AN: This chapter is a little longer than the last one. Also, this story is taking place roughly 3 years before the events of Avatar the Last Airbender. Akari right now is 13 (I'll be making her 16 when the Gaang visit Roku's temple during the Winter Solstice). As of right now Toph is 9, Zuko is 13 as well, Katara is 11, and Sokka is 12. Hopefully this'll clear things up as the story goes.

Later in the day, Akari practiced her waterbending before sparring against Master Pakku's students. She was nervous, yet excited at the same time. What if she didn't prove herself adequate? Would they keep her in the Northern Water Tribe for years before they let her start her earthbending? What happens if she fails?

She didn't fail.

Akari bested all of Master Pakku's students, proving herself to be a skilled waterbender. Every attack the students made, she would counter it and knock the others down; suspend them on top a pillar of ice, or encase them in ice entirely. Her movements were fluid, every step and wave of her arms was perfect.

Chief Arnook and his daughter, Princess Yue, along with Master Pakku watched as she went down the line of students. One. By. One. When she was done, she turned to Master Pakku and bowed. The look on his face was something she wished she could capture. He looked dumbstruck. His mouth was in an "o" and his eyes were wide. The Chief and Princess had similar expressions, but they looked more amazed than the dumbstruck Master Pakku.

It was Pakku who spoke first. "I… uh. Great work, you have proven yourself to be quite the skilled waterbender."

"Thank you, Master Pakku" said Akari.

"Yes, skilled indeed" said Chief Arnook, "I believe you have more than proven yourself. I would like you to work with Master Pakku for the next couple of days while we prepare the ship."

"Prepare the ship, sir?" says Akari.

"Well, yes. You certainly can't learn earthbending from waterbenders can you?" replied Chief Arnook.

Akari grinned from ear to ear at his words. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much. I… I won't let the tribe down."

Akari spent the following week working with Master Pakku. He taught her new techniques, some he hasn't even taught his own students, one of which was to pull moisture from the air around him to waterbend. "Waterbenders and earthbenders have a disadvantage," he says. "In order for them to bend their element, that element has to be present. You may find yourself in a situation where there is no water source. So you need to use what is around you. The air around us has water in it, even if it's just a little, bending that water can get you out of tricky situations."

"That's why the water tribes are in the poles," Akari replied. "We're surrounded by water. We don't have to worry about being taken away from our element because it's all around us."

"That is correct. It is the same reason why the Air Nomads chose to live in the sky, the earthbenders in rocky areas, and the Fire Nation by the equator. Where you are in the world can strengthen your bending ability. As does the time of day."

The time of day… that's right! Waterbenders learned from the moon and ocean spirits. It makes sense that we would be stronger at night.

Master Pakku and Akari finished their lesson for the day. The morning before her scheduled departure, Chief Arnook called her to the palace to discuss where she would be staying upon arriving in the Earth Kingdom.

"We don't want to send you to the major cities, Omashu and Ba Sing Se. With the war right now, it's only a matter of time when the Fire Nation will be attacking them. We've decided on Gaoling. It's a small, but notable village with an advanced earthbending teacher. You'll be learning at the academy and you'll be staying with a family there" says Chief Arnook.

"Who will I be staying with, Chief?" asked Akari.

"We'll be sending you to live with the Bei Fongs. Lao and Poppy Bei Fong have agreed to have you in their home under the condition that you respect their house rules." replied the Chief.

"Yes sir, anything else?"

"The trip to the Earth Kingdom will take roughly two weeks. The crew will be making a few stops to gather supplies and whatever food they may need. I recommend you practice you're bending on the way there. Once you have arrived at the port, you'll be escorted to Gaoling. We also thought it'd be wise to leave out the fact that you're the Avatar. If the letter were to be intercepted we wouldn't want the Fire Nation arriving on the Bei Fong's front door. Any questions?"

"No, sir."

"Great. Then you may leave. Be prepared for departure tomorrow morning" says Chief Arnook.

The next morning brought a cool breeze to the ports of the Northern Water Tribe. Akari was sad to leave her home, but excited to begin her journey to be the Avatar. She'll miss the salty scent the ocean brought and the beautiful white landscapes that surrounded her.

