Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell my sister and I stories about the old days: 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 master of all four elements; only h could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving my brother, my sister and I 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 my sister and I haven't lost hope. We still believe that, somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world.
Kida's Pov:
Katara, Sokka, and I were in a canoe, Sokka for some reason thought it would be a good idea for him to have Katara and I go fishing with him. He is holding his spear above the water ready to spear his fish.
"It's not getting away from me this time. Watch and learn, Kida and Katara. This is how you catch a fish." Sokka said
Sokka is at the front of the boat, with me in the middle and Katara in the back. I could hardly care what Sokka was trying to do. I look back at Katara to see her removing her glove, she moves her arm out in the direction of the fish, she takes a deep breath, her face is a mixture of concentration and apprehension, she starts making a wavy motion with her wrist, moving her hand up and down.
Sokka is still focused wholly on the fish in front of him, he is completely unware of what is happening behind him. I on the other hand is prepared for something to go wrong. Katara is successful in getting the fish in a bubble of water and out of the water. I smile at her.
"Sokka, look." I said
"Sshh. Kida, you're going to scare it away. Mmmm…I can already smell it cookin'." Sokka said
"But, Sokka!" I said
"I caught one." Katara said
The bubble holding the fish drifts around her it is hang over Sokka's head. As the bubble hovers over his head, Sokka raises his spear to strike the fish he was following. He bursts the bubble with the blunt end of his spear, the water falls on to Sokka, soaking him, and fish lands back in the water. I start laughing.
"Hey." Katara said
"That was the funniest one yet." I said
"Why is it that every time you two play with magic water, I get soaked?" Sokka asked
"Hey I didn't do anything. You are the one that bought us with you on this fishing trip." I said
Sokka glared at me.
"She has a point. Plus it's not "magic", it's water bending or in Kida's case ice bending. And it's,,," Katara said
"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." Sokka said
While Sokka was talking Katara and I had crossed are arms over are chest.
"So let me get this straight…" I said
"…You're calling us weird…"
"…Were not the ones who makes muscles…"
"…at yourselves every time we see ourselves in the water." Katara said
"I hate that you two can feed off each others sentences it's kind of weird." Sokka said
"Coming from the guy who is currently doing what we pointed out. " I said
As we float along, we float into a rapid current, which pulls use towards a jumble of large icebergs which block the end of the narrow passage formed by the towering walls of ice. Sokka paddles the boat as I move the biggest and sharpest ice pieces away from us.
"Watch out! Go left! Go left!" Katara said
The path is growing narrow. The pieces which are easy to move are growing bigger in size, which are moving a challenge. The canoe gets pinned my three, it gets crushed. Sokka, Katara and I throw our selves on to the biggest of the three icebergs.
"You call that left?" Katara asked
"Why aren't you yelling at Kida. She's the master of ice, yet our boat was smashed by icebergs. Which are made from ice. You don't like my steering? Well, maybe Katara you should've water bended us out of the ice." Sokka said
"Don't blame this all on me, I'm only 13." I said
Katara and I are similar in many ways but also different. She has a temper.
"So it's my fault?" Katara asked
"I knew I should've left you two home. Leave it to two girls to screw things up." Sokka said
I moved to the side, to not be effected by anything Katara was about to do and/or say.
"You are the most sexist (she brings her hands up to her head and swings them back down and behind her in her rage; the movement creates a small wave of water behind her) immature, (hands raised back to her head.) nut brained… (swings her arms back down again, creating a slightly larger wave; she raises her hands back to her during a brief loss for words.) Kida and I are embarrassed (throwing a hand upward, a short jet of water shoots upward as well.) to be related to you." Katara yelled
Katara swings her both hands back forcefully once again and her unconscious water bending hurls a wave directly into the towering iceberg behind her. Sokka and I both look at her in terror.
"Ever since mom died. Kida and I have been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier." Katara yelled
The iceberg that had come to the surface was soon cracked because of Katara.
"Uh…Katara." Sokka said
"I even wash all the clothes. Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, not pleasant." Katara yelled
As she yells out the last word, she water bends again causing two splits in the chunk of ice.
"Katara, settle down." Sokka said
"Sokka never tell a girl to settle down." I said
"No that's it! I'm done helping you. From now onw, you're on your own." Katara said
Her last movement is her most agitated and it creates a huge wave which, when it impacts the iceberg, sends a umber of fissures to snake their way up the iceberg one of them reaches the top of the iceberg splitting it in half. Sokka and I gasps for air, Katara turns around and looks at he iceberg.
