Book 1: Water

Chapter 9

The Waterbending Scroll

Appa is flying through a mostly cloudy sky and it shows a few shafts of sunlight piercing the clouds and while Appa is flying Aang is pacing back and forth on Appa's back with a worried expression on his face.

"Will you sit down already? If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off. What's bugging you anyway?" Sokka asked as che's driving Appa.

"It's what Avatar Roku said. I'm supposed to master the four elements before the comet arrives." Aang said with anxiety.

"Well, let's see, you've pretty much mastered Airbending and that only took you a hundred-twelve years. I'm sure you can master the other three elements by next summer." Sokka said but then Velvet punches his head again.

"How is this helping him?!" Velvet demanded.

"Sorry..." Sokka said rubbing his head.

"I haven't even mastered Waterbending yet and we're still weeks away from the North Pole! Not to mention Velvet and Laphicet hasn't found the person they're looking for and we don't know where the Shepherd is! What're we gonna do?!" Aang asked frightened.

Velvet and Katara both take Aang's hands and they pull him down to where they are he kneels down next to them.

"Calm down, Aang. You're gonna be okay." Laphicet said. "We know you can master the other elements before that comet arrives."

"If you like, I can teach you some of the stuff I know." Katara offered.

"You'd do that?" Aang asked and Katara nods and the two crawl over to the edge of the saddle looking down.

"First, we need to find a good source of water." Katara said.

"Maybe we can find a puddle for you guys to splash in." Sokka said.

"Can we find a shark for Sokka to be eaten by?" Laphicet asked, realizing how irritating Sokka can be.

"That can be arranged if he opens his mouth ONE more time." Velvet said giving Sokka a smirk which made Sokka flinch and Laphicet laugh.

The gang later arrive at a left bank and they see a huge waterfall followed by a rapid zoom and on the bottom of the fall is a river and Katara look excitedly at the giant waterfall while Velvet and Laphicet look amazed while Sokka has a sour look on his face.

"Nice puddle." Velvet said as they head over to the catch basin of the waterfall.

Appa swoops in overhead while grunting loudly and he drops himself into the water causing a wave of water from Appa's dive crash over Momo and he is now soaked while Appa is rolling over in the water relaxing and Aang removes his clothes except his underwear and he starts to run at the water.

"Wait for me, boy!" Aang said as he's still running at the water.

"Aang, remember why we're here." Katara said stopping Aang and he looks back.

"Oh, right. Practice Waterbending." Aang said as he pulls his pants back up.

"What're we supposed to do exactly?" Sokka asked.

"You can clean the gunk off of Appa's toes." Aang said he picks up a leafy branch and holds it in front of Sokka who crosses his arms with an annoyed look.

"So while you two are playing in the water, we're supposed to be hard at work picking mud out of a giant bison's feet?" Sokka asked.

"First of all, not we, you." Velvet said. "I need to relax as my back is still sore from Zuko's fire trick and I think Laphi wants to continue reading the Celestial Record and can watch our stuff as it has resources we don't want to lose in the water."

"Second of all, mud and bugs too." Aang said smiling.

"Okay." Sokka said after awhile, taking the stick.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is still sailing through water and Zuko is on the main deck Fire Sparring but while they're sparring the ship tilts to the starboard knocking them both off balance.

"Someone's changing our course!" Zuko said.

Zuko enter the bridge area and Zuko marches over to the helmsman.

"What's the meaning of this mutiny?! No one told you to change course!" Zuko yelled.

"Actually, someone did." Iroh said from behind and he's playing what looks like Pai Sho with some crewmen. "It is a matter of utmost importance, Prince Zuko."

"Does it have something to do with the Avatar and the Arte users?" Zuko asked.

"Even more urgent. It seems I've lost my lotus tile." Iroh said.

"Lotus tile?" Zuko asked.

"For my Pai Sho game. Most people think the lotus tile is insignificant, but it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ." Iroh said.

"You changed our course just for a stupid lotus tile?" Zuko asked.

"See, you, like most people underestimate its true value. Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port of call. Hopefully, they do have the lotus tile in stock and I can get on with my life." Iroh said.

Zuko tries to control his anger and he releases a gout of flame from his mouth at the ceiling causing smoke.

"I'm lucky to have an understanding nephew." Iroh said smiling.

Meanwhile Sokka work hard at Appa's toes while he's floating on his back and flosses on Appa's gaps between his toes with his leaf branch and Appa grunts happily.

"Yeah, don't get too happy, Fuzzball. You'll do me next when this is over." Sokka said.

Aang and Katara are on the river bank and Katara shows him how to perform Waterbending while Laphicet is sitting on a rock edge reading.

"This is a pretty basic move, but it only took me months to prefect it so don't get frustrated if you don't get it right away. Just push and pull the water like this." Katara said as she gracefully moves her hands back and forth and the water is moving back and forth with her. "The key is to get the wrist movement right."

