Earth...Fire...Water...Air... This is the age of the new Avatar, and after many years of chaos, the world is poised to enter into a time of prosperity and peace. But every light casts a shadow, and in the days to come, the very balance of the universe will be in danger, and the true purpose of the Avatar will be revealed. The Avatar's name is Usagi, a warrior of love and justice, and despite all the great deeds she has accomplished, her story is not over yet!

AVATAR

The Celestial Sailors

BOOK THREE: DEATH

8: Mermaids

With Makoto preparing for her wedding in Omashu, and Mamoru settling the palace after the recent murders, it was left up to Usagi, Rei, Ami, and Minako to pursue the shadowy invader on their own. Nobody had any idea where to start looking, so Ami suggested that they visit the Northern Water Tribe. Chief Oomari and her mother were very well-informed people, and trading with various neighboring countries opened them up to all sorts of news and information. Besides, it had been over a year since she had been home. She wanted to go back and make sure everything was still standing, so to speak. Everyone agreed, so Artemis soared northwest—in no special hurry to arrive this time.

"We really didn't get to enjoy ourselves the last time we came here," Rei mentioned as they skirted beyond the Earth Kingdom's borders. "Between Motoki's poisoning and Zoicite's attack, we hardly got a chance to breathe. I'd like to see the northern lights while I'm up there, and maybe the great Spirit Oasis if that's possible."

"I'm sure Chief Oomari wouldn't mind," Ami replied. "The first letter I got from home said that he was indebted to you all for fending off Zoicite's attack. He's been wanting to get a chance to repay you."

"Ah, our very first battle together as Team Avatar," Minako sighed nostalgically. "It's too bad we got our butts handed to us. If it hadn't been for Beryl's letter, we probably would've been killed!"

"Actually, I wasn't really the Avatar back then," Usagi pointed out, "so wouldn't our first battle technically be the one where we had to disperse that crowd of protesters a few days after Mamoru's coronation?"

"Oh yeah... That was a resounding success for us!"

"Not all of us," Rei grumbled. "I still have a bruise from when that guy threw a stone at me."

"Oh no, did I do a terrible job?" Ami panicked. "Rei, I'm so sorry! I wish you had told me sooner! Does it still hurt?" Rei chuckled softly as Ami fretted over her.

"I'm just exaggerating, Ami. Look, I don't even have a mark. You healed me perfectly." Ami peered at Rei's forehead, where the stone had struck nearly a year ago, and saw that it was unblemished. She let out a sigh of relief, then blushed as she realized how worked up she had gotten.

"Sorry, I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to healing. I want to make sure I do it correctly every time. I'm...pretty hard on myself if I feel like I didn't do a good enough job."

"You shouldn't be," Minako said encouragingly. "You're the best healer I've ever known, Ami!"

"No," she murmured, humbly hanging her head, "I still have a lot to learn."

…...

The Northern Water Tribe was undergoing a rare summer, so everyone was taking advantage of the mild weather. Most of the people were out harvesting their meager crops or tanning leather and furs, but there were just as many out on boats, fishing and capturing seals. There were some who rode around on caribou or bears or great large shaggy dogs; there were teams of hunters skirting the tundra, traders unloading barges, surfers and swimmers along the coast, and teams of acolytes learning to bend the ice and snow. Several people waved as Artemis flew overhead; he landed on a rough, grassy surface, letting out a groan of success. Luna immediately bounded off, landed in a patch of snow, and sneezed. As Usagi pulled her out, Chief Oomari and several off-duty hunters and benders approached them. They crossed their hands over their chest and bowed; Ami did the same.

"It's good to see you again, Ami," Oomari announced. "I only wish we had known you were coming. You would've received a hero's welcome instead of this sorry lot."

"Words hurt, chief," one of the hunters grumbled, nudging him with a spear. Ami giggled.

"It's all right, I don't mind. I don't really feel like much of a hero, anyway."

"What, are you kidding?" one of the benders scoffed. "Word has it that you helped overthrow Queen Beryl! Then there's all this news about how you vanquished armies of fanatics, pirates, bandits, evil spirits, and all kinds of criminal scum. If that doesn't make you a hero, then I don't know what does!" Ami's eyes bulged, and she turned a furious shade of crimson.