The Chieftain told Akari that she didn't need to bring much as she would be given most, if not all, necessities upon arriving. Though she didn't need to bring much she wanted a little reminder of home. She picked up her woven fur bag that contained an extra pair of mittens, a change of clothes, a whale-tooth comb, and a small blade that once belonged to her father. The hilt was carved from ivory and the blade was beautifully crafted from white granite. The beautiful opposites of black and white. Or what she usually associated them with, Tui and La, the Moon and Ocean spirits. Something so small brought back so many memories. Akari's father was sadly lost to the ongoing war, but before his departure he left his daughter the small blade. It was something that she held very close to her heart.

"I remember the day your father gave that to you."

Akari turned to her right to see her mother looking at her.

"I miss him."

"I miss him too, Akari. He'd be proud of what you've grown into," her mother said. "The Avatar. What an honor to have my daughter as the Avatar. I know you'll do great honey." Her mother walked forward and brought Akari into a loving embrace.

"Thanks, mom. I'm going to miss you." She broke away from the embrace to look up at her mother, a tear tearing it way through her eyelids. She blinked them away, but one still managed to flow down her cheek. Her mother's dark blue eyes looked back at her and Akari could tell she was holding back her own tears, trying not to cry.

Her mother brushed away the tear and kissed her daughter on her forehead. "I know, Akari. I'll miss you too." Her mother pulled away and sniffled, gently rubbing her eyes to brush away what would have been the start of crying. "I should let you finish up. I'll meet you down at the docks later okay?"

"Okay, mom. I'll see you soon." And with that, her mother turned away and walked further into their home.

"All packed?" Akari, startled, turned around to see Princess Yue. She had never talked to her in person, though there were the two short times she had seen her while sparring and informing the Chief that she was the Avatar.

"Princess Yue!" said Akari, still shocked to see the Chief's daughter in her doorway. She bowed to the princess before adding "what a pleasant surprise! I… uh didn't expect to see you here."

The young princess brought her hand to her mouth and tried to stifle her giggle. The princess was only a few months younger than Akari but she certainly looked more regal at the age of 13. Her white hair was a beautiful contrast to her dark skin, it also made her eyes look even more blue.

"I wanted to show you something before you leave for Gaoling. Can you come with me?" said Yue.

Yue led Akari through the palace where they came upon a set of double wooden doors. Wooden doors weren't very common in the Northern Water Tribe. Usually entrances would be concealed with some kind of hide or doors made of ice, but it wasn't the wood that caught Akari's attention, it was the carving. The ornate carvings on the wooden door were beautiful. The moon and the ocean were portrayed on the double doors, making an homage to the Moon and Ocean spirits, Tui and La.

Akari reached out to touch the intricate work that was carved in the dark oak. "Wow, these are gorgeous. Why haven't I seen these before?"

"Not many people are allowed access to what's behind those doors," replied Yue. "Though, since you're the Avatar, I wanted to show you this area before you left." Yue pushed the doors open and the landscape that stood in front of Akari was a sight to behold.

There was grass and a small structure that stood by a small pond in the center. It was also, surprisingly, warm.

"Why is it so warm here?" asked Akari.

"This is the spirit oasis. It's the most spiritual part in the North Pole. The Tribe believes that the energy of the Ocean and Moon spirits is what keeps this place so warm."

Akari walked towards the small little oasis in the middle. There, swimming in perfect circles, were two koi fish. One black, and one white.

"Can you feel it?" asked Yue.

She didn't need to explain what it was. The spirit oasis brought this warm fuzzy feeling to Akari. Something about how spiritual the area was warmed her, and it wasn't because of the temperature. Her spiritual side felt… lighter, more at peace. "Yeah, I can."

"This oasis is perfect for meditating. I only wished you could stay longer to experience it more. The energy all around us is very rejuvenating. Even the water from the oasis is said to have special healing properties." Yue's head hung for a moment before finishing in a more sorrowful tone. "It once helped me when I was very young."

Akari could tell that that story wasn't a very happy one. She didn't want to coerce the princess to tell her what happened.

"Come, we must get you ready for departure. I'm sure my father is wondering where you are," Yue said. Akari heard her sniffle and it looked as if the princess rubbed her check to get rid of a tear.

The trip roughly took the span of two weeks, just as Chief Arnook had said. Whenever they stopped at the nearest village to stack up on food and supplies, Akari practiced a little earthbending in preparation for her arrival to Gaoling. The men who were accompanying her were staring in awe as she did so, as it was the first time they had seen her earthbend.

