Author's Notes:

How did Sokka split open the glacier without Katara and also Aang's reaction to the discovery of his guardian's death and the extermination of his race was fairly tame since in canon he broke down into sobbing then entered the Avatar State in a fit of fury and grief and whipped up a cyclone that nearly demolished the temple's ruins and flung Katara and Sokka backwards.

When Aang was taken away by Zuko Katara suggested relying on Appa to ferry them to the battleship so what were Sokka's reasons for taking the flying bison?

Sokka split open the glacier when testing a new batch of blasting powder he had created. Aang's reaction was more tame because Sokka prepared him for what he was going to see. He showed him the Fire Nation helmet that Katara stopped him from presenting to Aang in the original story. Aang is also two years older than in cannon and more in control of his emotions. And there might be one other reason which I won't mention… Yet(Revealed in Chapter 9). Sokka wanted Aang's bison so he could look for his sister, who disappeared from the Southern Water Tribe some time before the start of the story. Until Appa arrived he had no way of leaving the South Pole. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


Second Author's Note: I've reedited this chapter as I regard it as the weakest link in the story. Word of warning, Katara is out of character in this fanfic. Here she's more of a mixture of cannon Sokka, Zuko, and most of all Jet. This is because of a difference in upbringing, which will be shown in more detail in Chapter 11. Katara's main character flaws in the show were her lust for bending and her anger. These flaws have overtaken the better aspects of her personality, at least in this story. And now… Enjoy.


The old guy wasn't just ripped, he was absolutely dripping in muscle. The Mad King Bumi was as steadfast as a rock, he'd survived the entirety of the hundred year war, thwarting every attempt of assassination by the Fire Nation. In short, that old man was one heckuva an earthbender.

"Stop staring," Bumi said bashfully, twiddling a gnarled toe. "You're making me blush."

"I've been waiting a long time for this." Katara's nostrils flared. Bumi was the strongest Earthbender in the world, and one of the four benders Katara wanted to face before her ultimate showdown with the person who'd wronged her more than anyone else: The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. "Let me savor it."

"Now you're just being creepy," Bumi said.

The Earth Kingdom peasants started to boo from their side of the rafters. There was no questioning the usefulness of earthbending. King Bumi had crafted this stadium this morning, while Katara had practiced her firebending sets. Well maybe that was the difference between the two arts, maybe that was why the Fire Nation was winning the war. Earthbending had a multitude of uses, waterbending could heal, while firebending could only destroy. That suited Katara just fine.

The stadium was packed, with the green of the Earth Kingdom and the red of the Fire Nation splitting the stands in clearly distinct halves. Bumi had come in as a two to one favorite. Katara had liked the odds, so she'd bet her entire savings on herself. Easy money. And if she lost, well she'd be dead, so it was really a win-win situation.

An old merchant man even threw a cabbage down at her. The peasants were cheering her on, booing their tyrant king. They needed her to be their hero. They even threw food down to her, she realized, to make sure she was properly fed. It made perfect sense.

And so did flying pig-cows.

Why did she always try and make herself out to be a good guy? They all hated her. Just like always. Just like they should, probably. When she'd left the Water Tribe, when she'd spit at all the sacrifices Sokka and Gran-Gran had gone through to raise her, she'd left all her honor and morals and values and everything else that made her her with them. Now she was just a firebender. So the rejection of these stupid peasants didn't hurt her. In fact...

"Don't eat that," General Ukano groaned, in the front row of the stands directly behind her.

Katara spit out the cabbage. He was right. Vegetables were gross. "Have you seen about the sea prunes?" What she wouldn't give for some meaty, succulent sea prunes. Everything in the Fire Nation was covered in gross spices that covered up the flavor of the meat.