"Ah...I did what?! Th-those are j-just exaggerations! Uh...I didn't really do any of those things! A-at least not by myself, certainly! A...and even then, I was barely involved..." The welcoming committee just laughed her humility off.

"Same old Ami," Oomari smiled, "always so self-effacing. You should be proud of yourself, my dear! We certainly are. Ah, and if it isn't your friends, and the Avatar herself come to visit. You at least should receive a hero's welcome." Oomari crossed his hands and bowed again; the girls copied his gesture.

"This is more than enough, sir," Rei said politely. "Our visit's not entirely social. Someone recently snuck into the royal temple at Ba Sing Se and assassinated one of the King's Generals, along with twelve soldiers. We were tasked with finding this person and hoped that the Northern Water Tribe might be able to assist us." Oomari's expression became grave, and he rubbed his chin in careful thought. One of the hunters with him shrugged.

"This is the first we've heard of it. We haven't been able to get much news from outside lately."

"Oh?" Ami blinked. "Why's that?" Oomari grumbled and flailed his arm.

"Bah, just a minor squid issue we've been trying to deal with. One out of every four trade ships runs into one of em' and gets smashed to pieces. It got to the point where I had to forbid anybody going more than a few miles from shore."

"But we saw people fishing and unloading a barge when we came in here," Minako pointed. Oomari frowned.

"Well, we were starving, so I gave a few ships special permission. The crews are made of volunteers who knew precisely what they were getting into, experienced seamen and benders, and we paid them double. Unfortunately, this means that now we've had to raise prices, so I doubt we'll be able to stay in business for much longer. But the squids should give up and move on in a few months."

"But can you really hold out that long?" Rei pressed. Oomari grumbled, rubbing his chin again. Usagi stepped forward and flexed her arms.

"Hey, this sounds like a job for Team Avatar! We can drive off those squid for you while you send your people out! We don't even need a ship: Artemis will bear us into glorious battle!" The welcoming committee became abuzz with hope and excitement.

"You'd really do that?" gasped one of the benders. "We'd be forever in your debt!"

"Now-now," said Oomari, "we can't ask the Avatar to risk her life for us like that, especially after all she's done for us."

"Yes you can!" Usagi exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "In fact, since you're looking for volunteers, then I volunteer! Oh, and don't worry about paying me back. Simply knowing that Ami's people are safe, happy, and prosperous is payment enough for me! ...Though I wouldn't say no to a nice meal." The committee cheered, while Oomari was beside himself with awe and gratitude. He bowed as low as his old bones could take him, saluting in Water Tribe fashion.

"We thank you, Avatar. Arituq and Sholta will guide you to the quay and explain everything in detail. Ah...w-would it be too much to ask if your friends...?"

"Say no more!" Minako announced, pounding her chest with her fist. "Wherever Usagi and Artemis goes, Minako must follow! It is the code...of the Air Nomad!" She let out a loud battle-shriek and made a comical fighting pose. Rei smiled tepidly, issuing a more restrained answer.

"We'd be glad to help in any capacity you need, Chief."

"Oh, thank goodness," he gushed, leaning over as a huge burden rolled off his back. "I swear, I had no idea how we'd ever last until winter!" He suddenly realized what he was doing, straightened up, and cleared his throat. Two Water Tribe men stepped out from the crowd and guided the girls away, but Oomari held Ami back.

"Sir?" He smiled at her warmly, eyes twinkling.

"I think the Avatar has this one under control. Why don't you go see your mother, Ami? She'd never let on, but she's been rather frayed with worry these past few months. I think letting you two see each other is more important than a few squids in the water."

"Uh, sir?" one of the benders piped up. "You literally just told us we might starve if we didn't get rid of those things. Like, verbatim."

"Can it, Duni, I know what I said! That's two extra laps around the compound for you, mister smart alec!" Duni groaned as Oomari led him away, Ami giving him a look of resigned sympathy. Soon she was left alone, staring straight ahead at the medical yurt. She took a moment to compose herself before walking towards it.

…...

