"Glad we're away from them, Miss Katara. I shall warn you know, they aren't the best of the folk here, so don't get a wrong impression of us. It's just the fire benders you have to watch out for. Of course, there is no real danger. We are all in unity. Well then, my name is Tao," Tao held his hand out in greeting. Katara hesitated for a moment. An Alkian, rather good-looking, guy is talking to me? He's the co-leader of the water benders. Does that mean I will see him, come spring?

"Uh, hi. You can just call me Samantha. I mean, Katara. Katara is fine. Will I be seeing you when I go to Natsume for my water bending skills?"

"Yes, you will. I will be looking forward to it. Until then, I can stick around. If you have any questions, you can talk to Saka or me. Speaking of which, where is he?" Tao began looking around for Saka when Katara felt a light, but noticeable, breeze. She looked in the direction and saw Saka smiling. Katara left Tao and went to Saka.

"Well, ready to begin training? Good. First task is to get Tao's attention but sending your own little breeze over to him. Take your hands and out them together. Then, separate them in front of you, pushing outward. Imagine the wind blowing. If you want, you can take a step forward during this move."

"Katara did as she was told and nothing happened. Saka said, "Okay. Think of a memory. Either from Earth or of your journey here so far." Katara began to think of her and Richard. One night they stayed up all night playing video games, watching TV, or talking with Bruce. She performed the motions again and out came a big gust of wind. It reached Tao and he almost fell over. He looked in her direction and smiled.

"Congratulations. You have succeeded in your first lesson. That was a powerful memory though. May I ask what it was of?"

"It was of me and my good friend, Richard," Katara replied.

"Well, you should gather more memories of you and your good friend, Richard because an Avatar's powers are accessed through powerful memories," Saka told her and with this, started her life on Alkia.

After one year with Saka, he turned into not only her mentor, but also a close friend. Tao visited often as well. Tao transported her to Natsume, where she began her water bending skills with help from Tao. She then spent an hard summer with Prince Suko, for when Suko sweared to teach Katara her lessons, he did not promise to protect her or be nice to her. After she refused to date him, he turned very hard on her and made her do chores, rather than lessons. After the summer, she met Soskei once again and he was very pleased to see her grow up in that year and learn so much.

This cycle continued for years, with each summer growing harder and harder. It was until she met a very important person that she actually started to like Alkia. Soon after her arrival in Alkia, Saka took Katara to her.

"It's just around the bend," Saka told her. There, waiting, was a slim, tall woman with long blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was the most beautiful person Katara has ever seen. In fact, she looked familiar. Then, Katara remembered the picture in her locket. I was her. "Katara, this is your mother, Harisha" Saka said. Katara looked up at him.

"I know. I can sense it," Katara replied. Saka looked at her.

"Very good, Katara. Here, come inside and let me explain everything," the women replied and they entered her hut.

"As you know, your Alkian name is Katara, but your Earth name is Samantha. When I was in my late 20s, I found a way to escape from Alkia. I thought of this world dull and boring and so I stole a space shuttle that the Alkian Government has for emergencies. I arrived on Earth ready to make myself a new life. There, I met your father and we got married and years later, I gave birth to you. Not too long after that, the Alkian Police Force came to Earth and took me and you back with them. I never saw your father again.

You lived two years on Alkia. Soseki had a look at you and informed me that you had great potential and that you were going to grow up to be an Avatar. I was somewhat crushed. I wanted to live a normal life without powers and I wanted for you to have a normal life as well. But, at the same time, it was a joy and honor to be the mother of an Avatar.

Then, people from Earth came and destroyed this town of Alkia. They came for you. As you can see, you have had many trips from Earth to Alkia. I still have no idea why they came for you, those terrible, terrible men. But, look at you! You are so beautiful and you have grown so much! I am thankful you are now safe. I am delighted you will start your training. I can still see the potential you have. I love you, Samantha," she said, starting to cry. Katara went up to her and hugged her, and indeed, she felt somewhat whole, knowing that she has her mother with her. "I will visit regularly while you are training with Soseki. I myself am an earth bender," Harisha said. "Thank you," Katara replied.

This was the beginning of their friendship. Katara saw much of her mother, as well as Tao and Saka. It was her second year on Alkia and while she was washing her face in the lake she overlooked wheat field down below her (because she was on a hill.) She was very curious about this and said, "Be right back, Saka!" and ran as fast as she could down the where she saw the glowing. When she had gotten there, she saw a tall, pink, glowing type-of flower. What is this? I have never seen one of these on Alkia…

Overtaken by her curiosity she touched the middle of the open flower and right away she regretted it. She saw a big stream of light go into her and she screamed. Saka saw the light and heard Katara scream and hurried over to her as fast as he could. When he reached her, she was already down, unconscious on the ground. She was breathing heavily. "Katara! Get up, please get up! Tao!" Tao cam running out of the hut and saw that Saka needed help. He got to them, but it didn't matter. The magic was already working within Katara. She was more than an Avatar now…