Aang then starts to do what Katara did and he gracefully moves his hands back and forth.

"Like this?" Aang asked.

"That's almost right. If you keep practicing, then you'll..." Katara was cut off by Aang.

"Hey! I'm bending it already!" Aang said moving a large wave of water around surprising Katara.

"Wow. I can't believe you got that so quickly. It only took me two months to learn that move." Katara said a little unhappy.

"Well, you had to figure it out on your own. I'm lucky enough to have a great teacher." Aang said.

"Thanks." Katara said.

"So what's next?" Aang asked.

"This is a more difficult move. I call it the 'streaming water'." Katara said as she moves her hands and pulls out a stream of water from the river and starts to loop it around. "It's harder than it looks so don't be disappointed if..." Katara cuts herself off as she sees Aang moving his own stream of water around and does an over the head flare and Katara makes a sour look and drops her water and Aang plays with his water until he puts it back into the river. "Good work, but the over the head flare was kind of unnecessary."

"Oh, sorry." Aang said. "C'mon! Don't stop now. Keep 'em coming!"

"Well, I kind of know this one move, but it's pretty hard. I haven't even figured it out yet. The idea is to create a huge wave." Katara said as she raises a blob of water out of the river but she loses her concentration and the water falls back into the river.

"So like this?" Aang asked as he raises his hands and a huge wall of water shoots up into the air.

While Sokka is still cleaning Appa, he hear a wave coming behind them and he turns to see Aang's wave coming at them and Sokka have wide eyes.

"Aang!" Sokka said as the wave breaks over him and Appa and they get soaked.

Sokka rise out of the water due to being washed off.

"Wow. That was one big powerful wave." Laphicet said, looking up as Momo landed on his shoulders.

"Is there any else I need to learn?" Aang asked.

"I think that's enough practice for today." Katara said crossly but noticed Velvet's armor next to their bag. "Laphicet, where's Velvet?"

"She's up there." Laphicet said pointing at the top of the waterfall. There, Velvet was takin a distance before running to the edge and jumps, Aang and Katara look in fear as they see her spinning in the air before diving in the water. A few minutes later, Velvet breaks out of the water.

"Wow, she's one dangerous daredevil." Aang said amazed as Velvet walked up shore and takes out a towel to dry herself off.

"Well, that was refreshing." Velvet said. "So what did I miss?"

"I'll say! Aang, you just practiced our supplies down the river!" Sokka yelled pointing at the bags of stuff floating down the river making Aang have a regretful look but then Velvet punches Sokka's head again with extreme force. "OOOOOOWWWWWW!"

"Sometimes you are so irritating." Velvet said a little angry.

"I'm really sorry about that." Aang said.

"Ah, don't sweat it, Aang. Mistakes happen during practice." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. Besides, I'm sure we can find somewhere to replace all that stuff." Velvet said. "I saw a merchant market not too far from here."

"Ugh, it was hard enough when Aang was just an Airbender." Sokka said going back in the water.

The gang arrive at a port village and they walk around a market street filled with tough looking sailors, merchants, and shady types and while walking around the market street they go to a shop and Sokka go in while the others sit in a shop window and wait until later on Sokka exit the shop.

"We've exactly got three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. We must spend it wisely." Sokka said.

"Uh, make that two copper pieces, Sokka." Aang said.

"What did you spend?" Katara asked and Aang takes out a white bison shaped whistle to answer her question.

"I couldn't say no to this whistle." Aang said as he draws great breath and blows it while Sokka and Laphicet cover their ears knowing what's to come but when Aang blows on the whistle it's just a sound of rushing air.

"It doesn't even work." Sokka said as Momo chitters at Aang making him stop blowing. "See? Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

"No offense, Aang, but I'll hold on to the money from now on." Katara said and Aang gives her the money.

"Laphicet, is that you?" A male voice said and the young turn around to see a man behind them.

"Eguille!" Laphicet said. "So you guys are here?"

"Yep, I see you have new friends. Traveling?" Eugille asked seeing the small group behind him.

"Yeah, this is the one I've been talking about. Eugille meet my older sister Velvet, Sokka, Katara and Aang." Laphicet introduced. "Guys, meet one of the members of the famous Gleenwood merchant guild. The Sparrowfeathers, Eugille."

"So, you're able to get here from Gleenwood?" Velvet asked. "Because we need supplies and I can take the chance to fix my gauntlet blade."

"But we don't have any money or something to trade." Katara said.

"Of course! We have to use our gald somewhere, right?" Laphicet said.

"Wait, you had gold on you the whole time?!" Sokka exclaimed which earned him a punch from Velvet.

"Not gold, gald. It's the currency we use and obtain when we fight monsters." Velvet said.