Ami eased open the yurt's covering, thrusting her head inside and then her foot. She could already see her mother Saeko hard at work, directing all the healers and flitting between patients, effortlessly juxtaposing her arts with her words. As a shaft of outside light came and went, she glanced up, noticing a slight, timid young blue-haired woman standing patiently at the entrance, her hands folded in front of her.

"Ah, there you are, Ami. Could you go over to that gurney, please? He's suffering from jellyfish stings." She pointed at a table where a middle-aged man lay groaning, then went back to her duties without missing a beat. Ami drew in a deep breath, speaking clearly and respectfully.

"Hello, mother." Saeko looked up again. She certainly didn't appear frayed with worry.

"Hello." She looked to the poisoned man again before returning to her duties.

"I'm home, mother." Saeko looked up yet again, her face a mask of frigid professionalism.

"Yes, I can see that. There's also a woman with a broken arm next to him if you prefer." Back to her duties. Ami sighed, feeling somewhat disappointed. Without saying a word she approached the two patients and smiled faintly. First she caressed the woman's broken arm, no doubt acquired from an encounter with the squid. The woman recognized her, and smiled in spite of her pain.

"Ami, you're...back. Good to...have you with us ag...gain. How long will you be stay..." She winced; Ami shushed her. She ran soothing fluid over her arm, gently setting the bone back into place. With every motion she put more and more balm, settling the woman's agony until she let out a sigh of relief. Then there was nothing to do but apply a splint and wrap it up.

"That should hold you for now. It'll need to be looked at every so often, but you should recover before long. Excuse me." The woman issued her thanks as Ami moved from her to the poisoned man. He was in more pain but required less care; she washed the remaining needles away from his skin and soothed the poison out. Ten minutes later, and he was well on the way to recovery. That finished, Ami called for her mother—

"Well done. Could you please go to number six? Ah, that one. He has an ulcer."

"Certainly." Ami put herself to the task. Midway through she said, "Do you have time to talk?"

"Not today, I'm afraid. Those squid attacks have given me no shortage of patients." She stopped what she was doing for a moment, as if only now realizing her daughter was in the room with her. "I'll take a break in an hour. I can spare fifteen minutes. Is that all right?" Ami smiled softly and nodded. Knowing her mother, fifteen minutes away from the emergency room was more precious than fish oil during a blizzard. She had healed the man's ulcer in under twenty minutes and was about to move on to a burn victim when she spotted someone entering from the opposite end of the yurt—someone she recognized very distinctly. It was the elegant, teal-haired woman who had helped them survive the ghoul attack in the south, Michiru if Ami recalled correctly. She smiled at the familiar face and was about to walk over and say hello, but checked herself.

Michiru came in carrying a bundle of supplies, and was greeted personally—and to Ami's astonishment, very warmly—by Saeko. Not only that, but her mother actually stopped what she was doing and helped Michiru unload. Her attitude had shifted tremendously as well, from cold and professional to gregarious and chatty. Ami had never seen her mother act that way before, even under the best circumstances, and especially not when she was around. The two gossiped like old friends as they distributed the supplies, and all the while Ami stood there, watching, unable to ignore the wrenching jealousy she felt. She had never seen Michiru until very recently, and had never heard any mention of her from her mother—so why was she treating someone who was essentially a stranger better than her own daughter, whom she had been "frayed with worry" for?

Ami quickly healed the burn victim and slipped out of the yurt with more than thirty minutes to spare. She just...didn't want to be in there anymore. Feeling angered and hurt, she looked around for a way to ventilate her frustrations and came to focus on a long, straight, smooth river. Ami had never had any friends to confide in, nor much of a family to support her; she was always studying and training to be a healer. Her only means of recreation had been in swimming, which she excelled at out of necessity more than choice. She took off her outer clothes and dove in, the shock of the icy water washing all her other cares and concerns away. In no time at all her mind was a blank, her body was inured to the cold, and she found herself paddling furiously against the current, up the length of the entire river. Ami was in no mood to stop and get out just yet, so she floated along, the world's noises muted, nothing but empty cerulean sky in her eyes. When she finally returned to where she had started, she noticed Michiru squatting there, smiling in admiration.

"We meet again, dolphin. You swim remarkably well."

