Disclaimer: I do not own, though I wish I do, Avatar the last airbender or its characters. Umeko is just my character, and so I own her. Mm, yeah... Pretty much it.
AN: The reviews made me so happy and I hope I get more! Please stay tuned. R&R!
"I could hear my grandmother's voice echo in my head. The story of the cursed town and its people so clear in my mind. It was as if my grandmother was right beside me, talking in that sweet and warm voice of hers. I kept envisioning the warm smile on her face and how her eyes seemed to light up as she retold the story. I knew that it meant so much to her, she loved that story and the characters in it more than anything. I can't help but feel guilty now, seeing it as a childish fairy-tale and losing faith in its existence as I grown older. I could see that it saddened her, the hurt on her face of how I thought it was something of a child's dream. Like all children, I felt it was just a simple story told to me to entertain me but my grandmother stood by that tale as if it was real. How could it be real? How could you believe in people with cat ears and a God with a part of him missing because of his envious, evil brother? People transforming into animals of the zodiac? It sounded completely far-fetched. How in the world could it be true? Even now I still feel that way and there's this strong haze over me and I feel pretty weak. I must've fell asleep or fell on something because my head hurts really bad. I think I'm asleep, maybe I should try to wake up…"
The thoughts had ended as the young, teenage girl had done another turn so that she was lying on her right side. Her eyes had slowly opened, blinking several times in a slow fashion as she tried to overcome the blur that was over them. She turned once again until she was lying on her back, but she had sat up and rubbed her right wrist over her right eye and her left wrist over her left eye. Soon, her vision was back to normal and she had looked around to see that she was in what looked to be an odd room. 'Where am I?' Umeko mentally asked herself as she placed her hand on her head, her hazel eyes slowly looking down at her legs that were underneath the blankets of the cot. She tried to recollect her thoughts, to remember what led her here. Nothing came to mind, her mind feeling blank and she soon closed her eyes as she felt a sharp pain. 'I must've hit my head.' She said to herself, her memory bank still empty.
Removing the covers off of the lower half in her body, she had looked at her uniform skirt and that's when some memories came flooding back. 'Someone must have found me in the forest. I fell asleep out there and I never went back home… Home. Oh no, mom must be worried about me. How long have I been asleep?' The girl immediately went to her feet, but her petite foot slid across the bedding of the futon below her and she came crashing forward. A hiss escaped her as pushed herself up, her right hand flat against the floor and her elbow helping her stay up. She slowly made herself get back on her feet. Despite the fall, the only thing that came across her mind is to find whoever who had found her and brought her to safety. She had to thank them and immediately get home. The dark-haired female then noticed that she was not in a house, or more like not a Japanese one. Was she in a tent? This, this was a tent for sure.
She looked around, not believing what she actually seeing. All she could see were things of blue, like curtains and such hanging around. "Am I… Am I still asleep?" She asked herself aloud, but then she had soon heard footsteps. "Ah, you're awake!" She heard and then spun, looking at the girl who had lowered her hood. "You shouldn't be moving around too much, you fell unconscious when we saw you." She had to be about two years younger than her, and she wore such heavy clothes. That's right, wasn't this an tent? "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble… You see, I'm not sure where I am." She had said to the strange girl. "Oh, you're in the South Pole." The other female said in a matter of fact tone. "S-S-SOUTH POLE?!" Umeko slapped her hands on her face, internally screaming at this revelation. "There's no way… I was just in Japan and—" The girl seemed puzzled. "Japan? What's Japan? Is that like a village?"
Oh no. Oh no no no, "No… No, it's a nation, an island nation. It's in the pacific ocean…" The girl shook her head, "east of China, Korea, and…" The girl continued to shake her head in utter confusion, "and called 'Land of the Rising Sun'." The girl gasped, "Is that the Fire Nation?" Umeko appeared utterly confused. "Fire Nation? What's a Fire Nation?"
. . .
"You don't know the Fire Nation?" The young girl questioned in disbelief, not comprehending how this girl had no clue who the people who had been taking over the world nearly for the past 100 years. "…We're in a giant war!" She threw her arms up, Umeko looked frightened and confused. "W-What war?!" The brown-haired girl before her slapped her palm against her forehead, no amount of disbelief could be written or expressed. "Okay, sit down. I'm going to tell you everything." Umeko frowned, unsure of what she was going to learn and what was ahead of her. She had sat down around the fire next to the girl, "You never told me your name." Umeko had said as the girl had looked at her, first out of surprise and then out of embarrassment. "Right! My name is Katara, what's yours?" She had asked as Umeko gave her a small smile. "My name is Umeko." She had said. "That's a nice name." Katara complimented her, "Yours too. It's really different. I never left Japan before and so… it's really new to me."