"I'll take you to our ship and we can trade there." Eugille suggested and the gang followed him to a ship that seemed more advanced for Aang, Katara and Sokka. On it were already some people trading and Eugille lead them inside the ship. "Here is special things that people of Gleenwood only has access to."

"Wow, you have some luxury items here!" Aang said looking around.

"They aren't so luxury as you think, it's just basic stuff we need." Velvet explained giving her gauntlet to Eugille.

"But still, these items are incredible and exotic. I've never seen anything like this." Katara said, holding fabric in her arms. Velvet looked around and noticed a small box and opened it to reveal three gold coins.

"These are...!" Velvet said surprised and took out exact same coin from her pocket. "I knew it."

"What is it?" Sokka asked and saw the gold coins. "Jackpot!" Sokka tried to take them but Velvet kicked him away.

"These aren't normal gold coins, Sokka!" Velvet said irritated. "These coins are the mark of the Reaper, a pirate from Van Alita."

"I'm very surprised you know about them." Eugille said as he came back.

"I actually knew him, I've been sleeping for a thousand years." Velvet explained holding up her coin. "He helped a few times and became someone I could count on."

"Then you can keep them, we have no use for them." Eugille said and Velvet nodded as she puts on her gauntlet.

"There's a request I want before paying for the supplies." Velvet asked as Laphicet and the others came to her side. "You probably noticed I'm not really normal, I used to belong to a dark guild. That way I've noticed you're not really just merchants."

"What's your request?" Eugille asked knowing what she meant.

"I want you to find out where the Shepherd is and where he's headed." Velvet said.

A few minutes later, the gang was walking along the harbor after saying good bye to the Sparrowfeathers.

"I can't believe that he accepted it." Aang said excited. "Now it will be easier to find him."

"And his boss. What surprised me is that their boss is traveling with him." Laphicet said.

At the dock there is a large ship and a man is outside the ship calling out to the wanderers.

"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy! Come on by!" The man calls out and then he sees the gang walking by the ship and so he runs over to them but they keep walking. "Oh! You there! I can see by your clothes that you're world travelers. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?" The man offered making Aang stop.

"Sure! What're exotic curios?" Aang asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but we got 'em!" The man said as he leads the gang to the ship.

The gang looks around in what looks like a pirate ship and are looking at what the ship has and Katara is momentarily mesmerized by a stone monkey with large red rubies for eyes.

"I've never seen such fine specimen of lemur." A voice said they turn to see another man who is dressed like a pirate captain with a green parrot creature on his shoulder walking out of a dark doorway. "Those beasts would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in bartering." The man said as the parrot creature screams several times at Momo.

"Momo's not for sale." Aang said hugging the lemur protectively.

Katara walks over to a scroll rack and she sees that one of them is thinner and has a Water symbol at the end and so she opens it and looks at how to perform some moves with water.

"No way." Katara said as Laphicet walks over to her.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Look at this." Katara said giving Laphicet the scroll and he looks at it.

"These almost look like the moves you did, Katara." Laphicet said.

"Yeah. You know what this means?" Katara asked.

"What?" Laphicet asked.

"It's a Waterbending scroll." Katara said.

"Waterbending scroll?" Aang asked joining the two.

"Yeah! Look at these crazy moves." Katara said.

"Where did you get a Waterbending scroll?" Aang asked as the man takes the scroll and closes it.

"Let's just say I got it up north at a most reasonable price...free!" The man said as he places the scroll on the rack.

While Velvet is looking at the merchandise she turns around to the man after she heard what the man just said about getting the Waterbending scroll and she puzzles something out while still studying the stuff, as if it was familiar.

"Sis, what's wrong?" Laphicet asked.

"Wait a minute...sea loving traders, suspiciously acquired merchandise, and pet birds..." Velvet said and then she realizes something. "You people are pirates!" Velvet yelled pointing her finger at the man.

"Oh, we prefer to think of ourselves as high risk traders." The other man from before said but Velvet shows her coin making him back off.

"The mark of Van Alita, the ship of Van Aifread." The captain said.

"So how much for the 'traded' scroll'?" Katara asked.

"I've already got a buyer. A nobleman in the Earth Kingdom...unless of course, you kids have two hundred gold pieces on ya right now?" The man asked.

"I think I know how to handle these guys. Pirates love to haggle." Aang said.

"Aang, how do you know this will even work?" Katara asked.

"Just follow my lead. C'mon." Aang said and Katara gives him the two copper pieces. "Watch and learn." Aang walks over to the man. "What say you to the price of...one copper piece?" He holds one copper piece to the man with a wide grin on his face and the man laughs.

"The price is two hundred gold pieces. I don't haggle with an item this rare." The man said.

"Okay...two copper pieces!" Aang said now holding the two copper pieces to the man.

"Not as amusing the second time." The man said.