When they finally reached the port closest to Gaoling, the troop of Water Tribesmen set out with Akari to make sure she arrived at the village safely. The trip on foot took another week, but Akari was more amazed by the vegetation and animals around her. Small turtle-ducks were camped out at small ponds and flowers of all shades of colors were at every turn. It was beautiful.

Throughout the whole trip, none of the tribesmen bothered her. She was hardly asked any questions save for "are you hungry? Do you need anything? What are your plans for the war?" Her answers were always the same; "yes (she was always hungry), not really," and "I don't know." Everyone was expecting her to live up to the title of Avatar and end the war, but how was she supposed to do that?

When they finally reached their destination of Gaoling, Akari's jaw dropped. It was larger than any of the villages they had passed. The village was surrounded by mountaintops and vast plains, it was quite a sight. They traveled through the streets and wove between the houses and markets. Akari awed at the assortments of fruits, nuts, cured meats, and the fresh scent of bread. She wanted to try everything.

The Tribesmen led her to the front of a very large gate. It was… quite extravagant. The walls that led out from it were made of stone and the gate was metal. At the top was an image of a flying boar. "Interesting," she thought. There were also two guards stationed at the entrance. One of the Tribesmen, who she learned was Kazza, stepped toward one guard and whispered something to him, though Akari was too far away to tell what he had said. The guard turned to his buddy and nodded. Soon enough, the gates opened.

The gardens were very large. A stone bridge crossed over a large pond, decorative boulders were scattered, fresh green grass, trimmed bushes, and some trees. It was obvious that the owners like to have their garden stay green, Akari couldn't find one patch of uneven dirt or brown grass.

They walked up to the large and extravagant house on the other end of the gardens. When they reached the doors, one of the other tribesmen (Jako?) knocked. When the door opened, a couple stood in the doorway. Their clothing looked quite expensive with the quality of fabric and how it fitted them perfectly. The tribesmen bowed softly, and Akari, guessing that these two people are somewhat important, followed suit.

The couple bowed back and it wasn't until she realized later that they were staring at her. "Welcome!" said the woman. "You must be the young earthbender! I'm Poppy Bei Fong and this is my husband, Lao," she gestured to the man beside her. "We heard you'll be staying with us while you learn at Master Yu's Earthbending Academy."

"Yes," said Lao. "It's only fit that the Water Tribe sent you to Gaoling to learn earthbending. Master Yu's is the best earthbending academy in the entire Earth Kingdom. Please come in." Lao stepped aside to allow Akari and her entourage inside.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay here," said Akari once the doors had shut.

"Well, it's not everyday that an earthbender is born in the Northern Water Tribe," Poppy said with a smile. "Come, we'll give you a tour and show you to your new room."

With a smile, Akari followed the couple. The Water Tribesmen, however, turned and left the house. Their job was done.

"Right here is the dining room," said Poppy Bei Fong. The table that stood in the center was very long and made of wood. Akari quickly realized that most furniture was made of wood or stone, things that aren't particularly common in the Northern Water Tribe. "... and to your left is the sitting room," continued the woman.

Akari was led through the large house while the Bei Fongs pointed out the specific rooms and their purposes. There was apparently a music room, study room (which looked like a small library), a lounge area, and many exits that led to the lush gardens outside. The trio soon came to a stop outside a wooden door. "And right through here is your bedroom. There's fresh clothes on the bed and we had the servants draw a hot bath for you. Take your time to freshen up."

A warm bath and some fresh clothes was exactly what she needed right now. "Thank you," she said to Poppy. "I'm quite tired as well, I might end up falling asleep." said Akari.

Poppy chuckled a little. "Yes, well with the journey you've had I feel you've earned the rest. We'll see you in the dining room for breakfast in the morning." And with that, the nice couple turned and walked away.

Akari turned towards the door and twisted the handle. When she opened it she noticed the size of the room, it was bigger than the one she'd had back at home. A small fireplace sat across what she assumed was her bed, the fire already started and crackled with a welcoming sound. However, it wasn't the fire or the size of the room, or even how nice and plump her new bed looked, it was the little girl who sat on the bed that made her jump.

The little girl looked no more than 10. She was dressed in flowy white clothes and her black hair was tied into a large bun that looked like it was defying gravity. After one step into the room, the little girl jerked her head into Akari's direction, but the little girl didn't seem to be looking at her.

Startled by the unwanted company, Akari asked "who are you?"

The little girl only smiled and said, "I'm Toph. You must be the Water Tribe girl."