"Before I tell about the Fire Nation, what's this Japan like?" Katara had asked her, her eyes were beaming with curiosity. She could tell immediately that Katara was the type to love to learn new things, her mind curious of all things foreign to her. Umeko didn't mind indulging in it, she just worried if she didn't make things sound as… as great as she could. "Well… It's a big, big place fill with high buildings. Tower-like." The younger teenager next to her ahhed, amazed at the sounds. "And everyone is pretty much, well, strange." She laughed uneasily, "But we're normal people. Like everyday people, and… well… we have cars." She shrugged, unsure of how to really explain it all. "What's a car?" asked Katara. "A car is a vehicle that takes you from here and to another place fast. We have trains and busses too. We have this one train that's super-fast, it's called a bullet train." The girl seemed even more intrigued at Umeko's explanation.
"Uhm… There's a lot of things to really say about Japan, but that'll take forever." Umeko laughed nervously as Katara had let out a giggle. "So, about the Fire Nation and about this place…?" The otherworldly female asked as Katara nodded and stared into the fire. "There used to be a time of peace when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders."
Umeko began to frown when she could hear the hatred, the distain in Katara's voice when she spoke of the firebenders." But when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world." Umeko had stared into the fire, her eyes watching the dancing embers and flame.
"So, in this world… Some people control an element and they are called benders..." So, her grandmother wasn't crazy for believing in that story after all. All of it was true from the beginning down to the end. "So, do you control an element?" Umeko had asked her as the blue-eyed girl beside her had looked down at her small hands. "Well… I can bend water, I'm the last people of our tribe to do so… But I haven't mastered it." Katara sighed heavily, feeling discouraged. "Well, you can't give up hope. One day, you just might do it." Umeko had said with a smile. "I always use to not believe in myself… So, I'm telling you not to let opportunities go by or else you'll regret them." Katara had felt a bit of confidence at the girl's piece of advice. "Thanks."
"Katara," A voice came from outside, "what happened to that-" The boy paused once he came inside the tent and looked at both the girls, specifically at Umeko. "Why, uh… Hello!" His whole demeanor had changed as he began clearing his throat, hitting his chest with his fist and sitting next to her. "I'm Sokka, Sokka of the Southern Watertribe. Nice to meet you!" Umeko had smiled at his overly friendly demeanor, giggling almost at how eager he seemed to be. His sister meanwhile rolled her eyes, somewhat glaring at her brother. "Sokka, don't scare her away. She's from another world! How cool is that." Her brother slightly leaned in, looking at her with a somewhat skeptical and bewildered expression. "Another world? So, you're talking about there is another world and that's where she's from?" He questioned, pointing at her with his thumb. "That's exactly what I'm saying, Sokka. She's from this place called Japan."
Sokka's blue eyes had now rested on the girl before him, he began to rub his chin. "Japan…" He hummed. Umeko had smiled, "Yes, Japan. It's not a world, it's like… Uhm, it's like a nation but there are many. It's not a country. We have countries, islands, and nations." Umeko began to explained, "The bigger countries make up continents, which makes seven. We have North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Europe, and Asia! And that's where I'm from, Asia. Japan is in Asia." She explained as Katara seemed enthused while her brother still was skeptical. "… That sounds like a bunch of jibber jabber to me." He replied as Umeko frowned and his sister growled. "Then explain her clothes, Sokka! And this!" She had picked up Umeko's black umbrella. "What is this by the way?" asked Katara. "It's an umbrella." She had stood up, "Well… Uh… It's bad luck to open it inside a home. So, I'll show you once we go outside."
"Oh… And here, I'm going to give you some clothes. Your legs are exposed and it's too cold to dress like that." Sokka had then noticed Umeko's short skirt, his cheeks flaring up. "W-Why are you wearing something so short in the first place?" He asked her. "That's pretty indecent exposure if you ask me." The school girl placed her hands on her bare legs. "Well, it's a school uniform. Girls wear this outfit to school. Where we live, this isn't indecent exposure." She had explained as he looked away, "That's just crazy!" He mumbled away as Umeko shook her head with a smile. Katara had stood and went to go find an extra pair of clothes for Umeko.