"Aang, can we get out here? I feel like we're getting weird looks." Katara said.

"Aye! We be castin' off now!" Aang said.

"What was that all about, Katara?" Laphicet asked as they leave the ship.

"Yeah. I was just starting to browse through their boomerang collection." Sokka said.

"I'll just feel better once we get away from here." Katara said.

Just then the pirate that solicited them earlier runs across the deck.

"Hey you! Get back here!" The pirate shouted and the gang turn around.

"Well, well. Look who's come to their senses." Aang said.

Just then a group of pirates exit the ship and go for the gang who are now surrounded and faced with well armed and angry pirates and the gang prepare themselves for a fight.

"Uh, I don't think these pirates are here to trade with us." Sokka said.

"I second that." Velvet said as she uses a strong wind based Arte that blows the pirates away.

"Run!" Laphicet said as the gang start running from the pirates.

"Hey! Get back here!" A pirate said as they get up and chase after the gang.

The gang run down an alley while the pirates are still chasing them and the pirates decide to split into two groups and one group goes after the gang.

"This way! We'll cut them off!" The pirate salesmen said and they go to a different direction.

The gang turn the corner around a building while pirates are still chasing them and Sokka skids while rounding the corner but he keeps going while Katara passes the corner and bends water from a nearby stall to the ground while freezing it making the pirates slip and fall to the ground and while gang are being chased, the cabbage merchant from before, happily nuzzles a cabbage before placing it on his portable stand and he starts to wheel it away but then Velvet, Katara, Sokka and Laphicet run by and bump the cart knocking some cabbages off but the cabbage merchant saves them but then Aang launches himself between the cart's canopy and the cabbages while emerging out the other side and Aang then turns around and bends air at the cart getting the pirates making a cloud of dust and the cabbage merchant looks at the sight with utter disbelief.

"MY CABBAGES! This place is worse than Omashu!" The cabbage merchant said as he walks away.

The gang run down another alley but as they were about to turn the next corner they face the pirate salesman and his men and so the gang run back to where they came but they see the pirates that were still chasing them confronting the gang.

"I hope that lemur have nine lives." One of the pirates said.

They run to a blind alley while turning to look at the chasers but they see the pirate salesman and his mates blocking the entrance and the pirate salesman takes out a pair of long knives.

"Now who would like to take the steel of my blade first?" The pirate salesman asked.

"No thanks!" Aang said as he bends a huge gust of wind at the pirates who are now blinded and confused allowing Aang to rush forward and open his glider while the others run behind and grab hold of Aang's legs. "Hold on tight!"

"Aang, I thought we were running away from the pirates!" Katara said.

"Just hang on!" Aang said.

The gang were having trouble gaining altitude and they bounce on the heads of many pirates they were trying to escape from and the gang are now airborne but they look back to see the pirates receding behind them but the gang return to river bank next to the waterfall and as they touch the ground Aang closes his glider.

"I used to kinda look up to pirates, but those guys were terrible." Aang said.

"I know. That's why I took...this!" Katara said as she takes out the Waterbending scroll shocking everyone.

"No way." Laphicet said.

"Isn't this great?" Katara asked.

"No it's not. That was probably the reason why they were trying to hack us. You stole their Waterbending scroll." Sokka said.

"I'd like to think of it as 'high risk trading'." Katara said mocking the pirate salesman making Aang laugh.

"Good one, Katara." Aang said.

"Sokka, where do you think they got it? They stole it from a Waterbender." Katara said.

"That doesn't matter." Sokka said.

"For once, I agree with Sokka. You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid fancy splashes." Velvet said.

"What do you mean 'for once'?" Sokka asked but Velvet ignores the question.

"These are real Waterbending forms, Velvet. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn Waterbending." Katara said.

"I know, but still, you shouldn't have taken it. Laphi, help me out here." Velvet said.

"Well, Katara does have a point. It is crucial for Aang to learn Waterbending, but Katara, Velvet is also right. You shouldn't have stolen that scroll from those pirates so they wouldn't have to chase us out." Laphicet said.

"Well, what's done is done. We have it now." Aang said.

"Whatever." Sokka said walking off.

"Pirates aren't people who takes a small things easily." Velvet said also walking away.

"I guess we'll have to start learning from that thing now." Aang said.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship is docked at the port village and Zuko and Iroh are in the marketplace and Zuko's arms are crossed as he is obviously unhappy and sees Iroh coming to him.

"I checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace." Iroh said.

"Well, it's good to know that this trip was a complete WASTE OF TIME FOR EVERYONE!" Zuko shouted.

"Quite the contrary. I always say the only thing better than finding something you were looking for is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!" Iroh said as the Fire soldiers walk by carrying armloads of stuff that Iroh bought and one of them is a brass instrument.

"You bought a sumki horn?" Zuko asked.