"Thank you," Ami said quietly, a little out of breath from her venture. She looked up the length of the river, then back at Michiru. "I think I'm more of a salmon, though. At least that's the sign I was born under."

"It suits you. I had a little business with your mother earlier. She says she'll be out here shortly."

"Yes," Ami replied distantly. "This affair with the squids has given her more work than usual." Michiru sat down on the thawing bank, dipping her feet into the river. Ami couldn't help but feel entranced by her beauty, dignity, and poise. No wonder her mother had been drawn in by her. Michiru was nothing at all like the self-effacing, stammering, insecure, shy little introvert of her daughter. Almost as if she sensed Ami's internal flagellation, Michiru gave her a comforting smile.

"How would you like to have a race with me while we wait? I'm a bit of a swimmer myself."

"Uh, I don't know about that," Ami murmured, toying with her hair. Michiru giggled and removed her outer layers, slipping right in.

"If you're too tired from your last exercise, I'll give you a head start. Come on, I'd like to see what you Northern Water Tribe women are made of." Ami still wasn't sure, but Michiru seemed determined, so she agreed. There were no judges around, so Michiru formed some of the water into an icicle and tossed it high into the air, stating they would start when it splashed back in the river. Both women got to their marks and tensed their muscles. Ami watched as the icicle twirled in the air, halted, came hurling down, and dipped into the water from whence it came. She went off like a shot, Michiru only a heartbeat behind. She pulled ahead easily but hesitated. Why had her mother been so cold to her earlier? Wasn't she glad to see her? Why did she treat Ami like another one of her aides? And why did she greet Michiru with so much warmth and affection? There had been no promises of taking time out of a busy schedule made between them, no fifteen minutes of undivided attention, no aloof professionalism. Ami had nothing at all against Michiru but she couldn't help but feel resentful all the same.

She touched the river's end at the exact same time as Michiru, and paused there, looking away from her rival. Michiru frowned and glared at her.

"Why did you do that?"

"Excuse me?"

"You deliberately restrained yourself back there. You slowed down. Why did you do that?"

"I..." Ami trembled, looking away from Michiru's ire. "I...I d...don't kn-know, I...I just..."

"What? You didn't want to upset me? You didn't want to come out on top, is that it? You'd rather nobody win than claim any sort of victory for yourself?" Ami couldn't come up with an answer. She didn't know: she didn't know. But maybe Michiru was right. Maybe Ami was so overcome with trying to please everybody—her mother, the chief, her friends, Michiru, everyone she ever met—that she ultimately ended up displeasing them instead. Did she really hate conflict so much that even in a casual race like this, she'd sooner stand aside and be trod over rather than make account of herself?

Michiru snorted and got out of the water. Ami remained until a hand reached for her. It was her mother.

"I think I owe you a little more than fifteen minutes." Ami looked away glumly and got out on her own.

…...

Saeko found an isolated spot away from the village where they could talk in private. The area was green and lush with life, with mountains peering at them from across the northeastern distance and a waterfall gently whispering off to the west. Wild caribou, reindeer, and a few bear-dogs were out grazing, running, and drinking in the brief northern summer. There were even a few bees and butterflies who had braved the long journey from warmer climes. There were some large, flat stones that Saeko and Ami used as chairs; they sat across from each other in silence for a time.

"You obviously have something on your mind. Speak. I'll hear you out." Normally Ami would have been thrilled to borrow so much of her mother's time, but now... She didn't know whether to lash out in anger, smile with love and relief, or give her mother a taste of her own medicine and deliver her news dryly and punctually. Best to do what she came here for.

"It seems as though you don't get much news out here anymore."

"No, not since the squids stated nesting around us. Oomari's about ready to give up on them. Rumor has it that the Avatar's going to help us."

"Yes, Usagi and some of my friends volunteered to do what they could. They should have the problem fixed shortly."

"I see. Well, that's good. So, what's been going on in your life?"

Since when have you ever cared, she was tempted to say, but Ami held her tongue. Instead she spoke of the intruder at Ba Sing Se, and their pursuit, and the strange behavior of various spirits—and the Sentinels. Nearly all of this was a revelation for Saeko, though she admitted she rarely kept up-to-date on world affairs unless it was something monumental, or it personally involved the Water Tribe.