"Okay, you've gone from "weird" to "freakish", Katara." Sokka said
"You mean I did that?" Katara asked
"Yep. Congratulations." Katara said
Several small bubbles appear on the surfaces of the water directly in front of us, a small spot of water begins to glow with a bright bluish hue. A iceberg breaks the surface of the water. The waves generated by the iceberg's rising push the floe backward as the berg itself rocks to one side. We all look at the iceberg to see a human glowing inside it, the person opens his eyes.
"He's alive. We have to help. I'm going to break the ice." I said
I got up and over to the iceberg. Katara follow behind me.
"Katara, Kida, get back here. We don't know what thing is." Sokka said
As I walk across the water ice appears under my feet. As I reach the icebergs I put my hand on it. Cracks start to radiate from my hand. Katara came up behind me and hit the iceberg with Sokka's club. Iceberg breaks and a beam of light shoots into the sky.
A figure stands at the tops of the creator, he looks down at us. Sokka pushes Katara and I behind him. The light finally dissipates and the boy stops glowing. The figure is revealed to be nothing more than a young boy, the boy falls. Katara shoots forward and catches the boy. She lays him down. Sokka pokes the boy in the head.
"Sokka stop it." I said
The boy opens his eyes, to show grey eyes. He looks up and Katara and I.
"I need to ask you two something?" the boy says in a weak voice
"What?" Katara asked
"Please…come closer." Aang said
Katara and I moved closer.
"What is it?" I asked
"Will you go penguin sledding with me?" Aang asked in a happy tone
"Uh, sure." Katara and I said
The boy elegantly rises to his feet in one swift motion. Katara and I look at him in awe while Sokka backs away in shock.
"What's going on here?" Aang asked
"No clue, you tell us." I said
"How did you get in the Ice? And why aren't you frozen?" Sokka asked
"I'm…not sure." Aang said
There is a noise, the boy quickly scrambles up the ridge of ice and happily jumps over the edge. Katara, Sokka, and I move around to the opening. To see the a large furry creature, with an arrow on it's forehead just like the boy.
"Appa! Are you all right? Wake up, buddy." Aang said
The boy opens an eyelid that immediately closes again once it is released. The boy then jumps down off the furry thing. The fury thing opened it's mouth and licked the boy, I look at Sokka to see his jaw dropped.
"Ha, ha. You're okay." Aang said
The boy hugs the furry thing, it has six legs, horns, and a long flat tail. The boy is petting it's nose.
"What is that thing?" Sokka asked
"This is Appa, my flying bison." Aang said
"Right, and this is Katara and Kida, my flying sister's." Sokka said
The boy looks questioningly at Sokka, then he looks at the bison Appa when he starts making noise. The boy ducks and the bison sneezes sending a large blast of green flying directly onto Sokka, who gets covered. I laugh, while Sokka tries to clean himself off.
"Don't worry, it'll wash out. So do you guys live around here?" the boy asked
I go to say something, but Sokka beats me to it.
"Don't answer that! Did you see that crazy bolt of light? He was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy!" Sokka said
"Oh yeah, I'm sure he's a spy for the Fire Navy." I said
"You can tell by that evil look in his eye. The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka, and the girl is my sister Kida." Katara said
"What is your name?" I asked
"I'm A…a-a-a- Achoo." the boys said
The boy sneezes, creating a air blast that sends him soaring into the air. He lands on the ground, unharmed.
"I'm Aang." Aang said
Sokka, Katara, and I just looked at him in shock.
"You just sneezed… and flew ten feet in the air." Sokka said
"(he looks up questioningly towards the sky) Really? It felt higher than that." Aang said
"You're an air bender!" Katara and I said
"Sure am." Aang said
"Giant light beams, flying bison, air benders…I think I got midnight sun madness. I'm going home to where stuff makes sense." Sokka said
"Sokka how are you going to get home?" I asked
"Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I can give you a lift." Aang says
He then air bends himself onto Appa.
"We'd love a ride. Thanks." Katara said
"Oh no! I'm not getting on that fluffy snot monster." Sokka yelled
"Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and give you a ride home?" Katara asked
"You know, before you freeze to death." I said
Sokka opens his mouth in defiance and point at Katara then at me, more than ready to retaliate, but he can't. Katara and climb on to Appa's saddle. Sokka bows his head and climbs onto Appa.
