Chpt 11: The Plan

Note: This chapter took a whole bunch of writing and re-writing. I hope you all like it :)

I do NOT own Avatar.

The creaking sound of the battle ship in the darkness of the night caused an eire feeling to envelope the young waterbender as she laid in her hammock. "I have to figure something out. How can we escape without my identity being revealed and without them getting hurt?" Katara mused to herself as she sat up with a long drawn out sigh.

"Maybe I can help." A deep strong voice suggested. Katara spun around with a gasp. A high ranking officer walked up to her. His strong broad figure could be seen through his firenation uniform, and his tall stature made Katara feel like a helpless child as he came closer to her.

"Don't worry. You're secrets safe with me. I knew from the first time I saw you that you weren't from the firenation. Truth is, I'm not either. My name is Sheng, I'm from the firenation colonies. I disguised myself as Admiral Zhuang in order to make sure that the prisoners are well cared for." Sheng explained as Katara relaxed with a relieved sigh. "I've been trying to figure out an escape plan since being on this ship, but I haven't had anyone to help put my plan into action... Now I do." Sheng continued while flashing a bright smile. His sensitive, compassionate demeanor, and caring auburn eyes put Katara at ease.

"It's nice to meet you, Sheng. I'm Katara of the Southern Watertribe." The young waterbender introduced herself as she examined the young man. His black hair was held back in a bun, in a style that was like Zuko's. His uniform gave him a strong muscled appearance, but his face clearly showed that he was still young. 'He couldn't be any older than 17.' Katara thought to herself.

"Ah, so you are the waterbender that everyone has been saying fought against Azula? That's what I figured." The young soldier smirked, bringing Katara out of her own thoughts.

"Yep, that's me." She answered, suddenly looking a little downcast as she thought about her family thinking she was dead. A loud clank from the opening door caused both of them to gasp. Xing stepped into the room with a scowl on his face.

"You may have tricked everyone else in this ship into believing you are on our side, but you don't even for a second fool me." Xing said in anger as he walked up to Katara. Turning his attention to Sheng, he grabbed Katara by the collar of her uniform and dragged her in front of him.

"This girl is an imposter, Admiral Zhuang." The rough guard continued. Sheng and Katara were relieved that Xing hadn't heard their previous conversation. However, Katara wasn't enjoying being dragged around, and she quickly started squirming and yelling at the disrespectful guard.

"Do you have proof that this woman is not from our fleet?" Sheng asked in a surprisingly calm and controlled voice.

"Well, no. I just know she isn't." Xing stated still clutching Katara's collar.

"Unless you have some way to prove that this young woman is an intruder, then we can't do anything about it." Sheng informed as he pulled the struggling girl out of the rough guard's grasp.

Xing growled in annoyance. Then suddenly stopped and stared at them with his dull amber eyes. His furrowed eyebrows and intense stare made it obvious that he was thinking about something.

"Actually, I think I do have a way to prove it. All of the soldiers on this fleet are firebenders right?" Xing finally spoke after a long silence. Sheng simply knodded 'yes' to the crude guard.

"Well then firebend for us little lady. If you're really a soldier then prove it." Xing challenged as he stepped closer to the disguised waterbender with a sinister smile on his dirty face.

"You want me to firebend? Fine! I'll show you firebending you will never forget!" Katara yelled then quickly taking some oil from a pouch, she waterbended it into a candle causing a massive flame to burst. She quickly pushed the mixture of fire and oil at the surprised guard, making it appear that she was a firebender. Xing yelped alittle as he blocked the fire. After the fire vanished they saw the guard standing there in shock. His eyes wide with surprise, yet somehow a humbled look appeared on his face.

"I guess you aren't an intruder after all. Please forgive me for my misjudgment." Xing apologized as he bowed in respect to the girl.

The clever waterbender knodded her head with a proud smile.

"Next time don't be so quick to judge." She commented with an authoritative tone. Xing then bowed again and left the room. Once Sheng was certain that Xing was gone, he turned his attention to the confident young woman.

"How did you do that?" The disguised firebender asked in amazement and confusion.

"It's a waterbending trick I taught myself. I waterbend some oil out of this hidden pouch in my uniform, and then I run the oil through some fire and bend the mixture. I call it Oilbending." Katara explained while demonstrating her newly found skill to him. The amused young firebender shook his head with a big smile plastered across his face.

"I must say, Master Katara, you are one of the most intriguing women I have met. Your courage, quick wittedness, and determination is very attractive." Sheng flattered, walking a little closer to the blushing waterbender.

"Oh, thanks." Katara said uneasily as she uncomfortably messed with a strand of her hair. "So do you have a plan?" She asked trying to change the conversation.

"As a matter of fact, I do. I think what we should do is somehow cut a hole underneath the chamber that the prisoners are in. There is a storage chamber underneath where the prisoners are being kept. If we can have one person cut a hole in the metal, and the other person can lower them down into the storage room. From there we will go through the hallways and into the pumptank that causes the ship to move. With your waterbending skills we can walk our way through the pump and out into the ocean." Sheng explained while taking a blueprint of the ship out if his pocket and showing Katara the layout of his plan.

"That's a real good plan, Sheng. When will we escape?" Katara asked while scanning over the blue prints.

"As soon as possible. Maybe tonight?" Sheng answered looking at the poised Watertribe girl.

"Sounds good." Katara agreed handing him the blueprints. Sheng smiled once again as he admired the young woman's confidence.

A few miles outside the Southern Watertribe, a heartbroken avatar cried while staring out into the crystal clear sea. His eyes were bloodshot, and his nose bright red from the bitterly cold wind and from his never-ending tears. He felt like he had no energy, no drive, no reason to keep living in this world. He sat there in a haze of dark depression that threatened to suck the life right out of him.

"Aang?" A concerned OnJi called from behind him. Aang couldn't find enough strength to even turn around to look at the face of the young woman. OnJi soon cautiously walked over and sat next to the grieving young man. She draped her arms around the broken avatar in an attempt to comfort him.

"I'm so sorry Aang." OnJi finally said after a few minutes of silence. "I'm so sorry."

Tears streamed down Aang's face as he closed his eyes. "I... I just c..c..can't believe she's.. she's gone." He choked out through forceful sobs that shook his entire body. "She's my one and only.. The love of my life!"

OnJi held him close as he continued sobbing uncontrollably. "I know... But this isn't the end.. Love will come again, Aang. You'll see."

At that statement, Aang broke free of OnJi's arms while standing up and facing the surprised girl. "WHAT? How can you say that? I will NEVER find another person that I could possibly love more than Katara!" The heartbroke Avatar yelled. "She is my ENTIRE WORLD!"

OnJi stared at the snow-covered ground in sadness. "I know you may feel that way right now, but love always comes again, Aang. New love forms and old love eventually fades. Destiny is surprising Aang. Sometimes you have to let old lovers go to see the true love that's standing before you." OnJi's comment enraged the young Avatar.

"I can't even BELIEVE you are saying this! KATARA is the ONLY woman I will EVER love! Don't FORGET it OnJi!" He yelled over his shoulder as he stormed off. OnJi watched with a heavy sigh as the grieving Avatar jumped to the top of a huge glacier and disappeared out of her sight.