"If you win this fight Katara, I'll give you as many sea prunes as you'd…" General Ukano trailed off, and looked at the firebenders surrounding him. They reminded her of the flock of penguin-otters that lived near the tribe after Sokka had fed them week old fish. She knew that the General wanted her to try to fit in, but that was impossible. Except for her eyes she looked like a member of the Water Tribe. They would always see her as a savage. She would never be Fire Nation, she would never be Water Tribe, so she could be whoever she wanted. Not having a home was kind of nice.

"If you win this fight I'll adopt you." General Ukano said.

"Make sure you have a couple buckets full of 'em, cuz' I'm hungry," Katara said cheerfully. Wait a second? Had he just said-

"Interesting," Bumi cackled. "I have half a mind to lose just so I can see what happens next." Bumi's green eyes cleared and the man's presence seemed to grow and grow, until there wasn't any mad king left, only the most powerful earthbender in the entire world. "Show me what you've got kid."

Calving glaciers! By the moon! She… What? After so long, she could finally stop being… But what would Sokka say? Why now? Not now! Katara tugged on her hair loopies. Focus. She inhaled.

Bumi had gotten into a fighting stance, his bare feet spread wide, every striated muscle tensed and ready to explode.

Her breath ignited her fire.

Bumi raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you gonna attack me?"

Katara held her breath. Firebenders always attacked first. All offense no defense. It was a good strategy, and had helped the Fire Nation conquer most of the Earth Kingdom. Bumi also had about a hundred years of experience fighting against it.

"Neener, neener, neener?" Bumi mooned her. "C'mon!"

Katara waited.

"Fine," Bumi sighed. "You're no fun."

He threw a boulder at her.

Katara exhaled, dodged and countered with a fireball.

Bumi raised a wall with the flip of his wrist.

Katara's flame whipped off the wall and returned to her. She took a breath, sidestepped a rock, and grew her flame whip. Just a little.

The dirt beneath her feet started to liquify into mud. She slammed her hands down, and forced her fire to pool outwards, covering the ground like spilt water, rocketing towards the enemy.

Bumi pirouetted into a rock cocoon blocking the blast. Katara pulled herself out of the ground, but melon-sized rocks stuck to her feet, slowing her down. She tried to shake 'em off, but they clung to her like dried cement.

Bumi was still enveloped in his cocoon. Still hiding. Just like a typical earthbender, all defense, no offense. Content to hide behind walls and wait, and wait, and wait before being dragged out and beaten like an unruly child. This was the best the Earth Kingdom had to offer? What a disappointment.

Katara took a deep breath, and pooled some fire around the tyrant king.

Breathe in.

A bead of sweat tickled her eye.

Breathe out.

She wiped it off, nudging her hair loopy in the process.

Breathe in.

Something was off. But what?

Breathe out.

Bumi was the mad king. Some called him a genius.

Breathe in.

She wasn't quite sure, but then again Sokka acted like a drunk babba-coon most of the time as well.

Breathe out.

For some reason, her mind wanted to connect Bumi and Sokka.

Breathe in.

Why? Similar personalities?

Breathe out.

No. Similar looks?

Breathe in.

No. Something simpler.

Breathe out.

That she'd fought them both? Similar fighting styles? Yes!

Breathe in.

That was it. That was it! She knew how to win.

Breathe out.

An image of an igloo popped into her head. The first time she'd ever firebended she'd been in a snowball fight with her brother. He always prepared crazy snow structures before their battles, and even though she always lost because of them, she still felt proud that he'd managed to build them. After she'd melted a few of his igloos she had thought he'd stop making of them. Try something else, maybe quit and play a new game. He didn't. He'd started making tunnels under the ice. A brilliant trap for her younger self and a good lesson.

The Mad King Bumi had dug himself underground, waiting for the perfect time to strike, knowing that a typical firebender would wear themselves out on his empty mud cocoon.

She smirked, and covered herself in a thin membrane of fire. She was one step ahead of Bumi. This fight was already decided.


"Remember Aang, don't tell them you're the Avatar," Sokka whispered quietly. They were waiting outside the chief's wooden igloo in Kyoshi Island. "If the Earth Kingdom finds out they'll use you as propaganda. Then the Fire Nation will find out, and they'll send their entire military after you. Everything will be easier if you stay hidden."