"For music night on the ship. Now if only we had some woodwinds." Iroh said as they walk down the market street and they see a pirate ship. "Oh, that looks promising!" They enter the ship and while looking around, Iroh looks at the ruby eyed monkey. "This is handsome! Wouldn't it look nice in the galley?"

As Zuko is looking around the shop he sees the pirate barker talking to the pirate captain while Iroh picks up the ruby eyed monkey.

"We lost the Water Tribe girl, the black haired woman, and the bald monk she was travelling with." The pirate barker informed the pirate captain and Zuko walks over.

"This monk and this black haired woman. Did the monk have an arrow on his head and did the black haired woman have bandages on her left arm?" Zuko asked.

Meanwhile back at the river bank Katara and Aang are by the river while Laphicet is with them and she's holding open the Waterbending scroll.

"I just want to try this one move out first and then you get to practice." Katara said as she reads the scroll move. "'The single water whip'? Looks doable." She gets into a Waterbending stance prescribed in the scroll and she raises her hand to pick up a stream of water and starts whipping around around but the water hits her forehead making Sokka laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, but you deserved that. You've been duped. She's only interested in teaching herself." Sokka said and earned another punch in the head by Velvet. "I deserve that."

"Aang will get his turn once I figure out the water whip!" Katara said as she tries again but then her water whip goes erratically and it accidentally whips Momo in his behind causing him to cry in pain and fly off and Katara grunts in frustration. "Why can't I get this stupid move?!"

"You'll get it." Aang said earning a glare from Katara as he walks to the river and he also makes a water whip correctly. "You see, Katara, you just gotta shift your weight through the stances." He freely and gracefully manipulates the water whip as he hits in the air and then puts the water back into the river. "There. You see, the key to bending is..." Aang was then cut off by Katara's outburst.

"Will you PLEASE SHUT YOUR AIR HOLE?! Believe it or not, your infinite wisdom is getting old sometimes! Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you are so naturally gifted!" Katara yelled and then she looks at Velvet, Laphicet and Sokka who don't give her approved looks. "What?" She turns to Aang who is frightened by Katara's outburst and he's about to cry making her feel guilty. "Oh, gosh, Aang. I'm so sorry. I don't what came over me, but you know what, it won't happen again." Katara then closes the scroll and gives it to Aang. "Here, it's yours now. I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore."

"It's okay, Katara." Aang said.

"Momo, I'm sorry I whipped you unintentionally." Katara said while Momo is rubbing his sore behind.

"Hey. What about me? Ya know, the time when you..." Sokka was cut off by Velvet's kick in his face.

"NO more apologies!" Velvet said.

Meanwhile Zuko's ship deploys a small cutter craft and the cutter craft and the pirate ship both move up on the river and Zuko and the pirate captain are on the deck of one of the ships.

"Shouldn't we search the woods?" The pirate captain asked.

"We don't need to. They stole a Waterbending scroll right?" Zuko asked.

"That's right." The pirate captain answered.

"Then they'll be on the water." Zuko said.

It is now nighttime and the gang are asleep but Katara is still awake and so she gets up from her sleeping bag and silently takes the Waterbending scroll from Aang's bag and she starts to walk away while looking back guiltily from the camp but as she turns back to see Momo confronting her while he's sitting on a tree trunk and he chitters at Katara.

"Quiet, Momo! Go back to sleep!" Katara whispered and Momo chitters again but she shushes him again and walks off.

Katara is near the river and she's trying to learn the Water Whip again but she's failing to produce it and she gets frustrated again.

"Come on, water! Work with me here!" Katara said as she lifts another glob of water and tries to manipulate it but she's still having trouble.

"Looks like you're still having trouble." A voice behind Katara she turns to see Velvet leaning against a tree.

"Sorry. I just want to learn this stupid move." Katara said.

"Well, you are practicing. You just need to keep trying until you get it." Velvet said.

"I know. Are you here to watch me fail?" Katara asked and Velvet shocked her head.

"You're jealous over Aang is learn Waterbending faster than you." Velvet said.

"Yeah, I just got a little jealous because he was getting better at Waterbending than I am." Katara said.

"I don't blame you." Velvet said sitting down by the water. "Everyone does get jealous of something. Even me."

"Thanks." Katara said.

"You know something, me and Laphi discussed this earlier that we somehow feel comfortable to talk to you about our past." Velvet said and chuckled a little.

"You don't mind me asking, what made the pirates scared of a coin?" Katara asked remembering Eugille and the pirates looks.

"Van Alita is a very famous pirate ship and it's famous captain Van Aifread. There's no pirate that don't know him or his crew." Velvet explained taking out the coin. "There's this malak who used this coin as a vessel since it need a curse to do it. His name was Eizen The Reaper."

"Wow, he sounds scary." Katara said a little frightened.