"Okay, first time flyers, hold on tight. Appa, yip-yip." Aang said
Aang whips the reins and Appa growls in response. Appa moves his tail up and down and takes a huge jump into the air. He soars through the air for mere few seconds, making it appear as through he would fly, before belly-flopping into the water with a splash. Katara and I move tot eh front of the saddle up by Aang.
"Come on, Appa. Yip-yip." Aang said
"Wow, that was truly amazing." Sokka said sarcastically
Katara and I glare at Sokka.
"Appa's just a little tired. A little rest and he'll be soaring through the sky. You'll see." Aang said
Katara and Aang smile at each other, she moves back a little bit to see that he is still smiling at her.
"Why are you smiling at me like that?" Katara asked
"Oh, I was smiling?" Aang asked
I just smile at the two of them. Sokka groans and throws his head back. Katara and I glare at him. Aang lies back on Appa's head. Katara and I are still sitting at the front of the saddle.
"Hey." Katara said
"Hey. What'cha thinkin' about?" Aang asked
"I guess I was wondering, your being an air bender and all, if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar?" Katara asked
"Katara that was a very personal question." I said
"It's okay Kida. I didn't know him. I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't. Sorry." Aang said
"Okay, just curious. Good night." Katara said
"Sleep tight." Aang said
Aang turns around uncomfortably. Katara moves to the back of the saddle. I look at Aang.
"Hey, I'm sorry about Katara. It's just that ever since the fire nation killed our mom she has this hope that the Avatar will come back." I said
"It's okay, and I'm sorry to hear that." Aang said
"It's okay, it's not your fault. I mean you know what they say about hope it breeds enteral misery." I said
I move away from the front of the saddle back by Katara and Sokka.
******** Time Skip bought to you by Aang's arrows ********
Morning.
"Come on Katara lets go get Aang." I said
Katara nods. Katara and I then head towards where Aang is sleeping. We walk in to see Aang thrashing around.
"Aang? Aang. Wake up. (Aang shoots up, throwing the covers of his body and gasping for air.) It's okay, we're in the village now. Come on, get ready." Katara said
"Come lazy bones, everyone's waiting to meet you." I said
Aang jumps up and stats to get dressed. Katara and I move towards the door, we look at Aang to see the blue arrow-shaped tattoos that race his arms and legs and reach up his back and to his head. Katara grabs his wrist and pulls him out the door.
"Aang, this is the entire village. Entire village, Aang." Katara said
Aang bows respectfully toward the villages, but they step back in fear.
"Uh, why are they lookin at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?" Aang asked
Aang looks over his clothing.
"Well, no one has seen an air bender in a hundred years. We thought thy were extinct, until my granddaughters and grandson found you." Kanna (grangran) said
"Extinct?" Aang asked
"Aang, this is my grandmother." I said
"Call me Gran-Gran." Kanna said
Sokka walks toward us and snatches Aang's staff out his hands, and starts to examine it.
"What is this, a weapon? You can't stab anything with this." Sokka said
Aang uses a small air current to get his staff back.
"It's not for stabbing, it's for air bending." Aang said
Aang open the staff it becomes a glider, making Sokka gasp and cover his head with his hands.
"Magic trick. Do it again." a little girl said
"Not magic, air bending." Aang said
Aang movers his glider around himself, visually demonstrating what he was talking about.
"It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly." Aang said
"Ya know, last time I checked, human can't fly." Sokka said
"Check again." Aang said
Aang grabs hold of his glider and pushes himself off the ground, leaving Katara, Sokka, and I cover our face against the sudden wind. The rest of the village looks at Aang in awe as Aang does loops and turns.
"He's flying." a different village girl said
Aang makes more loops and speeds up to soar past the gazing villagers.
"It's amazing." a different village girl said
Aang's shadow passes over Katara and I. Aang, intending to further impress the villagers, files sideways and closes his eyes while grinning broadly. He then flies head first into one of the village watchtower. His head gets stuck in the watchtower. Katara and I try not to laugh as Aang struggles to extricate his head from the watchtower. He gets his head out and he tumbles downward onto a pile of snow at the base of the tower that crumbles. Katara rushes to his side, while Sokka stars in shock at the damaged inflicted on the watchtower.
"My watchtower." Sokka yelled
"Your watchtower, I'm the one that built it, and I'm going to be the one to fix it. So calm down Sokka." I said
Aang lies covered in snow at eh base of the tower. Katara and the village girls run over to Aang smiling.