"What?" Aang asked. "I can't hear you." Aang winked at a Kyoshi tribes-girl, and did a weird airbending trick where he made a bunch of marbles spin around with magic or something dumb like that.

"I said don't tell them that you're the Avatar."

"He's the Avatar?" Asked a pretty Kyoshi tribes-woman covered in strange paint.

"How do you know?" Sokka asked suspiciously. "Are you a spy? Did Aang tell you?" Why did all this always happen to him? He was Sokka, the innocent tribesman, but the universe seemed intent on sticking it to him at every opportunity.

"No silly," The brunette giggled. "You did. Just now."

"Oh yeah," Sokka blushed. The young lady was a picture of blossoming beauty: tall, lithe, and elegant. Hmm, this village seemed alright, they'd probably be understanding. As the leader of this new tribe he needed to fix small issues like this. "Take me to your leader. We need to keep this quiet. For strategic purposes!"

"I'm Suki." Suki smiled. "And I'm the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. You've got nothing to worry about. We'll keep the Avatar's return a secret."

Sokka laughed. "Don't be silly, I know how your species like to gossip. You're a girl, you can't help it. Now, take me to your real leader."

"I'm not kidding," Suki frowned. "And don't call me girl."

"But you're a woman," Sokka said, rolling his eyes. "You can't be a leader. Now go and get me the man in charge of this place. I want to have a man-to-man, manly conversation with him, so we can reach a gentlemen's agreement between two men. "

Aang groaned and slapped his forehead.

Suki narrowed her eyes.

What was all this about? Had he said something wrong?


Something grasped her ankle, burned, and let go. Katara smirked. Game over! She lit herself on fire, reached down, grabbed Bumi's hand, and plucked him from the ground.

"Gah!" Bumi screamed, his right arm already laced with red and black burns.

Katara smirked, and struck Bumi in the face with a palm full of fire. She expected him to fall back, retreat, like a typical earthbender. Rise some earth pillars to protect himself, and try to regroup. Get in a more advantageous position for his bending, where he had enough space and room to make full use of earthbending's unparalleled power. She expected him to play to the strengths of his bending. It's what she would have done.

Instead Bumi slugged her in the stomach. Hard.

She let out a gasp. Her breath fled from her chest.

Bumi kicked her in the face. She heard a bone snap and her neck whipped backwards. This wasn't going… Good. She tried to retreat, but her legs felt like jelly, and she barely managed to stagger away. Bumi hopped towards her, and smashed her with his left hand. Katara's head bounced against the rocks, and Bumi bashed his toes into her ribs.

Katara lay on the ground unable to move. Barely able to breathe. Pain laced through her chest every time she took a breath. She wasn't sure if she had a collapsed lung or broken ribs. Either way, she wouldn't be able to firebend in the near future.

But maybe, maybe she could pull this out somehow. Use something she'd missed, some detail she'd overlooked to turn the tide..

Open your eyes Katara.

No. There was nothing. Without her firebending she was nothing.

"You've won," Katara rasped. "Kill me."

Please. Like this. Here and now. She'd realized a long time ago that she'd either die on a battlefield or in a prison cell. She wanted to die a bender's death, out on the battlefield.

Bumi looked down on her. His right hand covered the side of his face. Katara had half melted off. The knuckles on both his hands were badly blistered. A low whine escaped him, the only evidence of pain from his stony expression. She smiled. She'd done a real number on him. She'd given him a heckuva fight. More than anyone had expected.

Oh well, her life had always been pointless. She'd been a mistake since the moment she was born. A curse to the tribe, and then the entire world. That's what everyone had always thought, since the moment she'd opened her golden eyes.

"I'm sorry Sokka," she whispered.

A slight chatter grew louder, until it was impossible to ignore. Booing. And it wasn't from the Earth Kingdom.