"You mentioned that some spirits had been exhibiting odd behavior," she stated. "I may know something about that. About six or seven months after you left, there were rumors of gigantic ice creatures roaming the wild. Of course, these were just rumors, mostly perpetrated by younger people who had too much time on their hands, but lately, they've gained more substance. Oomari's never seen any trace of them, but he works alongside people who claim they have: upstanding, trustworthy citizens who aren't prone to jokes or ghost stories. Even I've tried investigating these claims, when I had a moment to spare."

"That does sound relevant," Ami murmured. She had heard tales of the ice giants when she was a child, usually from an old storyteller around a bonfire. They were supposedly massive, among the tallest creatures who had ever roamed the world, and commanded so much strength and skill that even Tui and La feared them. Legend had it that Avatar Kurma, who had organized the schism that split the original Water Tribe into several factions, was the one who had finally vanquished them (though the Fire Nation would've argued how the great hero Agni had wiped them out instead, but thus was mythology). Saeko wasn't one to take these tall tales seriously, but as a woman of science, if the evidence supported it, then it was worth looking into. She shrugged.

"That's all I have for you, unfortunately. We've been stranded here these past few weeks, so we haven't received any strangers, whether wreathed in darkness or light. If you like, once your friends settle our squid problem, I can ask Oomari to loan you a few hunters. He's started to take these ice giant rumors seriously, and I can't blame him. We don't need another crisis on our hands."

"All right, I'll do everything I can. By the way, mother, what is your relationship to Michiru Kaioh?" Saeko leaned in.

"Eh? You know her?"

"We've met. Apparently, she's looking for these Sentinels of Light as well. She'd certainly be intrigued to hear about ice giant rumors."

"I see, she never mentioned that. She's been coming by every now and then with supplies. She's one of the few people who've braved those squid. We've built a bit if a rapport."

"I noticed," Ami muttered bitterly. Saeko was taken aback by her tone. It all suddenly clicked for her.

"I see. So that's what this is about." Ami sighed.

"No, mother, I only came here looking for answers. I...admit I wanted to see how you were doing; I'd heard you were...ah, asking about me."

"Yes, but now you're safe, and you came at the perfect time. I'm glad I could trust you to work alongside me."

"Is that all you think about?" Ami grumbled, gnashing her teeth as she gripped the grass beneath her. She tore out a clump and squeezed until the frozen dirt crumbled in her grasp. Saeko felt stung. Her expression changed to one of intense sorrow, the likes of which Ami had never seen, not even when her father had left them.

"You hate me, don't you?" she whispered. Ami's anger abated and she stared at her mother apologetically. Saeko shook her head. "You must. I was a terrible mother to you. I always put my profession before you, hardly ever paid attention to you—just sent you to schools and...and wrote letters, encouraging you to s-study...wh, when I could have just seen you any time I wanted, spoke to you, even just for an hour every day..."

"Mother," Ami said tenderly, "I, I don't..." Saeko stared at her in anger—not at her daughter, no never, but at herself.

"Ami, can you honestly tell me that you don't resent me at all? I'm not oblivious; I could tell, even when I was working earlier. I...I know I was busy, my work was important, the whole tribe's been suffering lately. I had to do something, something to help them—but I could have spared one moment to smile at you, to say hello, to...to hug you like a real mother should have done. But I...I've never been good at that sort of thing, not even with your f...your father." Saeko was trembling now, weeping, looking away from her daughter. Ami never knew how much her mother regretted her actions, or how badly she wanted to connect with her daughter, but had never been able to. She got off her stone and sat next to the older woman, but Saeko nudged away. There was a moment of silence as Ami put more distance between them.

"Yes...I did resent you. As much as I respected you, and wanted to be just like you, and yearned for your approval, and the opportunity to work alongside you... You were always Doctor Mizuno around me, and never...never mom. So I worked even harder. Then, when I saw you talking to Michiru earlier, in a way you had never spoken to me..."

