Disclaimer: I don't own Bionicle or Avatar: The Last Airbender. They belong to their respective owners.

Despite leaving the South Pole, Aang's cell shivered him as usual. Its ceiling stopped him from flying up, and the four walls barred him in. After Aang was thrown in again, he slept and woke up on its hard floor. Plus, he felt something keeping his hands behind his back again.

"Hello? Helloooo! Is anyone there?" Aang called. A guard's shadow flew over the tiny slit under the locked door. No answer, though. Aang's growling stomach gave him an idea for that. "Uh, do you have any food? I don't think I ate anything after getting out that iceberg."

A second later, the door opened. The second the bowl slid inside did it close shut. Aang's face scrunched up at the tray of bits of cooked and shredded animal flesh he could see. Probably pig-chicken, from the smell of it.

"Sorry, but do you have anything else? I don't really eat meat. Air Nomad and all," Aang called again. The door opened again, and a hand quickly withdrew the meat. "Thank you!"

The slamming door threw Aang's thanks back at him. He kept his ears on the guard's fading footsteps and planned. He didn't have that Sokka guy, or his sister, or their friend Kopaka to free him. He would have to rely on his airbending. It shouldn't be too much work. His hands were only bound, after all.

The guard's shadow returned, joined by somebody else. Aang's nose rose from a scent sneaking in. Tea?

An aged voice followed through the door. "The guard tells me you're a little peckish. I think I have something that will help. Now, please do wait a minute. It won't be good for you to move much."

"Uh, sure," Aang lied. He took a deep breath in, held it in, and waited.

"I'm coming in," said the aged voice, and the door opened.

Aang blew an entire gust out of his mouth. The door once ajar swung wide open with the guard knocked aside. Aang shot up to his feet, ready to rush to freedom-

Something yanked at his feet with a twang. "W-oooah!" Aang cried, falling forward. "Oof!"

The thud of his body rang off the cold floor. He groaned, annoyed at his failed attempt and for not realizing they tied his hands and feet. And to the wall, no less!

Rolling on his back, Aang stared at the chubby old man standing over him. "I tried to warn you. My nephew took some precautions after your last escape," the old man said and sat down with a tray in hand. "Now, would you care for some tea?"

Sighing in defeat, Aang sat up on his knees. Something sweet rose from the tray placed between him and the old man. "Is that jasmine?" Aang asked.

"Why yes, it is! I am surprised you know it." Smiling, the old man took the kettle and poured a cup for Aang. "Not many share my tastes in tea. Not even my nephew."

"Your nephew. He's the guy with the scar, right?"

"Yes. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation." The old man stopped pouring and calmly met Aang's widened eyes. "Are you surprised?"

Aang cleared his throat. "Oh, um, I guess. I haven't really met royalty before, so I don't really know what to call you. Your highness? You are a prince, right?"

"That and a retired general. But you can call me Iroh." An aged hand raised the steaming cup to Aang. "Here, have a taste. And don't worry, it's not poisoned."

The thought never crossed Aang's mind when he put his lips to the cup. His eyes perked up with one sip and licked his lips after another. "Mmm, this is great! Thanks!" Aang said.

Iron chuckled. "Your praise is much appreciated, avatar."

Avatar. The tea's warmth faded in Aang's throat. "Uh, are you sure I'm the avatar?"

"My nephew thinks so. The avatar is said to have been an airbender, after all."

"But you could have the wrong one, right?"

Iroh put the cup down and poured himself another. "Before we found you in the ice, do you remember anything while inside it?"

"Nothing really." Aang shrugged. "How long did I sleep? I thought it was a few days."

"Ah, I see." Iroh's tone dropped from his lips along with his teacup. "The world has changed much in your absence, especially with the Fire Nation seeking to rule the world."

"That Sokka guy said something about a war, but it doesn't make sense! I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation."

"I'm afraid those friends will be gone, now," Iroh said somberly after putting his cup aside. "It has been one hundred years since the Fire Nation began its conquest. If you were trapped in the ice for that long, it would make sense why you would not know."

Aang shook his head. "But that's impossible! I don't look like a hundred and twelve!"

"You do not. However, bending all that ice around you must have taken some skill. No regular human could have survived it."

Iroh's answer held back Aang's retort and forced him to think it through. What Iroh said was true-at least, Aang felt it was. Even then, it was a lot to take in. One hundred years.

One hundred years. The three words weighed heavily on Aang's mind. The length of time could have explained the metal men he encountered. But were his friends still around? What about the Air Nomads, then? That girl from his failed rescue said something about them, right?

"Are you an airbender?"

"Yep!"

"But I thought they were extinct-"

The door swung open, interrupting Aang's thoughts and his teatime. "Iroh," said the gruff voice of the strange firebender in a cloak. Tahu, Aang remembered. "You have to come outside."

"But we were just having tea!" Iroh said over his shoulder like a little child.

"I'm afraid you'll have it later," Tahu said. "We've found two of our men knocked out."

Before Aang could process anything, Iroh and the tea left with Tahu. "Hey, wait!" he called, but the door closed and locked once again, bathing Aang in the dim red light of his cell.

Later…

A cool breeze carried steam from Zuko's nose and across the crispy air. After rubbing his bagged eyes, already weighed down by last night's lack of sleep, Zuko looked turned from the two unconscious men carried below deck. The distant trees inched past the island's rim and over his ship's, everything covered in the sunset's deep red glow. Between the two laid the bushes by the beach, where his men were found alongside four massive prints.

The scent of tea alerted Zuko of who approached him. "Uncle," he said without looking away. "How are the men?"

Iroh said from Zuko's right, "They are… anxious, to say the least. Finding those bison tracks must have unsettled them."

"Those tracks mean we've been followed. And if the scouts are right, then they could have allies."

Sipping his tea, Iroh went "hmmm." "Is the ship ready to leave?"

"Not yet. We've barely covered the ship's holes, as is. Once we're done, we can go. If we can go."

"We shouldn't worry for long. We have discussed it with Tahu, after all."

Tahu. Zuko frowned. "I don't like this, uncle. I can't afford to wait right here while those… interlopers come after us. And who knows how many there are?"

"If they are thinking what I am thinking, which I think they are, then they will split their numbers. We are to merely present ourselves as falling for their trap, and let them fall into ours."

"Some trap," Zuko scoffed, but he had to admit, there was a logic to it all. Even his uncle, the seemingly lazy old man, spoke like the general he used to be when besieging Ba Sing Sei. "We can't lose them both, uncle. Think of what they can do for the Fire Nation. Think of…"

"I already have," Iroh assured him. "Right now, we need to focus on what is ahead. Tahu will do his duty. Ours is to be with the avatar."

Zuko bit back his tongue. Fatigue dragged down his thoughts as is, but he knew his uncle was right. He had to stay and make sure the ship was ready. If only he…

Inhaling deeply, Zuko held onto his thought. He would save it as a last resort. At the moment, he looked to the falling sunset once more before he and his uncle turned from its glow.

AN: Alright, there's that. Just a preview for Bending the Legend, my crossover between Avatar: The Last Airbender and LEGO's Bionicle. I did promise I would get back to this, and I think might have enough for a few chapters. Hopefully, I can produce more. Until then, please do enjoy this little tidbit and what might (emphasis on "might") start releasing in over a week or so. Take care.

Raika out.