"So…" Sokka had began to say, his arms crossed over his chest as the strange girl was looking at the fire pit. "If you're from another world, how did you get here?" He had asked her as she had looked away from the fire and then back at him. "Well…" The girl tilted her head back, tapping her chin with her forefinger. "I ran into the woods and got lost then I heard a river and so when I got there I saw a bridge and on that bridge I saw a man… He looked like someone I should know… Someone I should trust." She had said as she closed her eyes, "And then… when I crossed the bridge everything changed and then I was here. And that's it. I don't know how but…" Umeko shrugged her shoulders. Sokka still didn't look like he believed it, but he took it as an exceptional answer. "What's odd is that you look watertribe." He had then went on to say. "I do?" She questioned.
"Your eyes are blue." He said as she shook her head. "No, no. My eyes are brown. There is no way that they are blue." Sokka sighed, "Katara!" He called his sister, who had walked over with a pair of clothes and a large jacket for Umeko. "What is it now, Sokka?" His sister had asked. "She doesn't believe her eyes are blue. Tell her that her eyes are blue." Katara had started handing the girl the clothes, "You didn't know?" She had asked Umeko. "I didn't know? My eyes have always been brown! Ever since I was born, I don't know why they are blue." The girl shook her head in disbelief, "Yeah, they are blue. Kind of like an azure blue." Katara said, "Wait, let me go get a mirror." The girl had then ran off and began to search.
Umeko had sighed. "This is all so weird and sudden…" Her shoulders slouched as she felt confused. "I don't even know what to think or feel… How can my eyes change color? Why am I in this world? Why is all of this happening to me…?" She questioned, her mind began to be jumbled with constant thoughts. There was so much running through her mind that she began to have a headache. She immediately placed her hands on her head, both palms pressing against her temples as she let out a pain filled hiss. "Don't stress yourself." Katara had said as she grew concerned by the hissing of pain that was escaped the girl before her. "You need to eat and get some more rest. We won't bombard you with questions again." She seemed quite maternal to be young at least that was what Umeko thought.
With a nod of her head, Umeko had accepted the bowl of soup that Katara had handed her and took some sips. "This is delicious!" Umeko said happily, smiling from ear to ear as the flavor of the soup had brought a sense of delight to her tastebuds. "Oh, it's just Watertribe soup. It's nothing really." Katara remained modest but Sokka could tell that Katara loved the praise of her cooking. "Right. It's just a plain ole dish that anyone could make. Katara's soup is no different." The boy preyed on his sister's ego which he had succeeded as she shot him a mean glare. Umeko was unaware of the siblings bickering eyes, she continued to sip the soup in delight until her stomach was full and the bowl was empty. "Ah, that really hit the spot." She sighed and rubbed her stomach. "I'm really tired now." Umeko had slowly crawled to the cot and then laid down.
Katara and Sokka had looked at one another as the strange girl let out a yawn, stretched, and then closed her eyes. Sokka had walked over and pulled the blanket over her as she was already fast asleep. "She's a weird one." Sokka commented. "She's like you. After you eat, you get all sluggy and tired." His sister said as his face dropped and he looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "I have you know I'm always tired from protecting us all every day." He shook his fist. "Protecting us from what? Penguins?" Katara knew she had picked a nerve, her brother letting out a frustrated groan. "Anyway, I should go tell Gran Gran everything. She'll wanna know about this girl that's sleeping here." Katara had then made her way towards the exit of the tent, Sokka watched his sister leave and then looked at the sleeping girl.
"Why am I always surrounded by women?"
/ / /
By the time that Umeko had woken up, she could hear the siblings bickering about something. "I don't know what that is! What do you expect me to do? Wake her up and make her do something about it! Its her contraption!" Umeko was half awake, but she could comprehend what they were saying. 'What are they talking about? What contraption?' She questioned as she could then hear a song: 'Kami-sama arigatou unmei no itazura demo. Meguri aeta koto ga shiawase nano.' That's when she realized that was her cellphone. "E-Ehhh?!" She had immediately sat up and fumbled herself out of the blankets and crawled over to her bookbag and searched deep and grabbed her cellphone. She had seen that her morning alarm had gone off. "Sorry! That was my phone." She had said as both siblings had bent their knees, their faces looking at the cellular phone. She had looked at them both, now remembering that neither one of them had knew what a cellphone nor what a phone was. "What's a phone?" Katara was the first to ask. "And what does it do? Can I touch it?" Sokka then asked as Umeko had handed him the object.
