Author's Note: I do not own "Avatar: The Last Airbender" or anything related to it. I do, however, own my characters. If you steal them or borrow them without my "Yes." I will hunt you down. Thank you for your time. And if you do not like this, you don't have to read it! I will not force you or beg you.
Dedication: This story is dedicated to Winter Rose Alchemist. She is my buddy, a sister-figure, and a great person to talk to. This story is for you, WRA (a.k.a. Winter Rose Alchemist)! And to my: readers, reviewers, and friends.
-Imprison-
"I hate you!" Artymis playfully hit Anduril on his side. She looked to Appa, then kicked him softly. "You too!"
"What did they do?" Katara asked, she had just finished folding a blanket that Sokka refused to fold.
Katara and Artymis were waiting for Sokka to return, he had gone out to get them lunch. They all had landed on ground in the woods. After another few days of flying, they all need some rest. And Katara said they better save their food for emergencies, so Sokka went hunting. Momo already had his lunch, he was eating a leaf.
"They're teasing me!" Artymis explained, like a child would to her teacher.
"About what?" Katara asked, saddling the blanket onto Appa's back.
"Anduril is teasing me and Bumi!" Artymis waved her arms. "He said that when we kids - like, what? Five? - we played a little game..." Her voice drifted.
"Of what?" Katara sat in front of her friend. She couldn't hide a grin, she knew where this was leading to.
"We use to play...incesinrins." Artymis mumbled, crossing her arms, and glaring at Anduril, who Katara could've sworn was smiling.
"What, Art?" Katara asked again, leaning in.
"Princess and Prince." Artymis said, louder. "It was a game where I was a princess, and Bumi was my brother the prince. Anduril was the bad guy. I got kidnapped, Bumi rescues me."
"That's it?" Katara was surprised.
"What'd you expect?" Artymis asked.
"I thought it was a marriage game or something!" Katara said.
Artymis shut her eyes and stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Heck no! He's like my brother!"
"How many brothers do you have?" Katara joked, a smile on her face. Artymis smiled. "What's so bad about the game though?"
Artymis sighed. "One time, Bumi and Anduril made a deal behind my back: Anduril would kidnap me, like always in our game. He would tie me up to a tree and I had to wait for Bumi to rescue me."
"And?" Katara persuaded.
"He never came," Artymis said. "Well, he did. But I was waiting there like an idiot for about three hours or more. Hungry and thirsty!"
"Where were Anduril and Bumi?" Katara questioned.
Artymis made a mad face and crossed her arms. "They were shopping for my fifth birthday." She looked at Anduril, "That was sweet, I admit it, but next time - leave me with Gyatso." She smiled, so did Katara.
Katara suddenly gave Artymis a nervous glance, "I'm worried about you." She said in a serious tone.
"Why?" The Avatar asked.
"First of all, you got those bruises - " Katara pointed to one of Artymis' bruised arm (Katara still didn't know how her friend got the bruise, one on each arm) " - and, you've been having dreams lately."
Artymis blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You've been mumbling in your sleep. And when I sometimes wake up in the night, your face is in a mask of pain and sorrow or you seem so happy. Your mumbling doesn't exactly help my worries for you." Katara gave her a questioningly look.
Artymis laughed nervously, "First of all: I got these bruises by walking next to tree branches. Second: I don't have any dreams." Both, of course, were lies. Artymis had been having dreams, but they were more like nightmares. Except certain dreams containing Prince Zuko in, most of Artymis' dreams with him in it now were when both were really close to kissing. And almost every time when the prince's lips were so very close to her own, Artymis felt a feeling of unexplained happiness.
"Are you lying to me again?" Katara asked, Artymis was about to argue but Sokka came in.
"I'm back!" Sokka said, as he knelt down in a triangle with Artymis and Katara.
I secretly owe Sokka one, Artymis thought.
"What'd you get, Soak?" Artymis asked. "'Cause I'm starving!"
"Ok, I got only the best!" Sokka said, reaching in for the brown bag he had. Katara and Artymis, as well as Anduril and Appa, were thinking of a big juicy steak. But, Sokka took out six small nuts. "Nuts! Dig in!"
Katara lifted a nut and examined it, she looked at Sokka, not impressed. "Seriously, what else you got?"
Sokka frowned. "That's it."
"That's it?" Artymis yelled, standing up. "You've been gone for two hours and all you found were nuts!" She pointed a finger at both Anduril and Appa, "You honestly think they would get full with a nut? They're freakin' huge!" Anduril looked at Artymis with a bit of anger in his eyes. Appa just groaned.
