Kopaka didn't know what to think when he first spotted the five warriors from afar. Their green outfits and pale faces were too different from those he pursued. He also noted how quickly they all drew their fans after one warrior saw him. A second later, they lowered their guard, and one stepped forward to say an oddly familiar word.

Appa's deep roar forced Kopaka to return, the warriors following him to his companions. Everyone came to their senses, thanks to the interrupting 'firebenders' as identified by Katara (not 'Kataara' as he learned from the siblings' arguing). These warriors were no friends of Kopaka's enemies, but his gaze cut into them as sharply as his blade.

The warriors hastily turned, preferring to face the giant bison instead of Kopaka's cold gaze. The only exception was the warrior with the golden headdress who spoke to him, clearly their leader. "We're almost there," she said.

The journey from the shore was quick. Even Appa followed the warriors, thanks to Katara. Sokka (not 'Sohka') trailed behind with Kopaka to "watch for firebenders," or so he claimed. His grumbling said otherwise. Something to do with how their rescuers were similarly shaped to Katara. An oddity of the species, perhaps.

Nonetheless, the five warriors led them further into the trees, past the spot where Kopaka found them. Kopaka noted their tensed postures and increased heat signatures, even when arriving at some tiny clearing. A few more waiting warriors stood, each dressed in the same green garb and commenting about the newcomers.

"They're back so soon?"

"Wait, who are they? And what is that?"

"Forget about them! Is that a T-"

"Yes, he is," said the leader, giving a quick gesture.

Kopaka's gaze followed the warriors who stepped forward to switch places with the ones who had returned. The bison gave some pause, though. "It's okay. He's harmless. Well, mostly," Katara assured. Kopaka caught the others' hesitation before Katara joined him and Sokka. "Do you think we're safe here?" she asked her brother.

"For now," said the leader to the trio. "We weren't expecting company, but we can hold you here for a while. We'll have to move soon, so the Fire Nation can't catch us."

Sokka frowned with what Kopaka guessed to be skepticism. "Well, that's all good, but who are you? And why are you wearing that?"

"It's armor. It's what we warriors wear." A snort made the leader glare at Sokka. "Is there a problem?"

"No! There isn't," Katara said. Kopaka barely saw her shooting own glare at Sokka. "Thanks for your help. I'm Katara, by the way. That there is my brother, Sokka. Our friend here is Kopaka, and the bison in the back is… well..."

"Appa," Sokka said after his sister couldn't remember.

"Right. Sorry!"

"Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Suki, leader of the Kyoshi Warriors," the leader said. What she said next made Kopaka peer at her closely. "And don't worry. You and your Toa friend can trust us."

Toa. Again, that word.

Besides Kopaka, Katara voiced similar thoughts. "Toa? Do you mean Kopaka?"

"Is that his name?" Suki asked a nodding Katara. "Well, yes. A Toa is what he is."

"Have you met others like him?"

"Well, we know one more. Except he's brown, not white."

That drew a groan from Sokka. "Brown? Great! First, that red fire guy, and now this!" Sokka glanced at Kopaka. "How many of you are there? A million?"

"Just six, from what we're told," Suki said. "And what do you mean by 'fire guy?'"

"Tahu," Kopaka finally spoke, catching everyone's attention. "Tahu. Flame."

"I see…" Suki said upon looking back at Katara and Sokka again. "You must have quite the story."

"Kind of," said Katara, but Sokka interrupted.

"Ahem. Can you give us a second?"

As Sokka pulled his sister away to Appa, Kopaka followed the two. His mask caught the warriors, and their rising heart rates, keeping their distance from the bison. "What's with you?" Kopaka heard Katara whisper once the trio had enough space.

"I should be asking that!" Sokka whispered back. "What are you doing talking to them? We don't even know what they're doing here?"

"They saved us, Sokka, and they know what Kopaka is. Don't you think we should trust them a little? They could help us rescue the avatar and deal with that red guy! Er, Tahu."

"If this was some super squad from the Earth Kingdom, sure thing. But they suddenly showed up from nowhere in the same spot we're chasing a Fire Nation ship."

"You're just jealous some girls saved you from those firebenders, aren't you?"

"I am not-!"

Kopaka's sharp "hrm" caught their attention. They followed his gaze to the stares of these "girls," as Sokka called them. Suki spearheaded the others, having overheard the last few sentences. Her tone fell a few decibels into derision. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh, no! Just needed to clear some things up with my brother," Katara quickly said. She met Sokka's glare with her own, then she smiled at Suki again. "Since we're here, we both think it would be great to stay. And there are a few things you should know about."

"It's fine. We have a little time to talk before sunset." Suki's skeptical gaze turned from Katara to address Kopaka. "Everyone here would like to hear your own story, Toa."

"Not," Kopaka responded, believing he gave the right response. Suki's confusion, and the confusion of her subordinates, said otherwise.

Katara answered for Kopaka. "We forgot. He and us… well, we're trying to communicate. He can understand us a little. At least, we think he can."

"Language barriers. Among other problems," Sokka summarized in his snarky voice.