"Uhm, well… It is what we use to communicate with other people. Usually someone else has one and we can dial a number that leads their phone and talked to them or send them messages, in words, and talk back to one another." Katara had peeked over her brother's shoulder at the phone. "Wow, that's so neat!" Katara had said in a rather excited manner. "How does it do that?" asked Sokka as he looked at Umeko from the corner of his eyes and then back at the phone. The girl shrugged, "I'm not really a technical person and I believe it all really stems down from a certain network and connections and things like that…" She laughed nervously. "So, you said an alarm went off. Is that bad?" asked Katara. "No, not at all." Umeko shook her head. "It's not like a danger or evil alarm. It was something to wake me up to remind me to do something or get ready for school. I always sleep until late." She laughed in a rather nervous fashion.
"So do I!" The younger girl had said rather proudly, "But that's because I'm a waterbender. Waterbenders are connected to the moon and so when the moon rises, we usually rise as well." She said in a rather matter-of-fact tone. The older female nodded, understanding and believing her words. There was no real reason to doubt Katara or Sokka, they seemed like fairly honest people. "Uh, Umeko, you have a message from A-Arata-kun whatever." He said, showing her the screen and notification. Instantly, she felt a wave of pain over her chest, and most importantly her heart. Her eyes looked rather sad, her lips once forming a smile had gone down in a front. Arata…
"Oh." She found herself uttering, not really knowing what to say and how to deal with the memory of the boy she loved being taken away by another girl. "Don't worry about it." She shook her head and forced a big smile, not wanting them to worry or feel the need to dig deep on who Arata was. However, the siblings had caught her quick change of emotions but they decided not to question it. "Well, I should be trying to figure out how to go back home. I should be looking for that bridge!" She had said as her eyes scanned around the room. "First, we need to change your clothes." Katara had said as Sokka fiddled with the cellphone still. "Can I take a bath first?" Umeko had asked.
"Sure. I was setting it up for you since I knew you would want one." Katara had said as the girl had followed her outside, the cold air had instantly touched her legs and caused the girl to shiver. "O-O-O-O…" She couldn't even get the words out because she was beyond cold. She was freezing! Katara chuckled as the girl's teeth began to chatter, her eyes the size of dinner plates, and her legs hitting together. She had grabbed the girl's hand and led her to the bath area. Some hot water would definitely do her some good.
When Umeko had woken up, she could hear the siblings bickering about something. "I don't know what that is! What do you expect me to do? Wake her up and make her do something about it! Its her contraption!" Umeko was half awake, but she could comprehend what they were saying. 'What are they talking about? What contraption?' She questioned as she could then hear a song: 'Kami-sama arigatou unmei no itazura demo. Meguri aeta koto ga shiawase nano.' That's when she realized that was her cellphone. "E-Ehhh?!" She had immediately sat up and fumbled herself out of the blankets and crawled over to her bookbag and searched deep and grabbed her cellphone. She had seen that her morning alarm had gone off. "Sorry! That was my phone." She had said as both siblings had bent their knees, their faces looking at the cellular phone. She had looked at them both, now remembering that neither one of them had knew what a cellphone nor what a phone was. "What's a phone?" Katara was the first to ask. "And what does it do? Can I touch it?" Sokka then asked as Umeko had handed him the object.
"Uhm, well… It is what we use to communicate with other people. Usually someone else has one and we can dial a number that leads their phone and talked to them or send them messages, in words, and talk back to one another." Katara had peeked over her brother's shoulder at the phone. "Wow, that's so neat!" Katara had said in a rather excited manner. "How does it do that?" asked Sokka as he looked at Umeko from the corner of his eyes and then back at the phone. The girl shrugged, "I'm not really a technical person and I believe it all really stems down from a certain network and connections and things like that…" She laughed nervously. "So, you said an alarm went off. Is that bad?" asked Katara. "No, not at all." Umeko shook her head. "It's not like a danger or evil alarm. It was something to wake me up to remind me to do something or get ready for school. I always sleep until late." She laughed in a rather nervous fashion.
"So do I!" The younger girl had said rather proudly, "But that's because I'm a waterbender. Waterbenders are connected to the moon and so when the moon rises, we usually rise as well." She said in a rather matter-of-fact tone. The older female nodded, understanding and believing her words. There was no real reason to doubt Katara or Sokka, they seemed like fairly honest people. "Uh, Umeko, you have a message from A-Arata-kun whatever." He said, showing her the screen and notification. Instantly, she felt a wave of pain over her chest, and most importantly her heart. Her eyes looked rather sad, her lips once forming a smile had gone down in a front. Arata…
"Oh." She found herself uttering, not really knowing what to say and how to deal with the memory of the boy she loved being taken away by another girl. "Don't worry about it." She shook her head and forced a big smile, not wanting them to worry or feel the need to dig deep on who Arata was. However, the siblings had caught her quick change of emotions but they decided not to question it. "Well, I should be trying to figure out how to go back home. I should be looking for that bridge!" She had said as her eyes scanned around the room. "First, we need to change your clothes." Katara had said as Sokka fiddled with the cellphone still. "Can I take a bath first?" Umeko had asked.