Jeers and taunts came from the Fire Nation, as they started to throw debris onto the battlefield. A canteen hit her in the head.

She stared at the sky. It was blue, just like home. She felt empty.

The earth swallowed her up, and slowly started to squeeze. Tighter and tighter, until she couldn't move. This fight, long decided, was finally reaching its inevitable conclusion.

Katara closed her eyes, thought about Sokka, and waited for the end.


Sokka closed his eyes, thought about Katara, and waited for the end.

"I'm sorry about how I acted earlier," Sokka said after he had finished getting clothed. "But are you absolutely sure that the dress is necessary?"

This was all Aang's fault. He'd told him to try training with the Kyoshi Warriors before judging them. Sokka had gotten really into it. The fighting, the camaraderie, the discipline, and the integrity were all values he believed in. The makeup and the dress, not so much, but it was all part of the package. If he wanted to learn how to fight like them, he had to dress like them.

"Can we begin?" Sokka asked.

"Yes," Suki said, raising her fan behind her back.

Sokka tried to copy her stance. Suki just laughed, got behind him, and corrected his posture.

"The most important part of our style is balance," Suki said. "And breaking the opponent's balance. You do that and you can use their force against them."

Sokka nodded, trying to absorb all the information he could.

"Hey guys," Aang said, popping into the wooden igloo. "I'm not too late am I? It's kind of boring out there. Can I join?"

"Of course," Suki said. "It would be an honor to teach the Avatar."

Sokka waited.

Suki started to demonstrate a form. She was all fluid motion and deadly force. A master of her craft. Sokka waited.

"Alright, now why don't you try it Sokka?" Suki asked.

Sokka cleared his throat. "What about Aang?"

Suki shrugged, and glanced at Aang.

Aang copied her motions but it seemed to lack the same impact. It was only a rough approximation, but undeniably a good first effort. Still, they were all missing the most important thing.

"Aren't you going to make Aang wear a dress?" Sokka demanded.

"Do you want to wear a dress Aang?" Suki asked.

"No thanks," Aang said.

"See?" Suki asked, smiling. "Nothing I can do."

"What?" Sokka blustered. "But you made me- And he doesn't… C'mon!" Of all the- So unfair!

Suki and Aang just giggled.

Girls- you could never trust 'em!


Bumi was still playing with that stupid wooden chip! The boos from the Fire Nation had only gotten louder, the blood from her broken nose was getting her face all sticky, and she was hearing that annoying silent ringing sound that came from getting her head smacked around.

"Would you hurry it up!" Katara snapped. "Don't you have a city to run or something?"

Bumi just turned the chip over in his long fingers. It was worn and round and had a picture of a flower on it. A white lotus. Great, the madman was thinking about board games as he decided whether to kill her or not. Well it didn't matter what he said, what he thought of her, she'd heard it all before. Nothing could hurt her. Nothing could change her.

"You're second rate," Bumi finally said. "You're no Ozai. You're no Azula."

"What?" Katara asked.

Bumi gave her a big grin. He was missing half his teeth. "You're mediocre."

"I nearly won," Katara growled. "Give me another few years of training and the fight would've gone differently."

"No," Bumi said. "You found your opening." Bumi's cackle cut through her soul. "And you still lost. We could fight a hundred times and you'd lose every single time."

"What?" Katara blustered. "No! You're the- I would not!"

Bumi cackled. He guffawed. He let her go.

"Let me know when you can bend lightning little loser," He taunted as he walked away. "Until then, your bending will always be second rate."

Katara sat and seethed. She'd be better. She'd given up everything for her bending. Her home. Her honor. Her morals. Even her family. And the strongest bender she'd ever met had- had…

Do what you always do. Use the curses that have been given to you Katara. They are all that matter.

She'd show him! She'd learn to bend lightning! And then she'd fight him again, and… And… And what?

Change.

"Hey Bumi," Katara called. "Good fight! Let's do it again sometime!"