"That was amazing." Katara said
Sokka runs over to the watchtower and starts to pat the watchtower in hopes to save it from collapsing all the way. Aang spins his staff and the wings retract. A large pack of snow falls from the watchtower and lands on Sokka. I use my bending to get eh snow off of Sokka.
"Great. You're an air bender, Katara and Kida are water benders. Together you can just waste time all day long." Sokka said
"Oh so all we do is waste time. Guess that means you can fix your own watchtower." I said
I moved my hand and covered Sokka with snow.
"You guys are water bends?" Aang asked
"Well, sort of. Not yet. Kida's really good with ice." Katara said
"All right, no more playing. Come one, Katara, you have chores. Kida help your brother with the tower." Kana (gran-gran) said
Gran-Gran leads Katara away from Aang. I follow after them.
"I told you, he's the real thing Gran-Gran. I found a bender to teach me." Katara said
"How is a Air bender going to teach you a water bender how to bend?" I asked
Katara just glared at me.
"Katara, try not to put all your hopes in this boy." Kana (gran-gran) said
"But he's special. I can tell, I sense he's filled with much wisdom." Katara said
We turn around to look at Aang. Who has his tongue stuck to his staff.
"See? Now my tongue is stuck to my staff." Aang said
One of the village boy pulls on the staff.
"Yes, so much wisdom." I said sarcastically
Katara glares at me, I turn and head back towards the watch tower. I move all of the snow out of the way. I then re made the watchtower out of ice. I turn around to see Sokka starting his warrior training.
"Now men, it's important that you show no fear when you face a fire bender. In the Water trine, we fight to the last man standing for without courage, how can we call ourselves men?" Sokka asked
Sokka is talking to six little boys who like they would rather being doing anything else. One of the boys waves his hand.
"I gotta pee." the boy says
"Listen! Until your fathers return from the War, they're counting on you to be the men of this tribe, and that means no potty breaks." Sokka said
"But I really gotta go." the boy yells
"(Sighs) Okay, who else has to go?" Sokka asked
Every child raises their hand. Sokka face palms in frustration. The boys leave, and Katara comes running over to use.
"Have you seen Aang? Gran-Gran said he disappeared over an hour ago." Katara said
Aang then walks from an outhouse igloo, pulling his pants up a bit higher.
"(amused) Wow! Everything freezes in there." Aang said
Aang points towards the bathroom.
"That's just gross." I said
"Uh! Katara, Kida, get him out of here. This lesson is for warriors only!" Sokka yelled
Sokka starts to walk away when he hears the sound of children laughing. He turns around, the children a re playing on Appa. Some are being propelled into the air, then they land in a pile of snow.
"Stop! Stop it right now! (the laughter of the children is stifled immediately and Appa turns his head to look at Sokka, who accusingly directs his anger at Aang.) What's wrong with you?! We don't have time for fun and games with the War going on." Sokka yelled
Sokka takes is spear and casts an annoyed glance at he laughing children who run past him. Aang slide don from Appa's head.
"What war? What are you talking about?" Aang asked
"You're kidding, right?" Sokka asked
Aang looks at us questioningly at us, but the expression on his face changes to enthusiasm when see a otter-penguin.
"Penguin." Aang yells
The animal is startled by Aang's outburst and quickly waddles off. Aang runs after it past Katara and I.
"He's kidding, right?" Sokka asked
Katara, Sokka, and I look at each other.
"Come on Katara lets go make sure he is okay." I said
Katara and I leave and follow after Aang. We find him with all the other otter-penguin.
"Aang?" Katara asked
No answer.
"Aang?" I yelled
We hear laughing, we follow it to see Aang chasing them.
"Hey, come on little guy. Wanna go sledding?" Aang asked
He jumps at a penguin, but the animal evades his attempt and Aang belly flops into the snow. He turns on his back and quickly erects himself with his air bending as Katara comes up beside him.
"Heh heh. I have a way with animals." Aang said
Aang stretches his arms wide and imitates the sound and movements of the animals around them, making Katara and l laugh.
"Hehehe, Aang, we'll help you catch a penguin if you teach us water bending." Katara said
"Correction, teach her water bending." I said
Aang grabbed the tail of a penguin, he holds on as it pulls him through the snow for a short way before letting go and looking at Katara and I.