"Sure. I was setting it up for you since I knew you would want one." Katara had said as the girl had followed her outside, the cold air had instantly touched her legs and caused the girl to shiver. "O-O-O-O…" She couldn't even get the words out because she was beyond cold. She was freezing! Katara chuckled as the girl's teeth began to chatter, her eyes the size of dinner plates, and her legs hitting together. She had grabbed the girl's hand and led her to the bath area. Some hot water would definitely do her some good.
After her long and much welcomed bath, she had changed into the new pair of clothes Katara had given her. She received purple loose and long pants, a blue robe that had accentuated her body quite nicely, brown short boobs, and a long blue fur-hooded coat to top it off and some purple gloves. Now she wouldn't die from freezing. She had folded her clothes neatly and slipped them inside her school bag which was quite roomy since she remembered she turned in all her textbooks and didn't get but a few thin notebooks for certain classes. As she walked back to the tent, she had finally took note to the other villagers as they seemed to be going about their normal lives.
In front of the tent was Katara watching her brother try to operate the umbrella she had told them about yesterday. When she was in close enough distance, Sokka had spoken. "Now are you going to tell me what this is and what is it for? Is this some sort of weapon?" Umeko had smiled and shook her head. "It could be used as one, I guess… But it's to keep you dry during the rain." Both siblings look mystified, "But how?" She had shook her head and took the umbrella and pressed the small button at the top of the handled and watched them jump back when it opened. "It's safe, but see?" She had held the hand and had the open part of the umbrella over her head so that she was under it. "It shields you from rain and snow. Parasols are like this, but used to shield people from the sun." She had explained.
"Hey lady, what is that?" She heard what seemed to be a child. She had turned around as a bunch of kids were standing behind her, their eyes staring at the umbrella. "Oh, it's an umbrella. It's supposed to shield you from the rain or snow." She had said. "Why would you want to be shielded from the snow?" One boy asked. "Just in case you don't want to get bombarded with snowflakes or sick, y'know? Or if you don't want your hair wet and messy." She explained as they nodded, "So it's mainly for girls, right?" Another boy had said. "No, boys can use them too." She explained as all the kids looked at each other and spoke as she soon closed. "Now I get to finally meet you." This time, it was an older woman's voice she had heard. "Oh, Umeko, this is my Gran Gran, Kanna." Katara had introduced.
Umeko had done short but polite bow. "Hello." She said with utmost respect, "Oh my." The woman giggled. "Now that's a girl with respect and manners." Kanna had said as Katara pouted, "Gran Gran..." The elderly woman had chuckled as Umeko had greeted her with a smile. "Now child, Katara explained everything to me. You're from another world? How strange but the Spirits of your world and ours must have something in store for you." Umeko had looked quite puzzle. 'The spirits of my world and theirs? What could they possibly have in store for me?' She could guarantee that she wasn't a spiritual person before all this, but she certainly believed in them now!
"Well, I have to be going fishing. I'm gonna feed for three tonight." Katara's brother had said, Umeko looking at him. "Oh," She shook her head, "let me join or help, I don't want to be a nuisance to you during my stay here." She tried to help. "We can both go with him, right Sokka?" He had looked at them both, quite unsure. He knew that fighting them both would only leave him losing anyway. So what the hell was what he thought. He shrugged his shoulders and then turned in a quick and swift motion, "Let's go." Katara smiled. "See you later Gran Gran!" She had said as Umeko bowed again, "See you!" She then followed behind Katara as they near the end of large land and towards the icy waters.
Sokka had then pulled the three person canoe and then adjusted it so that they could all climb in. Katara was the first, Umeko going second, and Sokka climbing in third as they all began to row the bow with their own paddles. They had gone far out and then finally stopped as Sokka caught one particular fish that was swimming close to the surface. "It's not getting away from me this time. Watch and learn, Katara. Umeko. This is how you catch a fish." He had said as Umeko watched him with curious eyes he was going to demonstrate.
Katara, however, had her eyes on something else. "Sokka, Umeko, look!" They heard her say as Umeko had turned to look, Sokka was busy trying to catch that one particular fish. Umeko, however, was amazed at seeing a large, circular-like globe of water holding a fish inside. "Is that what you call waterbending?" Umeko had asked as Katara nodded happily. "That's so cool!" the girl was amazed while Sokka still kept his eyes trained on that one fished. As he cocked his arm back, ready to strike the fish. Katara's globe of water had burst and all of them had gotten drenched and Sokka agitated. "Oops…" The girl said, a nervous expression now forming on her face.