Bumi looked back, and tilted his head like a chameleon-owl. He blinked. Then turned and limped away. He was just another bender. Just another enemy.

Katara pointed at him and imagined a lighting bolt going through his heart. "Bang," she said, and swaggered back to the jeers of the Fire Nation.

The next time she met Bumi she'd kill him.


"Are you sure that nobody named Katara has passed through here?" Sokka asked, feeling a little guilty. His sister was out there, enduring who knows what, and here he'd been having a ball of a time in Kyoshi. Had those three weeks of training been worth it? Deep down he knew the answer was yes. He hadn't had this much fun, maybe ever. Making friends with a boy his own age, talking to a pretty girl everyday, finally learning how to fight, doing all the things he'd never gotten to do before. But his guilt made his happiness curdle like spoiled narwhal-cow milk.

"I'm not sure," Suki said quietly. "Lots of people pass through Kyoshi. Even if Katara was here, it was so long ago that nobody would remember her. Was there anything special about her, other than the hair loopies? Anything distinctive?"

"Um…" Sokka glanced at Aang. How much could he tell? His friend's entire tribe had been killed by firebenders.

"C'mon Sokka," Aang said. "If you know anything just say it. The monks always said that lying poisoned the spirit."

"Have any firebenders passed through then?" Sokka asked. "She was um… Kidnapped?"

Actually she'd been banished. Bato denied it, but Sokka knew the truth. If Katara had actually run she'd have told him. She wasn't the monster they all thought she was.

Aang frowned. "Why didn't you tell me she was kidnapped? That's really important!"

Because she hadn't been. "Why didn't you tell me you were the Avatar, Aang?" Sokka asked, trying to deflect attention away from his lie.

"Right sorry," Aang said quickly. "Let's just drop it."

"Well it doesn't matter," Suki said. "We've had no firebenders in Kyoshi Village. I can't help you. I'm sorry."

Sokka was disappointed but he wasn't surprised. Katara had been firebending for a year before she'd left. She had never been caught during that time. He'd taught her how to be discrete.

"Well then…" Sokka didn't know if he could admit this, but what if Bato had been right? "Well then…"

What if they'd all been right? What if Katara hadn't just left, what if she'd… No, Katara would never do that! But it wouldn't hurt to ask, right? Yeah, it'd be better to ask and clear her name. "Were there any girls who…" Suki probably wouldn't remember such an insignificant detail. Right it was probably pointless anyways. No need to ask.

"Girls who…" Suki prompted. "Go on Sokka. I want to help."

"Any girls who asked where the Fire Nation's armies were?" Sokka said quickly, the words spilling out before he could stop them.

"Hmm," Suki said, knitting her eyebrows together. "Yes. Yes I remember her now. A few years ago a girl did ask me that. But I wouldn't… Sokka was your sister a fire-"

"Aang is the Avatar," Sokka interrupted. "He's going to be able to find a waterbending master in the North Pole. He'll find an earthbending master in the Earth Kingdom. But it's going to be tough for us to find him a firebending master. It would take a miracle."

"We're trying to find Katara," Aang shuffled uncomfortably. "What does my training have to do with that?"

"I expect you'll see soon enough." Suki shook her head and pursed her lips. "I remember your sister now Sokka. She asked me a question. I wouldn't answer. Then she was gone. We tried to find her. We couldn't. I'd advise looking in the Earth Kingdom, any place with war. I expect she's been… Captured, by now."

"Oh," Sokka said, deflated. They could still be wrong. Katara had probably been angry. Who wouldn't be, after being banished? Suki was mistaken. She had to be. "I see."

"We'll rescue her Sokka," Aang said. "It doesn't matter if she's been captured by the Fire Nation. I'll save her."

"The Earth Kingdom is huge!" Sokka said, throwing his hands in the air, and falling to the wooden floor. He stared at the ceiling. He was never going to find his sister. "The Fire Nation armies are everywhere. We could search seven different battlefronts and never find her! And going to any one of them would be crazy! You've got those arrows which completely give you away."