"Oh, Ami," she moaned, now openly shedding tears. "I...I'm so sorry, I never knew how much I was hurting you. I... When I was your age, I thought I could balance a career and a family. I r-r-rushed into m-marriage, worked alongside your father for a bit, had you... But I had no idea how to be a mother. I only had fantasies, but no real knowledge or experience. I...I was so afraid I'd fail you, Ami, that I...I ended up failing you anyway. I thrust myself into my career, because that was all I knew, and...then your father left me, and, and, I let him go gracefully—he had his life, I had mine—but that's no excuse, Ami! I should have been there for you, I should have been a better mother..."

Saeko's body rocked as Ami threw her arms around her and squeezed tightly. Together mother and daughter sobbed as decades of unspoken regrets and fears were finally let loose. Ami began to feel like her mother must be an incredibly strong woman to compose herself the way she did, with all of that built up inside her. She honestly did not understand her at all.

"You wanted to love me...you just didn't know how."

"Yes," Saeko whispered. Ami wiped a tear from her eye.

"It seems we could both stand to be a little more honest around each other. Maybe...we can talk later."

"We should talk right now," Saeko said desperately. "I'm finished with putting my career before my own flesh and blood. Nobody's dying in the clinic; we have all day to talk." Ami smiled modestly, held her mother's hand, and stood, raising the older woman with her.

"I have a better idea," she said, beaming. "Let's talk while we work in the clinic together. Right now I want nothing more than to work alongside you." Saeko sighed joyfully and wiped a tear from her eye.

"That would...make me very happy, too. I want to hear everything, Ami. Leave no detail out, no matter how insignificant." Ami grinned and together they walked hand in hand to the medical yurt. They didn't get very far before they saw Michiru, of all people, running across the grassy tundra towards them.

"Doctor Mizuno! Doctor Mizuno, come quickly, please! It's urgent!"

"Is somebody dying?" she exclaimed, fearing that her moment of bliss had been cut short. Michiru's eyes roiled with stormy fear.

"No, it's much worse. You won't believe this, but there's an ice giant loose in the village!"

…...

The entire village was in an uproar as a gargantuan monstrosity composed solely of frost and rage tore through it. Oomari and several elders were already evacuating people, while some of the hunters and benders were attempting to fight the creature. Ami immediately noticed several spears, arrows, and hatchets lodged into its glacial skin as she gawked at it, with more hurling at it whenever the warriors saw an opening. The ice giant was titanic, easily dwarfing a Thunderhorn. Its fists could smash an entire yurt to pieces with a single blow; its feet plowed huge furrows in the tundra as it lumbered recklessly. The only advantage the Water Tribe had was numbers and mobility, for the giant was as slow as it was powerful.

"By the spirits!" Saeko gasped, scarcely able to believe what she was seeing. "So the stories are true!" The leadership she had earned working at the clinic kicked into full gear, and she demanded to know the situation from the first person to cross their paths. Once Saeko was brought up to speed, she bent what little snow there was left on the ground into a sheet and sledded towards the giant, gathering more ice and snow along the way. She whistled loudly, getting its attention, and formed all the ice at her disposal into a large lance.

"Wait, stop!" someone shouted, but it was too late: the lance hit the giant square in the chest. It flinched, but rather than showing any pain, seemed to grow larger and stronger. Saeko's mouth hung open.

"What the...?"

"I tried to warn ya, doc!" the person said, running up to her with a spear in his hand. "That thing absorbs water! Any bending you do on it will only make it stronger!" Saeko's face flashed in annoyance and horror, but she would not be daunted so easily.

"Ami, you said you brought your friends with you. Wasn't one of them a fire-bender?"

"They're out fighting the squid, mother," Ami murmured frightfully. Saeko's face darkened, but even then, she refused to surrender.

"We'll have to disable its legs. You, gather our people and get all the ropes, nets, and snares you can. Lure it over to that grassy area, and bring as many axes, hatchets, saws, and torches as you can carry!"

"Yes ma'am!" He ran off immediately; Saeko then turned to her daughter and Michiru.