"Ugh! Why is it that every time you play with magic water I get soaked?" Her brother was quite upset that he didn't catch the fish he had his eyes trained on. "It's not magic. It's waterbending, and it's" Umeko looked at Katara and then back at Sokka, "Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, blah blah blah. Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself." H ehad said which had only sparked his to sister get angry and quite upset. "Oh boy…" Umeko mumbled as she watched the two, not sure on what to do. "You're calling me weird? I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water." His sister argued back, and what was funny was that he was doing just what he said.
He felt his cheeks flush as he looked at Umeko, who quickly looked away and train to restrain herself from laughing. He gave his sister a look, to show how embarrassed he was. Suddenly there was a bump and the boat had rocked dangerously from side to side. All three of them had noticed they had entered an icey area of the South Pole waters. Sokka and Katara had desperately tried to move the canoe between the icebergs while Umeko was at a lost and didn't want to do something that would cause a mistake. All three of them then screamed in panic, "Watch out! Go left! Go left!" Katara had instructed as the canoe had somehow made its way through the ice pack. Icebergs had begun hitting one another all around them, but somehow they managed to escape unscathed.
Suddenly, the boat was then crushed when three icebergs had collided at once. Katara and Sokka had pulled Umeko out, jumping out in time to one of the more flat landed icebergs. All three of them had sighed in relief. However, Umeko had knew that their new situation wasn't desired either. "You called that a left?" Katara had scolded her brother. "You don't like my steering? Well, maybe you should have waterbended us out of the ice." Well, they were an arguing couple of siblings. But she had always heard that siblings argued like that, especially from one of her friends. She didn't have any so she didn't know the feeling.
Umeko had stared out into the ocean, her eyes then looking up the huge towering icebeg that had looked like it could touch the sky. "I knew I should have left you two home. Leave it to a girl to screw things up!" Of course she felt offended, but she didn't even need to be angry because Katara had soaked up her anger and combined it with her own. Her finger then pointed at her brother, her face scrunched up in anger as she spoke. "You are the most sexist," wave, "immature," wave, "nutbrained…" As Katara got angrier, Umeko had noticed the iceberg they were on heaving. Now a huge icebeg was cracking behind her and she had known that it must've been Katara's bending, and that she was doing it subconsciously. "Ugh, I'm embarrassed to be related to you! Ever since Mom died I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!"
Sokka had also been looking at the iceberg that was cracking. "Uh… Katara?" He found himself saying. "I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, NOT PLEASANT!" Umeko had suppressed a laugh. "Katara! Settle down!" He tried to warn his sister who was still going on her angry rant. "No, that's it. I'm done helping you. From now on, you're on your own!" By the end of her rant, and screaming of course, the iceberg behind her split all the way open. It disintegrated and large pieces fell into the water, pushing their small iceberg away. All three of them had clung onto it until it settled. "Okay, you've gone from weird to freakish, Katara." Her brother her said, dismissing her rant. "You mean I did that?" Katara then questioned as they both looked at Umeko to confirm it.
She had looked back at them, a nervous smile on her face as she was unsure if Katara had finally cooled down. "Mhm." She nodded. "Yup. Congratulations." Her brother had said as all three of them leaned over the edge of the iceberg raft. Out of nowhere, an ethereal color of blue had glowed in the water beneath. All three of them were frightened and so they had move backwards as another, lighter colored iceberg had rose and broke the surface. As it had settled, Katara had walked to the edge of the raft to get a better look. "Is there someone inside of it?" Umeko had questioned, feeling like her eyes were deceiving her that there was a boy meditating in the iceberg. He had glowing white arrows on his fist and on his bald head, and not a second later his eyes glowed along with his tattoos.
"He's alive! We have to help." Katara had said as she had grabbed her brother's spear, pulling down her hood and turning to the boy in the iceberg. Umeko had ran over to her, wondering if she could assist her. "Katara, Umeko!" Sokka yelled at them both, scolding them. "What are you two doing? We don't know what that thing is!" He yelled at them. "It looks like someone in trouble, Sokka." Umeko tried to reason with him. "He looks perfectly untroubled to me! I mean look at him, he's meditating. He is completely zen!" Both girls had decided to ignore him and skipped across a few little icebergs to the giant one in which the boy was trapped. Reluctantly, Sokka had followed behind them. Katara had bodly began using the makeshift spear to whack the ice.