"He isn't as scary as you think. When he meets Malakim younger than him, he becomes very soft and caring like an older brother." Velvet said. "We made a deal, we help him find his captain if he helped me get to Arturious. Eizen later on told me and my group about he had a little sister but never told us her name and we sort of met her but it was copy. Know what's funny, every time I get caught off guard, I'll get blasted with fire." They both laugh over the comment.

"How does your back feel, does it hurt?" Katara asked.

"No, but the fire made from Firebending can make anyone paralyzed in pain, that's what happened to me. It hurt so much, it weakened me to the core. Just like when I first encountered Arturious for the first time." Velvet said standing up. "Anyway, I'll be going back to sleep now. Want to come?"

"No thanks. I still need to get this stupid move and then I'll sleep." Katara said.

"Very well then. Good night, Katara." Velvet said as she walk out.

"Good night." Katara said.

While Katara is still working the Water Whip move Zuko and the pirate captain hear noises and they look at each other to assume if it's someone they're after and Katara picks up another stream of water.

"Okay, Katara. Shift your weight through the stance." Katara said to herself as she tries it but the stream of water falls back into the river and she grunts.

Just then Katara hears a noise of grinding metal and so she goes over to a row of bushes and looks over them to see Zuko's cutter craft on the river bank and she gasps and runs but a pirate is standing in front of her and grabs her.

"No! Let go of me!" Katara yelled as she water whips the pirate making him let go and she runs again but this time Zuko is in front of her and he grabs her.

"I'll save you from the pirates." Zuko said.

Later on Katara is now tied to a small tree trunk and her hands are tied behind the trunk while being surrounded by Zuko, his Fire soldiers, and the pirates.

"Tell me where they are and I won't hurt you or your brother." Zuko said.

"Go jump in a river!" Katara snapped.

"Try to understand. I need to capture them to restore something I've lost. My honor. Maybe in exchange I can restore something you've lost." Zuko said as he holds Katara's necklace in place where her neck is and Katara is shocked.

"My mother's necklace! How did you get that?!" Katara demanded.

"I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering. Tell where they are." Zuko said.

"No!" Katara yelled.

"Enough with this necklace garbage. You promised the scroll." The pirate captain said.

Zuko takes out the scroll but he then he makes fire in his palm and it's dancing under the scroll Zuko is holding in the air.

"I wonder how much this is worth?" Zuko asked with his fire still dancing in his palm as he's still holding the scroll in the air shocking the pirates. "A lot apparently. Now help me find what I want, you'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and the woman and meet back here."

"Fine." The pirate captain replied as he walks off.

Meanwhile the gang are still sleeping until Sokka starts to wake up and he notices Katara's empty sleeping bag.

"Huh? Where did she go?" Sokka asked as he starts searching everyone's bags. "I don't believe it!" Everyone else wakes up.

"What're you crying about now?" Velvet asked.

"She took the scroll!" Sokka said.

"Who cares?" Velvet asked.

"I do! She probably took it so she could learn those moves." Sokka said.

"Oh, no. What a nightmare! Oh, poor Sokka. Whatever shall we do?" Velvet mocked earning a glare from Sokka.

"This isn't funny!" Sokka said.

"Listen, I already knew she took the scroll to learn those moves. I saw her doing that." Velvet said.

"You didn't bother stopping her?" Sokka asked.

"She just wanted to learn how to Waterbend better." Velvet said. "So I decided to keep her company."

"This isn't the point." Sokka said.

"No one cares what you say, Sokka." Velvet said.

"Look, I'm just saying she's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us into deep..." Sokka was cut off by sling thrown at his hands wrapping them up and then he gets pulled screaming.

He lands in front of a pirate who throws another sling at him but he rolls out of the way allowing Sokka to grabb his hockey stick and he charges while this is happening the others turn to see a huge beefy pirate with two crossbows with nets tied between them and he aims at Aang and Velvet, he fires at the two but Aang bends airballs but the net passes through them and the nets get Aang and Velvet rolling them up into nice neat bundles and they are thrown backwards onto the ground and another pirate drags them away leaving the others.

"Oh, what? I'm not good enough to kidnap?" Sokka asked and another net gets him along with Laphicet and they get dragged as well.

"You really are an idiot, Sokka." Laphicet said.

"What?" Sokka asked.

Everyone is on the other part of the river bank and Zuko and his men face the pirates as Zuko is still holding the scroll while the pirates are holding Aang, Velvet, Sokka and Laphicet while Katara is still tied against the tree and Iroh is standing next to her.

"Nice work." Zuko said.

"Guys, I'm sorry. This is my fault." Katara said.

"No, Katara. It isn't." Aang said.

"Yeah. It kind of is." Iroh said earning a glare from Katara.

"Give me those three." Zuko said pointing at Aang, Velvet and Laphicet.

"You give us the scroll first." The pirate captain said.

