from, and the vortex of wind died down. He closed his eyes, and the harsh white light faded from his tattoos, and they returned to normal.

When he opened his eyes again, Katara was relieved to find them back to normal as well. "Hey Katara, hey Sokka" he muttered weakly "Thanks for coming."

Katara wrapped him in a relieved hug and Sokka approached him somewhat sheepishly. "I guess we owed you" he said "Anything I can do to help?"

"Did you see where my staff went?"

"Uh… Oh there it is!" Sokka said spying it in the water not far away. "But it's in the water…" Appa seemed to notice Sokka's dilemma and ran up behind him and gave him a helpful shove, toppling him into the sea.
"Holy-!" The rest of Sokka's curse was lost as he took in a mouthful of sea water. He floundered around for something to grab onto and latched onto Aang's staff. Getting over the shock of the freezing water, he quickly swam back to where the boat was waiting and climbed aboard. "I'm just a normal guy, didn't ask for any of this magic, or freezing water crap!" he grumbled.

Katara who had been collecting a towel for Aang grabbed one for Sokka as well. Seeing the question in his eyes she headed him off "I got these supplies from Gran-Gran, did you talk to her before you ran off to help me?"

"Um, no…" he said sheepishly.

"Well when we reach land somewhere I'm sure you can find a phone and call her" Katara said reasonably. "Which reminds me Aang, where are we headed? We can't go back home now."

"Uh North I guess. I'm not really sure of anything anymore. Maybe stopping in Greenland could be fun. Especially since it's not green at all…"

Despite the situation Katara couldn't help but smile. She had a lot of questions for the young monk in light of what happened, she had this feeling that he knew more than he had told her about everything that was happening. She watched him shivering slightly, and exhausted from his ordeal, yet still smiling, and she decided that her questions could wait. "Well then north it is."


Author's note:

Again I have largely adapted this from the second episode, but this is not meant to be a complete re-hash of the series (afterall that would be rather boring, we already know how the series ends) as this progresses the characters and character relations will develop more and more differently to the show (considering that it's modern times and all) and some of the battles that take place will happen on an entirely different scale here. The Time scale will also happen differently, working with the modern globe things will take longer and You'll see some differences there as well as we move along. Also the progression of the characters learning bending should prove interesting, I have dropped some clues about it, and will slowly build it up as we go along. If you piece everything together feel free to PM me to tell me how you think it will go and who knows what. Don't expect anyone to know just yet though ;)

Another interesting point of information which will become more relevant in the next chapter is that the current Dalai Llama is called 'Tenzin Gyatso', Do either of those names ring any bells in the A:TLA universe? I also find that the Fire Nation genocide in the show surprisingly accurately reflect the actions (although not the reasons) for the PRC's actions in Tibet in recent years, most notably the 'Silence of the Tibetan Monks' incident.

*Once again all the martial arts is based off the real deal, and I want to give my regards to a Master Dao (although he'll never read this here) for assisting and demonstrating for me* So I hope you keep enjoying this and finding the history mixed with Avatar interesting!

Oh and Kudos to whoever spots the movie reference!

As always, please review!

Regards!

~BV~