"It's not working!" She had yelled as Umeko had frowned, "We can't give up!" Umeko had tried to encourage Katara to continue on. After a few big, strong hits to it, the iceberg had cracked and gush of air had release. It began to crack from the top and make its way to the bottom, and then it had exploded open. A huge shaft of white blue light shoots straight into the sky above them. Suddenly, the aurora lights had filled the sky and then the light had dissipated. Sokka had shielde both girls from the blast and all three of them had looked up to see a residual, blue light still swirling around the top of the iceberg.
Then a boy had appeared, his eyes and tattoos glowing a bright white. Sokka had taken his spear and raised it to the boy, moving the girls behind him to protect them. "Stop!" He ordered the strange boy, Umeko and Katara peeking over Sokka's shoulder at the strange young boy, who was now standing and his glow now fading. He then fell, passing out, and slid down the side of the broken iceberg to the trio of teenagers. Katara had moved forward, catching him while he fell. Sokka had poked the boy in the head with the blunt end of his staff while Umeko placed her hands on her knees, staring at the boy. "Stop it!" Katara told her brother, glaring at him slightly. Katara had turned him over so that he was lying on his back. The boy then woke up, his grey eyes now visible as he took an intake of breath. "I need to ask you something." His voice was weak and low.
"What?" Katara had said as Umeko looked up to Sokka, who was looking back at her. "Please… come closer." His voice was hushed and whisper-like. Katara had slightly leaned forward as he requested, "Will you go penguin sledding with me?" He had asked so childishly, his voice normal and not in that weaken state as he portrayed it. Umeko had looked completely dumbfounded along with Katara, who eventually answered the boy's question. "Uh… sure. I guess." was he reply as the boy had controlled the air around him and maneuvered himself to his feet and rub the back of his bald, tattooed head. "Ahh!" Sokka yelled, most likely in disbelief. "What's going on here?" asked the odd boy. "You tell us!" Sokka went on to say, "How'd you get in the ice?" He poked the boy with his speak once again, "and why aren't your frozen?"
The boy had moved his hand towards the spear, shooing it away absently. "I'm not sure…" He then reeled back and gasped, running towards the icebeg as Umeko had stood next to Katara as he jumped over the crater and is now on a rather huge furry beast. "Appa! Are you alright? Wake up, buddy!" The boy had said desperately. "Appa?" Umeko had repeated, bewildered. The odd boy then leaned down and opens one of the beast's eyes. He closes it again. He then hops down Aang hops down and tries to lift the animal's huge head, but without effect. Katara, Umeko and Sokka come around the corner and their mouths drop in shock as the see the monster, whose mouth opens and licks the boy trying to wake him up. "Haha! You're okay!" He hugs "Appa" who is now free from the iceberg. It was bison with sixlegs and horns like an ox or a steer. He then shook himself, getting all the snow from his fur. "What is that thing?" Sokka asked.
"This is Appa, my flying bison." The boy had said as he stroked the bison's fur. "Right. And this is Katara, my flying sister. And this is Umeko, the girl that fell from the sky." He sarcastically introduced them, but before the tattooed boy could say anything, the bison began to sneeze. The boy ducked in the right time as the bison sneezed all over Sokka who was covered in bison snot. "Ewww! Aahh!" Sokka yelped, now covered in snot, tried to get rid of it by rolling around on the ice and snow. "Don't worry. It'll wash out." Umeko had watched Sokka continue to suffer, "Ugh…" She wanted to help but she also didn't want to touch bison snot. "So, do you guys live around here?" asked the strange boy in which Umeko and Katara had looked at him. "Don't answer that!" Their attention went right back to Sokka, "Did you see that crazy bolt of light? He was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy."
His sister rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, I'm sure he's a spy for the Fire Navy. You can tell by that evil look in his eyes." She was obviously being sarcastic, especially as far as Umeko knew because this boy had reeked with innocence. "The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka. You never told us your name." Katara had introduced her sibling. "I'm A… ahhhh- ahhhhh- ahhh aaaah…." Umeko had stepped back and pulled Katara with her, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAACHOOOOOOOO!" The force of his sneeze had made him zip right off the ground and into the air, which wasn't quite normal. He then swirled himself back to the ground and calmly answered her question as if none of that just happened. "I'm Aang." He had said while sniffling and rubbing his small nose.