"If it's made of ice, then we can use that to our advantage. Once that monster falls over, I want you two to try and hold it down. We'll hack off its head and as many pieces as we need to!" The two nodded and ran out to intercept the creature; meanwhile, a team of hunters and archers were luring it out of the village and into the fields. Teams of men and women rushed out with everything Saeko asked for, and when she gave the signal, they bent slabs of ice and rode them around the giant's legs, tying the nets and cords around it and wrapping them tightly together. Benders then called on the river, dredging up an immense stone. They raised it into the air, surrounded by water, and lashed it at the giant like a sling. The stone smashed into its back, knocking it off balance and sending it toppling over.

Ami and Michiru were on it in a flash, bending its enormous arms and pinning them down as Oomari and countless men and women tore after it with axes, saws, torches, and hatchets. One burly hunter slammed his battle-ax against the creature's neck, only to stagger backwards as the weapon bounced off; everyone else who attacked it fared no better. The torches had more of an effect, but the giant was too large to melt, and too powerful to be held down long. It struggled against its binds, lifting its arms and swiping them wildly, knocking Michiru out. Ami rolled out of the way; she sat up and watched helplessly as the giant reached around and snapped the ropes binding its legs. It then hammered the ground furiously, knocking everyone on their feet.

"On your feet!" Oomari called. "Rain spears and arrows! The Water Tribe's not licked yet!"

"Wait," Ami murmured as her people rallied for one last stand. Her mind went into overdrive as it formulated an impossible plan. She stood up, ran straight for the giant, braced herself as she got as close to its titanic legs as she dared, and raised her arms, putting forth all her bending powers.

"Ami, don't!" Saeko screamed, but checked herself as she realized what her daughter was doing. She wasn't summoning ice and snow for an attack—she was bending it out of the giant! The titan groaned as sheets of frost cracked and drifted off its back, into Ami's awaiting hands. She grit her teeth and buckled slightly from the effort, but held firm. Saeko felt her skin prickle in wonder.

"Don't just stand there," she ordered, "follow her lead! Michiru!" She ran over to help, but Michiru was already on her feet. She was bruised from the attack, but understood what she needed to do. She, Saeko, and dozens of water-benders combined their forces and bent the ice out of the giant's body, peeling off layer after layer. It moaned loudly and tried to fight them, but there were too many, and it was losing size and strength. Soon it was barely half as tall as it used to be—then a fourth—then a tenth. The giant gave one final whimper as the last of its body was stolen from it, now dispersed among the entire Northern Water Tribe. Together, they wound up, and threw the pieces of the giant as far away as they could, scattering it in countless directions. They had all more than earned a sigh of relief.

As soon as it was over, the first thing Saeko Mizuno did was embrace her daughter, whispering how impossibly proud she was. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Michiru give her a thumbs-up, and she nodded in return.

…...

"I'm probably going to stay here for a few more days," Michiru said as the two Mizuno women healed her bruises inside the medical yurt. "I want to be sure there aren't any more of those things around. They shouldn't be too difficult now that we know how to beat them." She cast a proud smile at Ami, who blushed and looked down. Saeko smiled warmly at them.

"I know you said that you'd prefer to work with your partner," Ami said, "and I respect your decision. All the same, I'd like to keep in touch with you. If you run into any more rogue spirits or Sentinels of Light, let us know. Be on special lookout for a shadowy figure, about my height and carrying a glaive. That thing may be even more dangerous than ten ice giants." Michiru agreed. Saeko let out a sigh and wiped the sweat off her brow as she finished patching Michiru up.

"There, good as new!"

"Thank you, doctor. What are your plans for the future, Ami?"

"Oh, we might hunker down here for awhile. My mother and I have a lot of catching-up to do. Eventually we'll make our way back to Omashu."

"I see. Perhaps we'll see each other again someday." Ami nodded—then, had a thought.

"Before that happens, I'd like to have another race with you. A real one this time, no holding back." Michiru smiled slowly at the younger woman, and shook her hand firmly. This time they had a crowd to cheer them on, with Oomari and several hunters and benders acting as judges. The ladies would swim the length of the entire river, then swim back, with the first to touch the bank as the winner. Ami's eyes glinted as a newfound spirit of competition overcame her.

"No holding back this time. Give me everything you've got!"