Eyes narrowed, Suki slowly nodded to the Water Tribe boy. "Uh-huh."

Another "hrm" from Kopaka diffused the situation like a cold breeze to a flame. It didn't do much, but it was better than nothing.

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 something sneaking in through the opening. 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.

Kopaka's mask compensated for his vision in the dimming sunlight as he looked at his companions and the Kyoshi Warriors. Despite their different demeanors and outfits, these warriors listened to Katara and Sokka's story. There were little qualms aside from Sokka's occasional interruptions. Kopaka felt he was nothing more than an outsider. An alien.

'No. A Toa,' Kopaka corrected himself. 'I am a Toa.'

"Toa are protectors," Kopaka heard Suki explain. "At least, that was what we were told."

"And you said there were six, right?" Katara asked.

"Yes. Each representing an element. Ice, water, stone, earth, air, and… fire," Suki said, hesitating at the end.

Fire. That would mean Tahu was a Toa, too. Little else could explain it all. Yet, Tahu's abilities were completely different from his own, like the way he flew. Certainly not innate. To have the powers of protection, flight, and fire, all at once was absurd, but…

"So, do you believe us?" Katara said, interrupting Kopaka's thoughts. The conversation swerved his attention to the burnt-out campfire she and others sat in front of.

Sokka, by his sister, said, "Well, they weren't freaked out by Kopaka, so I think so."

"That's one way to say it," said Suki, her surprise matching the other Kyoshi Warriors. "If your story is true, then the avatar being captured by the Fire Nation is…"

"Really bad?"

"Well, yes."

"Not to mention, there's that Tahu guy," Katara added.

"Also, bad," Sokka agreed.

Kopaka silently did, too. He also watched the flicker of light in Suki's eyes. "We can help," she said, "but we can't do anything without a good plan. We need a map of the ship, first."

"Sokka, you were a prisoner. You have some idea, right?" asked Katara.

Sokka almost frowned. Given the angle of his lips, Kopaka guessed his pride faltered before he spoke. "Yeah. I made a design of the ship from what I could remember. It might help us figure out where they're keeping that kid." With that, Sokka yanked some animal skin from his bag and handed it to Katara.

Kopaka noted Katara's confused face at the animal skin. Kopaka silently agreed with her after a quick scan from his mask revealed a crude drawing of a gigantic square with tinier squares insides. "This is a ship?" Katara asked.

"Hey! We were in a rush, so cut me some slack!" Sokka said. "Anyway, after that little fiasco earlier, they're going to send more men after us. But they don't have a large crew."

"Which means there won't be too many guards around," Suki finished.

"Exactly! Katara, that's where you and Kopaka come in. You two knock out the guards, grab the kid, and get out. It will be easy!"

"But what about that other Toa you mentioned?"

Hearing Suki, Sokka's shoulders sagged slightly. "Oh, right. Well, Kopaka should delay him long enough. If he can't, well…" Kopaka's glare fell on Sokka before he could finish it. "Hey, don't look at me like that! It's not like we have some special artifact you can use!"

"Actually, we may have something for that," Suki spoke.

Kopaka's head swerved with Sokka and Katara's, eying a bag one Kyoshi Warrior pulled out on Suki's orders. He noticed it in the corner of his uncovered eye and never scanned it with his mask. There was too much to digest, for everyone, to notice anything. Now, his mask had scanned the object before Suki drew it out of the bag.

Said object was a grey mask, its shape identical to Kopaka's.

Suki's voice barely drew Kopaka. "We found it at the base of a mountain region nearby. We were… sent there to look for it."

"Uh-huh, and why?" said Sokka, whom Kopaka also barely heard.

"A long story."

Kopaka's eyes met Suki's, and his hand let go of the sword he unknowingly clenched to reach out for the mask. Suki handed it to him. He stared at it for a long moment, examining closely to find no deviation in the 'replica' he held. Katara's face reflected off its smooth surface. "I thought Kopaka's mask was the only one. Who would've known there were others," she said.

Suki said nothing else other than, "Try it on, Toa."

Kopaka hesitated at first. Then, both his hands raised and pressed the mask over his own. It almost fit. Almost. Recalling Tahu's other mask, he half-expected a surge of power. His scan showed the briefest glints of such.

Sadly, he felt none of it. He felt less after the replica fell back into his hands.

Suki sighed. "It was worth a try. We hoped it would do something."

"We'll have to make do," Katara said.

"We can still help. Half of us can help you get to the ship. The rest of us will leave tracks for the Firebenders to follow."

"Hey, you're not doing it by yourself," said Sokka, who stood up.

If not for his attention diverted elsewhere, Kopaka would have looked to him as Katara had. Sokka's gesture screamed, "I'm going no matter what." Katara did ask, "Sokka, are you sure?"

"Hey, you're the ones with magical powers. No way am I getting the middle of that." Sokka thumbed at the Kyoshi Warriors. "Besides, you think they have a chance against firebenders like me? Let a real warrior show them how it's done."