"You just sneezed… and flew ten feet in the air." Sokka said incredulously. "Really? It felt higher than that." Aang had said as Katara then gasped. "You're an airbender!" An airbender? Was it really that much of a shock? Then again, she probably would be surprise from how secluded the South Pole was from the rest of this world. "Sure am." Aang had said confidently. "Giant light beams… flying bison…airbenders. I think I've got Midnight Sun Madness. I'm going home to where stuff make sense." Sokka had said as he had walked towards the edge of the iceberg. "Well, if you guys are stuck Appa and I can give you a lift." Aang had suggested as he airbended himself onto the bison's head and then to the top of his back where there is an enormous saddles and reigns attached Appa's horns. "We'd love a ride! Thanks!" She had climbed on.
Umeko and Sokka had stayed behind, standing next to each other. "Oh, no… I am not getting on that fluffy snot monster." He shook his head defiantly. "Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and give you a ride home? You know... before you freeze to death?" The boy was about to say something, his finger rising in the air but since he could not think of the words, he gave up and climbs in it. Now the three of them were looking at Umeko, who was playing with her fingers and looking down at her feet. "Umeko?" Katara called out to her, her face still showing her excitement. "Come on!" The girl furiously shook her head, "Nope!" She so proudly said. "Uh, why not?" Katara asked. "I'm…. I'm afraid of heights!" Umeko had admitted, "I like my feet on the ground. Thank you." Sokka sighed, "Though I agree with you, Umeko… We have no other choice. Flying snot monster or freezing on a desert icebeg?" He had asked as she had looked at the iceberg and then back at the bison.
Aang had gave her a big smile, Katara had hopeful eyes, and there was a look of grumpiness in Sokka's. He was right though. Would she had rather been stuck there or just hurry up and get this over with and back at a familiar place? With a sigh, she had hesitantly walked towards the bison and the started to climb up the saddle as Katara and Sokka had helped her in. "You can always hold on to me if you're too scared." Sokka had said as Umeko looked at him with an unreadable look. "Ew." She shook her head, "Not with you smelling like bison snot." Katara giggled as Aang laughed while her brother groaned and then folded his arms. "
"Okay. First time flyers, hold on tight! Appa, yip yip!" The airbender had shook Appa's reigns as the bison had let out a low mumble. His huge, wide tail then flapped and his feet began to go off the ground. Umeko had held tightly to Katara, who had tried to calm the girl down. Appa then had spread all six of his legs, but then came right back down to the water with a huge splash and began to swim. Aang had shook the reigns again, "Come on, Appa. Yip yip." He tried to make the bison fly again. "Wow. That was truly amazing." Sokka sarcastically said. "Appa's just tired. A little rest and he'll be soaring through the sky. You'll see." He made a notion with his hands of how Appa would fly or more like soar. His eyes then went on Katara, staring at her with a rather goofy smile on his face.
Katara had noticed it immediately. "Why are you smiling at me like that?" She had asked. "Oh... I was smiling?" He asked, unsure. "Uuughh." Sokka groan out of disgust as Umeko had gave him a small smile. Soon, Aang and Katara began talking while Umeko had pressed her knees to her chest and let out a long sigh. "What's wrong with you?" Sokka had then asked her. Umeko had looked at him, "Well… I wonder how my mother and grandmother are. I'm pretty sure they were worried about me." She had said as the once blue afternoon sky was now turning into night. "I really hate to worry them, especially since my dad had gone missing." The watertribe boy had looked at her as she seemed down trotted. "Disappear? How did he get missing?" He had asked her as the girl shrugged his shoulders. "The day he gotten missing, I was a newborn and so I had no recollection of him."
Katara and Aang had then stopped speaking, both of them tuning into Sokka and Umeko's conversation. "My mother is all I really have left. Her and grandma. Sure, I got aunts and uncles… but they were nothing like my mother grandmother. I'm truly close to them. After all, they raised me. I know they are really losing it…" She sighed heavily. "There's no way I can tell them that I'm safe… My cellphone can work because it can't even pinpoint where exactly I am and my messages won't send. So-" Aang had interrupted her. "Don't upset yourself! You'll find a way, and it might take a while… But somehow, you'll find your way back home." He had said as she had looked at him, her eyes holding some hope. "We'll help you!" Katara had then said, "Right Sokka?" She looked towards her brother. "Not gonna say that it's a guarantee but it doesn't hurt to try." meko had smiled and then looked at Aang and Katara who looked at her with confidence. "Thanks." She nodded her head, now feeling somewhat better. "We should go to sleep." Katara then suggested as everyone had gotten settled except for Aang who had kept himself upon Appa's head.
"What a strange world…" Umeko mumbled before closing her eyes and falling asleep in the bison's saddle.