"Same to you," Michiru nodded. "Good luck!" Oomari put a whistle to his mouth; the ladies got on their marks. Saeko watched with breathless anticipation as they prepared for their rematch. Three...two...one... They were off! This time both ladies flew off like a shot, piercing through the frigid river like creatures possessed. Ami kicked and paddled as if her life depended on it, fully focused on the race and nothing else. It didn't matter anymore who won or lost, only that it was fair, without pretense or hesitation. After all, she believed that she had found a friend today, and she wanted to honor that friendship.

And...she had rekindled another relationship she once thought lost.

Michiru reached the end of the river and kicked off towards the finish in record time. This time she could tell that Ami was devoting her entire heart to the match, and couldn't help but smile. Haruka was an excellent runner but poor in the water, and she had never found an opponent who could truly bring out the best in her. Now, though, she had a worthy adversary, one she found herself struggling to keep up with. Struggling! Her, of all people, a champion swimmer of Lake Laogai! Her muscles sang out in rapture as they were truly tested for the first time in...oh, ages, it seemed. And then it was over, before she knew it. She and Ami had both reached the finish—once again, at the exact same time.

Chief Oomari didn't quite know what to make of it at first. It had honestly been too close to call.

"Um...we have a draw! Hooray...uh, right?" Michiru laughed and swam over, saluting in the old Water Tribe fashion. Ami crossed her hands over her chest and bowed.

"That was remarkable, Ami! I've never met an opponent who could push me like that! You know, for awhile there, I thought that you were going to beat me."

"You were incredible as well," she admitted. "I had to fight with all my power just to keep up. I'm sorry for my earlier performance."

"It's okay," Michiru smiled, "I'm sorry for lashing out at you. Haruka's just so incredibly competitive that it rubs off on me more often than I'd like. I'd much rather swim for fun."

"So would I," Ami laughed. They got out and dried off, walking back to a warm hut with a crowd of cheering fans in tow. "All the same," Ami said as she held the flap open, "I wouldn't mind another rematch. I hear the currents around Omashu are completely unpredictable."

"Is that so? Well then, I'll have to clear my calendar." The two shook hands, forging a new friendship. Michiru excused herself once she was dressed, saying she needed to get back to work. Ami looked to her mother, wondering if she felt the same way.

"No, I think I'll take the rest of the day off," she said softly. She gazed into her daughter's face, her heart swelling with pride and love. "In fact, I think I've earned an entire week off! Wouldn't you agree, Chief Oomari?" Mother and daughter turned to the old man, who gruffly rubbed his chin.

"No, actually, I don't. I can't let you take a week off, Saeko."

"And why's that?" she demanded. Oomari chuckled.

"Because, I'm giving you three weeks off! Chief's orders, doc!" He cackled wildly; Saeko just stood there dumbfounded.

"Oh dear, three weeks? What'll I do in all that time?"

"Why not come to Omashu with us, mother?" Ami suggested. "King Motoki and my friend Makoto will probably be getting married by then. I'd love to have you attend with me." Saeko smiled sweetly and drew her cherished daughter in for a hug.

"Then that's where I'll be. I love you, Ami. I'll never know how I deserved to have such a wonderful child."

"I think it's because, in your own way, you inspired me to be my very best, and gave me the drive and the willpower to achieve that. You made me the person I am today, and I'm proud to be your daughter." They smiled at each other, clasping hands, then walked out of the yurt into the warm summer air, arms over each other's shoulders.

"By the way, dear, shouldn't your friends be joining us soon? I wonder whatever happened to them."

…...

"KILL IT, REI! KILL IT WITH FIRE!"

"It's pulling me under, I can't get loose!"

"Spirits, help us, please!"

"I'm covered in gunk and suckers!"

"WHY DOES IT HAVE SEVEN MOUTHS?!"

"Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"

"It keeps growing tentacles, why are there so many tentacles?!"

"Minako, nooooo!"

"I swear I'll never eat calamari again!"

"Spit her out now, you demon! SPIT HER OUT!"

"KILL IT I SAID, I DON'T CARE HOW!"

"I can't see! It hurts and stings!"

"By the spirits, there's so much blood!"

Just a regular day in the life of the Avatar.

The End of "Mermaids"

Next time: "This Thing Called Life"