"You're really gonna hand over two Arte users and the Avatar over some stupid piece of parchment?" Sokka asked.

"Don't listen to him! He's just trying to turn us against each other!" Zuko said and the pirate captain looks at Velvet, Laphicet and Aang.

"Your friends are Arte users and the Avatar?" The pirate captain asked.

"Sure are and I'll bet they'll fetch a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll." Sokka said.

"Shut your mouth, you half-naked imbecile!" Zuko yelled.

"Yeah, Sokka. You should REALLY shut your mouth." Aang warned.

"And maybe KEEP it shut?" Velvet warned.

"Hey. I'm just sayin', it's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for two Arte users and the Avatar. You guys would be set for life." Sokka said.

"Keep the scroll! We can buy a hundred with the reward we will get for these children." The pirate captain said as he and his men walk away and take the gang.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me!" Zuko said as he and his soldiers unleash a torrent of flame at the ground where the pirates are walking on but the pirates jump out of the way.

The pirates then charge at the Fire soldiers and combat ensues between them.

"I must say, Sokka, you're a genius." Aang said.

"I knew taking advantage of their greed would pay off." Sokka said.

"But we're still bound." Laphicet said.

"Not for long, we won't." Velvet said.

Zuko and his men charge at the gang but as they get near four pirates jump in to defend their captives and they drop smoke bombs surrounding the battlefield with fog and while the Fire soldiers remain still the pirates pull them in and they continue to fight and while this is happening Katara is still tied against the tree but Momo bites on her bonds to free her.

"Thanks, Momo. I owe you a bushel of apples." Katara said.

In the smoke while the Fire soldiers and the pirates are fighting Laphicet is running through the smoke while coughing, he sees a throwing star and spear but he misses and he uses the spear to cut his bonds free and while this is happening Zuko escapes from the smoke while putting the Waterbending scroll on his waistband but then he sees the pirate captain attacking him with his sword but Zuko moves and gets into his Firebending stance and the two begin to fight and while they are fighting a pirate throws a sling that removes the scroll from Zuko but Momo intercept the sling and it returns to the pirate. Momo takes the scroll and he flies away but then being chased by the pirate captain's parrot creature and it tackles Momo, making him drop the scroll into the smoke filled battlefield and during the fight Sokka crawl on the ground and out of the smoke a knife buries itself on the ground in front of Sokka, shocking him but he use its blade to cut his bonds free.

"Aang! Are you there?" Sokka called.

"I'm over here! Just follow my voice!" Aang called back while jumping out of the smoke cloud and coming back down.

"Where?! We can't find you!" Sokka called back.

"I'm right here!" Aang called back as he bends the air to blow away the smoke making it clear but then he sees the Fire soldiers and pirates still fighting and they look at him but he quickly closes the smoke around them. "Uh, never mind! I'll find you guys!"

Sokka and Laphicet crawl out of the smoke and Velvet and Aang jump out of it over Sokka's head.

"Run!" Velvet said as they run where they see Katara pushing the pirate ship off the bank.

"Katara! You're okay!" Laphicet said.

"Help me push this thing back into the water so we can get out of here!" Katara said as they help her push but to no avail.

"We need a team of rhinos to budge this ship." Sokka said.

"A team of rhinos..." Velvet stops talking.

"Or two Waterbenders?" Aang asked looking at Katara who smiles.

Aang and Katara are pulling the river back and forth slowly raising the water level making the ship float.

"Everybody in!" Velvet said.

Zuko and the pirate captain are still fighting but then Iroh break them up.

"Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship set sail?" Iroh asked.

"We don't have time for your proverbs, Uncle." Zuko said.

"It's no proverb." Iroh said pointing at the pirate that's sailing down the river much to the pirate captain's shock.

"Bleedin' hog-monkeys!" The pirate captain yelled as he runs after the ship and Zuko laughs.

They then see Zuko's own ship being loaded with pirates who are taunting Zuko and one of the pirates moon him making him infuriated.

"Hey! That's MY boat!" Zuko yelled as he runs after them.

"Or maybe it should be a proverb." Iroh said.

"Come on, Uncle!" Zuko called and Iroh run after him.

On the pirate ship, Laphicet is looking astern at Zuko's ship filled with pirates chasing after the pirate ship.

"Sokka, can't you make this thing go any faster?" Laphicet asked Sokka who is standing at the wheel of the ship.

"I don't know how. This ship wasn't made by the Water Tribe." Sokka said.

Just then on Laphicet's side, the cutter craft is passing them and when they draw parallel the pirates start jumping onto the pirate ship and they attack but Velvet used her Soul Break: Thunder Blitz to knock pirates overboard, then two pirates approach Katara who backs away and Aang bend water into a huge wave onto the deck and washes one pirate overboard but while the second is still gaining on Katara, she successfully creates a water whip and smacks the other pirate knocking him overboard but another pirate is behind her but Laphicet uses his fire Artes to knock him overboard.