Sokka wiped off his eyes. "I want to find Katara, I really do, but we can't risk you Aang. You're the Avatar. You're our best shot at actually winning this war. Even I can admit that."

He did right? He didn't just want to stop looking for Katara because he was afraid of what he might find? Afraid that he'd been wrong all along? No, of course not, he was just being logical. Aang was the Avatar for the moon's sake! The training of the Avatar was more important than reuniting a random pair of siblings.

"Let's compromise," Aang gave Sokka a cheeky smile. "Let's do both. I used to know an earthbender in Omashu. I can have him train me, and while we're there we can look for your sister!"

Hmm… That was, well… Reasonable. But there was something he was missing. He knew he needed to disagree but he couldn't put a finger on why.

"Sure Aang," Sokka said. He was a rationalist. He didn't follow baseless hunches. "Let's go to Omashu."


Katara normally loved the command tent. It was where General Ukano told her who she'd be fighting next. But for the first time, seeing him scrunched in his chair behind his mahogany desk made her feel nervous. Maybe it was because she'd lost her last fight, maybe it was because he was avoiding her gaze, but almost certainly it was because there were no lit candles anywhere. Everybody knew not to keep flames around an angry firebender.

"You're being transferred," Ukano said blunty. "To the navy."

Katara sniffed. It was obvious what was happening. Ukano was willing to overlook her heritage, put up with her attitude, and smooth over all the fights she'd gotten into so long as she kept winning. So long as she was an elite firebender. But she'd lost. She'd been exposed as mediocre. Put her against a truly powerful bender like Bumi and she didn't stand a chance. She was being thrown away. "Give me some time General. I've still got room to grow. Even Bumi said so. He said that if I could've bent lightning that I would've-"

"I'm sorry Katara," Ukano sighed. He slid a note towards her.

She squinted at it. It had some brush marks on it or something. They looked professional. A few wax seals on a couple of the ends. Uh-oh. "Right…" Katara said. "Just give me a couple of months and I'll be able to bend again. I'll get better General, I promise. Just give me another shot. I won't let you down, sir!"

"I always forget," Ukano muttered. "These are my direct orders from Princess Azula. If you want to protest your transfer you're going to have to take it up with her."

Ukano pursed his lips. "I wouldn't recommend it."

"Let me talk to her," Katara said urgently. "I can do this. I'm still young. I'm growing more powerful everyday. Does she know how the fight went? How it really went. I'm sure Kuzon told her I got beat bad, that dumb donkey-horse. He's always spreading rumors about me-"

"Katara," Ukano said gently.

"Tell her Kuzon lied. Tell her that I hurt Bumi bad," Katara said. "Tell her that half his face was burnt off. Tell her he was walking with a limp. Tell her he'll probably be dead any day now while I was barely left with a scratch!" Katara winced as she caught her breath. Her ribs were still cracked, and her breath whistled when she exhaled through her broken nose. Katara would lie if she had to.

"Tell her I was sick that day, I had uh… Pentapox! Yeah, that's it! Tell her that if I wasn't sick with Pentapox I would've won!"

"You don't get it." Ukano shook his head. "Kuzon was impressed by you. We all were. I knew I had to send an honest report to Azula. Too many witnesses. You fought King Bumi evenly. He was badly hurt. Conquering Omashu was a very real possibility."

"If you were so impressed then why were you all booing me?" Katara asked rhetorically. "Kuzon must have her ear or something. He's slandering me General, I'm sure of it!"

"We were booing Bumi," Ukano said simply. "And you've got this all wrong Katara. You don't understand royalty at all."

"I understand just fine," Katara said. "I'm gonna kill Kuzon!"

"Why do you think I made General?" Said Ukano. "I'm not a bender. I'm not bold. I'm not some political genius. I'm average. And that's entirely the point. Princess Azula isn't transferring you because you lost to Bumi, Katara. She's transferring you because you almost beat him. She sees you as a threat. It's important that you act meek and obedient right now, or else she will destroy you."

