Ch 3 team avatar

"So… what's up?" Aang asked, looking at the two new comers. One was covered with some strange armor, holding a long metal object of some sort. And the other was a beautiful woman wearing earth kingdom clothes.

"Avatar. It's an honor to meet you." Ursa said, walking forward and shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you to, Ursa." Aang said.

"Avatar, we're fugitives from the fire nation, and we need your help." Washington said.

"Wait. You two come out of nowhere, and expect our help?" Sokka asked.

"Sokka, if they're fugitives, we should help them." Aang said.

"Okay." Sokka said, keeping a wary eye on him.

"So where are you guys heading?" Ursa asked.

"We're really not sure." Sokka said.

"Great." Wash sarcastically said.

"I'm supposed to be learning earth-bending real soon. We're trying to find a good location." Aang said.

"Great. Now we should get moving, or be waiting for a bunch of firebenders to attack us." Wash said, having little patience for the moment.

"Wait a minute. Since when are you giving the orders?" Sokka asked.

"I just killed 7 firebenders, so unless you want the whole fire nation army on your tail, I suggest you take me and Ursa with you guys." Washington said.

"Fine." Sokka said.

Getting on Appa, they head towards another location in the Earth Kingdom. Everyone looks at Wash and Ursa, still unsure what to make of them.

"So, who are you two?" Katara asked.

"We're refugees from the earth kingdom. I am. Him…" Ursa said.

"I'm not from here. And that's all you'll know for now." Wash curtly said.

Wash kept his eyes on the group and made notes of them.

Aang, the youngest. He seemed carefree, and many would suspect he had ADHD. Wash knew from plenty of hard and cruel experiences that such behavior was certain death on the battlefield. He wouldn't trust Aang with his life. He noticed a young girl, the same age as Aang. And she was blind! He puts the information away and waits to see what Toph is made of. For the moment, she seemed to have the 'what you see is what you get' attitude. Wash had such a similar attitude.

Next, he looked at the two clad in blue clothing. He could tell they were siblings, based on similar facial and body structures.

"What are your names?" Wash asked.

"Huh?" Sokka asked.

"I didn't get your names." Wash said.

"I'm Katara. This is my brother, Sokka. Toph (points to her) is Aang's earthbending teacher." Katara said.

"Let me guess. Earthbending is where you can move earth." Wash said.

"That's right. There are 4 bending elements. Water, earth, fire, and air. Each element belongs to one nation." Aang said.

"You told me there were three. What happened to the fourth?" Wash asked Ursa.

"The airbenders, they were wiped out at the start of the war. I'm the last one." Aang said.

"I'm sorry about that." Wash said, and briefly looked at Ursa, noting that she had her hands clasped, but they were too tight to be put together comfortably. He would have to ask her about that later. His freelancer training made sure he took notice of every detail, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it is.

When they landed, Wash jumped off the bison, his rifle in hand.

"You look like you're expecting a threat." Sokka said, as he looked at the armor clad man.

"I am." Wash curtly said.

"This is a great camping spot. The grass is so soft." Toph said.

"That's not grass. Appa is shedding." Sokka said, taking his sleeping bag off the saddle.

Slinging his rifle, Wash grabs a piece of the hair. He removes his helmet and shows his face to everyone. He has pale skin, the result of years under the helmet and armor, brown eyes, and blond hair. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he blows and watches the hair fly off from the movement of air.

"Damn it." Wash growled, putting his helmet on and unslinging his sniper rifle.

"What's that?" Katara asked.

"It's a weapon. Stay here, I'll be back." Wash said, following the trail of fur Appa left behind.

As they saw the freelancer walk away, the group continued to set up camp.

"So, Ursa. Tell us about yourself." Aang said.

"I was born to earth kingdom nobles, and raised in the earth kingdom. When I was 18, I left home to travel the earth kingdom. Too bad there's a war going on." Ursa said.

"That's nice." Toph lazily says.

"Don't mind her. Toph left home to teach Aang earth bending. Comes from a similar background." Sokka said.

"Can't imagine why she left." Ursa said with plenty of sarcasm.

Ursa remembered living in the fire nation palace. She had the luxury, with everything at her disposal. But she was forbidden to contact her old family and friends, and her messages were intercepted. It was more of a prison than an envious life. She felt more freedom in the earth kingdom than at the royal palace.

Wash walked up a hill, sniper rifle in his hand. He looked thru the scope, and saw the fur for miles on end. That was an easy trail for anyone to pick up. And if someone saw him and Ursa get on the bison…

Wash turned around, and ran back towards the campsite at full tilt. As he ran, memories filled his mind.

Give me the Epsilon unit.

AGHHHHHHHH!

Church, there's no such thing as ghosts. You're the Alpha.

Putting the unpleasant memories away, Wash arrived back at camp, seeing the kids sleeping. With his night vision active, he walked towards Ursa, as she lays against Appa.

"Can't sleep?" Wash asked.

Ursa sighed and looked at Wash.

"Can't sleep." Ursa said.

"Something's on your mind." Wash said.

"The situation I'm in. I was in the royal palace, with everything at my disposal. And now..." Ursa said.

"Now you're here. It's funny what can happen to us." Wash said, remembering he was in project freelancer, with the most advanced equipment and tech the humans had. Now, he was stuck on some backwater planet.

"Funny?" Ursa asked, with traces of anger in her voice.

"Ironic." Wash said.

"Yeah. Ironic." Ursa bitterly said.

"Ursa, you're from the Fire Nation, aren't you?" Wash asked.

"Yes. Please, don't tell anyone." Ursa pleaded.

"I won't. Why did you leave?" Wash asked.

"How'd you know I'm from the fire nation?" Ursa asked. She'd taken great measure to hide her past.

"Your eyes are different than anyone else. They're the same eyes on the soldiers I killed. And when Aang mentioned the air-nomad genocide, you were uneasy." Wash said.

"You must have some great training to pick up all that." Ursa said.

"From the best." Wash said.

An awkward silence was between the two.

"I'm not going to prod into your past. If you feel comfortable enough to tell me about it, then you can tell me. If not, keep it silent." Wash said.

"Thanks." Ursa said.

Ura got no sleep that night.

"You monster!" She yelled at Ozai, who was looking over a map of the earth kingdom.

"You're going to kill our son!" She says, grabbing Ozai.

"He's a weakling. Unfit for service in the fire nation, let alone life itself." Ozai growled.

"I'm ashamed to be your wife." Ursa said.

"You're not my wife. You're just a pawn." Ozai said, pushing Ursa aside.

"I'll take them. Zuko and Azula. I'll take them far away from here." Ursa said.

"Go ahead. The Yu-yan archers will simply kill you three quicker than you can blink." Ozai promised.