"Thanks, Laphicet." Katara said.

"No problem." Laphicet said.

"Katara, you just did the water whip!" Aang said.

"I couldn't have done it without you." Katara said.

"Will you three stop congratulating each other and help me out?!" Sokka yelled as he's being held by the beefy pirate and the pirate barker.

"Will you stop acting like you're three-years-old?" Velvet asked.

Momo is still flying while still being chased by the parrot creature but then Momo distract it, making it charge at him but Momo successfully traps the bird by wrapping it around with the pirate ship's flag.

The beefy pirate then throws Sokka into the sail in front of him as he screams while being thrown and he falls to the deck below.

"Oh, yeah! That's good!" The pirate barker said but then Velvet drops in front of them and in lightning speed, sending the beefy pirate into the water.

While Sokka gets up after being thrown, everyone is on the bridge deck but then Katara look at something in front of them.

"Guys, look!" Katara pointing forward at the end of the river which means they are nearing a huge waterfall.

"Oh, no!" Aang said as the pirate barker is behind him drawing his blade and Aang turns to face him and he takes out his bison whistle and he starts to blow with no effect confusing the pirate barker but then Velvet punches and roundhouse kicks the pirate barker knocking him overboard and Sokka takes the whistle from Aang.

"Have you lost your mind?! This is no time for flute practice!" Sokka yelled but Velvet whacks him and she gives Aang his whistle back.

Laphicet and Katara are looking over the starboard railing of the ship at the rapidly approaching waterfall.

"What're we gonna do?" Velvet asked.

"We can try and stop this boat." Aang said.

"You're right. Let's push and pull the water together." Katara said.

"Hurry before we're all in for a huge fall." Laphicet said.

Aang and Katara begin pushing and pulling the water as the ship is getting close to the waterfall but Aang's and Katara's Waterbending is making the ship stop.

"We're doing it!" Katara said.

"But we have another problem!" Velvet said pointing at the cutter craft getting closer.

The cutter craft is bearing down on the pirate ship while the pirate ship is hovering at the edge of the fall and the left of the cutter craft enters the scream and rams the pirate ship making the gang scream at the impact that's lifting the starboard side of the pirate ship out of the water and making the ship list badly to port and the list becomes so bad that the gang fall from the ship and over the falls and the pirate ship is falling behind them and while the gang are falling Appa swoops in just in time and they land on his back and Appa flies away from the falling pirate ship which gets destroyed as it hits the bottom in a cloud of water and debris and while Appa is flying Aang looks at his bison whistle happily.

"I knew a bison whistle would come in handy." Aang said.

"And you said it was a piece of junk." Velvet said.

"Shut up!" Sokka replied.

"Thanks, Appa." Aang said.

"Yeah. Great timing." Katara said and Appa grunts in response.

Zuko and Iroh run up to the river bank near the waterfall.

"My boat!" Zuko yelled.

"Prince Zuko, you're going to get a kick out of this. The missing lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" Iroh said taking out his lotus tile out of his sleeve with a big grin on his face.

Zuko is trying to control his temper and while Iroh is still holding onto his lotus tile, Zuko quickly snatches it from him and Zuko throws it as far away from them as possible and it lands on one of the pirates' heads while they are floating downstream.

Appa is still flying through the sky and everyone is on the saddle and Katara is kneeling down with a downcast look.

"Aang, I'm sorry. You were just so good at Waterbending without even trying, I got too competitive that I put us all in danger. I'm sorry." Katara said.

"It's okay, Katara." Aang said.

"Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway." Katara said.

"Is that REALLY how you feel?" Velvet asked showing her the scroll.

"The scroll!" Katara said shocked.

"I found it in that smoke cloud while trying to avoid getting killed during the fight." Velvet answered and she sees Katara reaching for the scroll but Velvet pulls it away and she uses her other hand to stop Katara. "Not so fast, Katara. What did you learn?"

"Stealing is wrong." Katara answered.

"That's right. Unless it's from pirates." Velvet said smirking while giving Katara the scroll, Laphicet and Aang laugh.

"Good one, sis!" Laphicet said.

"Thanks, Velvet." Katara said.

"You're welcome." Velvet said.

"What about thieves?" Sokka asked.

"That too." Velvet said.

"Thugs?" Sokka asked.

"That too." Velvet said.

"Oh, you guys." Aang said and Velvet, Katara, and Laphicet laugh.


Preview skit

Sokka: So you were a pirate?

Velvet: Yes.

Sokka: You know a famous pirate captain?

Velvet: Yes.

Sokka: And a pirate was kind of a rival?

Velvet: Will you stop asking questions! Next: Jet.

Sokka: Isn't-

Velvet: One more word and I'll devour you.