"You got a deal. Just one little problem… (he air bends himself into a sitting position.) I'm an air bender, not a water bender. Isn't there someone in your tribe who can teach you guys?" Aang asked
"No. you're looking at the only two water benders in the whole South Pole." Katara said
"This isn't right. A water bender needs to master water. What about the North Pole? There's another Water Tribe up there, right? Maybe they have water benders who could teach you." Aang said
"Maybe, but we haven't had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. It's not exactly "turn right at the second glacier". It's on the other side of the world." Katara said
"Yeah, what she said." I said
"But you forget, I have a flying bison. Appa and I can personally fly you two to the North Pole. Katara, Kida we're going to find you guys a master." Aang said
"That's…I mean, I don't know. I've never left home before." Katara said
"Well if she doesn't want to go, I will." I said
"Well, you think about it, but in the meantime, can you teach me how to catch one of these penguins?" Aang asked
"(Mocking imitating a teacher) Okay, listen closely my young pupil. (Inclines her head toward Aang) Catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art." Katara said
She then magically pulls a fish from her sleeve.
"Watch carefully." I said
She tosses Aang a fish. He catches but is confused, but the penguins crowd around him. He laughs, the penguins pull him down to them. Aang and Katara both have the penguins.
"Kida are you not coming?" Aang ask
"I'm coming, I'm just not going to use a penguin." I said
Aang just looks at me weird.
"Ready. Set. Go." I said
We all took off. I was using my ice, while Katara and Aang were on the penguins. We soar through the air for a moment before landing on the slope and continuing their journey downward. Aang uses a iceberg as a ramp to propel him into the air to soar over and past Katara. I use my gift to propel myself forward. We all start laughing.
"I haven't done this since I was a kid." Katara said
"I haven't laughed like this in a long time." I said
"You sill are a kid." Aang said
I make tunnel of ice. Katara is in lead and tries to hold Aang back by constantly changing her direction when he pass her. Aang uses his airbending to get ahead of us. When we exit the tunnel, to see that are path is blocked my a fire nation ship incased in ice.
"Whoa! What is that?" Aang asked
"What does it look like. A Fire Navy ship. And a very bad memory for my people." I said
Aang begins to approach the ship.
"Aang, stop! We're not allowed to go near it. The ship could be booby-trapped." Katara said
"If you want to be a bender Katara, you have to let go of fear." Aang said
Katara looks at me, as I look at the ship with fear. I look like Katara and shake my head. Katara takes a step towards the ship.
"Come on, Kida. It will be okay." Katara said
She takes my hand and pulls me behind her. We walk onto the ship. We walk around in the silent rooms of the ship. Aang enters a room that is filled with weapons. Katara and I follow in behind him.
"This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran-Gran was a little girl." Katara said
"It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks. When the war first started." I said
"Okay, back up. I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nations. I've never seen any war." Aang said
"Aang, how long were you in that iceberg?" Katara asked
"I don't know. A few days, maybe?" Aang asked
"Aang I hate to break it to you but I don't think you in there a few days. I think you were in that iceberg for a hundred years." I said
"(in full disbelief and slightly accusing) What?! That's impossible. Do I look like a hundred-twelve-year- old man to you?" Aang asked
"Think about it. The War is a century old. You don't know about it because, somehow, you were in there the whole time." Katara said
Aang's emotions keep flashing across his face..
"I know it's hard to believe but it's the only explanation." Katara said
Aang takes a few steps back, and slides down the wall.
"A hundred years. I can't believe it." Aang said
"I'm sorry, Aang. Maybe somehow there's a bright side to all this…" Katara said
"I did get to meet you two." Aang said
"Come on, let's get out of here. It's making Kida upset." Katara said
Katara smiles and pulls him to his feet and the we exit the room.
"Can we hurry up and head back, this place is creep." Katara said
Aang ventures down yet another room with Katara and I on his trail. He trips over a thin rope, as he stumbles, metal bars slide downward over the entrance, barring it and trapping us inside.
"Huh?" Aang asked
"We are so dead." I said
We run towards the bars and peek through them.
"What's that you said about booby traps?" Aang asked
We could hear the gears and the engines power up. You can hear a flare shoot up into the sky and explode.
"Gran-Gran and Sokka are going to kill us. Aang get Katara out of here. I'll get myself out." I said
Aang nods his head grabs Katara and use his air bending to get her out. I use my ice to get myself out.