"Oh." Katara's feet were wrapped in red Fire Nation sandals. They were light, easy to put on, and really helped on long marches. She only wore them because of the Princess. Only Azula had been willing to give her a chance. The Princess had overruled all the protests from the Fire Nation, acted as Katara's champion, and allowed her to join the army. She'd always been grateful. She still was. But…

"No," Katara said. She wasn't a traitor. She would never fight the Water Tribe. She'd promised her brother. That still meant everything to her. "I won't do it."

"I knew you'd say that," Ukano chuckled to himself. He got out of his chair, turned his back to Katara, and started speaking to the wall. "Officially, you will be recovering from your injuries for the next few weeks. Then it will come as a surprise to all of us here, that you have escaped. But it will be no matter, for we will catch you. Unfortunately, you will evade our most skilled hunters, only to appear months later with Prince Zuko. Helping him on his hunt for the Avatar. Getting lightning bending training from Commander Iroh. Acting as a member of the Fire Nation Navy. As per Azula's orders."

Ukano's chest started to rumble. He roared and whooped, astounded by his own brilliance.

"Yes, very good sir," Katara applauded politely. She appreciated his effort. In fact she was touched, but there were a few holes in this miracle plan of his. "But I still have broken ribs. I can't bend. I don't know where the Prince is. I won't be able to evade your hunters."

"All true, but I've accounted for that. Please allow me to introduce you to someone." Ukano's smile deepened. "My daughter."

"I'm his daughter," said a bored voice. A tall girl emerged from the tent's shadow and regarded Katara with a passive stare. Had she been here this entire time? Just waiting to reveal herself? Katara couldn't imagine the dedication to flamboyance that such an act would require.

"Go on Mai, introduce yourself." The General prompted.

"I'm bored," Mai complained. "I played along with your little reveal father. Can we go now?"

"Wait," Katara said, and ran around the table. Ukano gave a yelp when Katara wrapped him in a hug. He was a skinny man, and the silk on his red shirt felt smooth against Katara's arms. The contact sent a sharp stabbing pain through Katara's broken ribs but she didn't care. She'd never said goodbye to Sokka when she'd left. She wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Thanks for being so nice to me General," Katara said. "You took a chance on me when nobody else would. I hope I've made you proud."

"It wasn't much of a risk." Ukano chuckled nervously. "Anyone could see you were a good Firebender. All I did was use your skills to help my army. I should be thanking you. You've made my career."

"I was only allowed to train with the firebenders because of Azula's orders. They didn't trust me." Katara shook her head. "I only became what I am now because you forced them to use me in battles. Otherwise I'd have never gotten any good at fighting."

"Well," Ukano sighed. "If you think you owe me anything just follow my wishes on this: find Zuko, help him on his quest, and just try… Try to find some happiness in your life Katara. That's all I want for you. And Katara, know this, I am proud of-"

"Can you two hurry it up?" Mai drawled. "I've been waiting for hours."

"Right," Katara nodded towards the tall girl. "General, I… I- The offer..."

"The offer?"

"The adoption," Katara said. "These past few years you've always been there for me. You've always been on my side, and let me be who I want to be. For a long time now, I've seen you as the father I never had."

A giggle escaped from Mai. Her face was still blank except for a slight curl on the ends of her lips. A cruel, bitter, mocking smirk from a barb that went unsaid.

Katara ignored her and gave Ukano one last hug.

"But for me, bending is all that matters," Katara whispered. "I don't deserve a family."

Then, as she always did with those she loved, she left him.


Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Next time, in The First Firebender... "I'll talk to the guards," Tyro said. "In the meantime, make sure the elderly are taken care of. The rest of us will simply have to hope for warmer weather."

"It's Autumn," Sokka said. "You know how seasons work right?"

"What would you have me do?" Tyro asked. "If you've got a better plan I'd love to hear it."

"I've got several actually," Sokka said enthusiastically.