Suki spoke up. "It should be alright. After all, a 'real warrior' won't mind tagging behind us girls who saved you, now would you?"

"No, I won't… Wait, what-?"

Sokka's perplexed expression and Katara and the Kyoshi Warriors holding back giggles faded from Kopaka's senses. He only stared at the mask in his hands, as well as the strange glyphs inside of it.

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

The scent of tea alerted Zuko of his uncle's presence. "How are the men?" he said without looking away.

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 welded the ship's holes from our last encounter. 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 instead."

Zuko scoffed, but he conceded to the logic. 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.

Kopaka didn't look at the twinkling stars above. Not even at a mask no longer in his hands. It was far away, back with Suki who retreated with her warriors and Sokka. He knelt on the ground; his gaze kept downwards at his finger trailing in the dirt. "Kopaka, are you alright?" Katara asked beside him. Not knowing the words, Kopaka said nothing. "Do you see anything?"

Knowing that much, Kopaka looked ahead. In his scope, the cluttered dots of firebenders entered a different part of the woods. Suki and Sokka's party should have been safely away, leading their pursuers away with more tracks. "Go," said Kopaka.

A rustling informed him of the three Kyoshi Warriors. They snuck by the trees as the trailing Kopaka had. Katara followed suit, but not before quieting the groans of a hidden and laid-low Appa. How cut branches and bushes hid such a large animal was beyond him, but it worked.

The surrounding trees gave everyone else better cover. From behind one, Kopaka turned from the line of firebenders to watch the few on the beach. They turned around. No doubt, back to the ship. Back to Tahu.

Kopaka flexed his fingers over his sword and shield. He put aside the sense of deja vu like the bushes he now left with the Kyoshi Warriors. Katara strolled with him past the tiny cliffs dividing the beach. The ship rested in plain view for all to see. "See anything?" Katara whispered to everyone once they stopped in some more bushes.

"Nothing," said one. She had produced a wooden telescope, which Kopaka doubted to be as good as his. "Wait, there's something! Some of the men are moving out."

Kopaka confirmed the same. He didn't count how many men there were from his last encounter. Now, he noticed at least five people stepping off the ship. More guards perhaps, joining two others. All flesh and skin like Katara and the Kyoshi Warriors.

"We'll take care of them. You go in to get the avatar," said another warrior. With that, she and the other two made a dash for the ship.

The minute fire shot out, the warriors knocked out two guards. After a third and fourth went down, Kopaka rushed out with Katara on the words "Let's go!" from the latter. His sword pointed forward, concentrating a burst of ice on the fifth guard. On his left, Katara waved her hands forwards and back.

"Come on, work!" Kopaka heard her say. A second later, a burst of water struck the two other guards aside. "Yes, I did it!"

Kopaka stared ahead at the black behemoth of a vessel. His left eye darted to the side to see the Kyoshi Warriors pinning down the other guards. "We got this! Go!" said one.

"Alright," Kopaka heard Katara say. Kopaka didn't move until she bumped into him. "Oof! Kopaka, what is it?"

Kopaka gave no answer. In the few seconds it took his mask to scan the ship, he realized something. "Tahu," he could only say. He couldn't convey what he wanted to tell Katara. He didn't know the words.

There were a few other signatures, each giving off a specific amount of heat. The tiniest one was no doubt the one Katara spoke of. The rest were slightly larger, but nothing out of the ordinary. For their kind, that is.

Tahu, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen.

"Kopaka, look out!" said Katara.

Snapped back into reality, Kopaka raised his shield to the incoming fireball, turning it into tiny embers that landed by his feet. Warm soles were the last things on Kopaka's mind as he met the scarred glare of another firebender. Kopaka remembered from when he rescued Sokka.

Smoking fist raised, the same firebender stood atop the ship's lowered ramp. "So, I was right. There is another like Tahu," he said. Kopaka's grip tightened on his sword, not that the firebender noticed. "It doesn't matter. You won't steal the avatar from me."

"You're not taking him back to the Fire Nation!" Katara said.

"I will, and you won't stop me from restoring my honor. In fact, none of you won't get on my ship."

"We beg to differ," said one of the three Kyoshi Warriors joining Kopaka's side. "There are five of us, and only one of you."

A tiny smile touched the scar. "Count again."

Kopaka did. His mask caught the captured boy and the firebender. There had been other signatures, but nothing like the other flesh bags aside from two others on the ship. Everyone else was on the beach, so what did that firebender mean?

Kopaka found out when the same firebender shot a fireball into the sky. In its light, Kopaka recognized the dots of firebenders approaching from the very woods he had seen them march into.

AN: And that's the end of the chapter. I hope you all have enjoyed it, and I do appreciate the reviews for the last chapter and the favorites recently. Hopefully, the next chapter will capture your interest, though I do admit these few might not be my best.

Speaking of which, the next chapter is... eeeeeeeeeh, not quite done yet. If you don't see any updates within the next couple weeks, then do expect a delay (sorry guys for getting your hopes up and for not being real with you sooner, but better late than never, right? ... Right?). Until then, take care and stay safe.

Raika out.