"I know that," Sokka said, apparently proud of himself as he dug back in his bag. "That's why I got three extra nuts for each of them!" He stretched out a palm, exposing six small almond-shape nuts.
Artymis and Katara rose an eyebrow at him and gave him a look that read "You got to be joking!" type look.
"What?" Sokka asked, chewing on an almond nut.
Katara shook her head. Never send Sokka to do a job! She looked at Sokka and said "Sokka, we can't eat nuts for breakfast. I mean - " She was interrupted by a booming sound. She froze and looked around for the source as well as Artymis and Sokka.
"Where's that coming from?" Sokka asked.
"It's coming from over there!" Artymis pointed out the way, Katara hurried in that direction. "Oh and Sokka?" Artymis said, getting up.
"Yeah, Art?" Sokka asked, about to sprint after his sister.
"Anduril said you're crazy if he can feed on six nuts. So, he'll just have you for lunch, actually half. Since Appa's hungry!" Artymis ran after Katara while pulling on her gloves to hide the faded bruises on each of her arm, leaving Sokka staring open-mouthed at Anduril and Appa.
We'll be back Anduril! Artymis told Anduril as she grinned at the look of Sokka's face of her comment.
He sprint after his sister and friend. "Wait for me!" He found the girls, hiding behind a log. "There you guys are! We should be running away from big booms! Not towards the - "
"Shush!" Katara pressed two fingers to her lips and pointed to a boy, not older than 14, controlling a large rock as it floated above his brown hair.
"An Earthbender!" Artymis whispered, "And he seems like a strong one too!" Momo came scurried along and hid between Artymis and Katara.
The Earthbender had long brown hair and a green headband around his head. Two brown bangs framed his slightly tanned face. He wore green pants and a shirt that was a lighter shade of green. He moved the rock with the movements of his arms and hands.
"Let's go say hi!" Katara said, about to get up, but Sokka held her back. "What?"
"He could attack us!" Sokka warned.
"No, I'm sure he's nice!" Katara said, "Right, Art?" She turned to where Artymis was sitting next to her, but she wasn't. "Art?"
"Hi!" Katara and Sokka both looked up to see Artymis standing ten feet in front of them. The boy stopped and turned around, his light-green eyes widen. "I'm Artymis!"
Katara jumped and joined her friend. "Hello there!" She called out to the boy, "And I'm Katara, what's your name?" The boy let the rock drop and ran away from them, shielding his trail with a pile of works from his earthbending. "I just wanted to say hi." Katara frowned.
"He's probably shy, and..." Artymis face brighten. "He's probably heading towards a village - "
Katara's face instantly brighten as well as she clasped her hands to together in delight. "Which means we can finally have real food!"
The girls ran and climbed over the rocks in delight, Momo flew with them. Sokka frowned and waved his arms, "Hey, I work hard to get those nuts for lunch!" He grunted, "Come on, don't leave me! Katara! Art! Don't leave me!" He groaned and ran after them.
The group arrived at an Earth Nation village. Artymis and Katara were delighted that there was a food market, which mean they get real food. Their small bag that Sokka had carried around for the nuts, was half-way full with food. The village they had set foot in was small but looked pleasant. But it's people didn't. Katara and Artymis noticed this. There were a few people who had sad looks while other had a permanent frown on their face.
"They all seem so sad." Katara whispered to Artymis.
"I noticed. You think someone passed away or something?" Artymis asked, watching Momo fly about.
"I don't know, but we might wanna hurry up." Katara suggested, Artymis agreed.
"You done?" Sokka asked from behind.
"No, not yet." Artymis said, "We wanna find that guy."
Sokka rose an eyebrow, "Why? He probably has a girlfriend, Art!" He paid the price for saying that by being hit on the head by the bag of food that was in Artymis' hand.
"What did you say?" Artymis asked, her eyes glaring at him.
"I said nothing!" Sokka said out of pain, while rubbing his head.
"That's right, you said nothing!" Artymis placed her hands on her hips.
"Hey, when you guys are finish arguing, come over here." Katara call out, her hand on the doorknob of a door.
Artymis rushed to her friend's side and Katara opened it. Inside, was a store, not so grand, but it felt cozy. The girls and Sokka entered the store to see the boy who earthbend earlier, talking with an old woman who seemed to be his mother. Sokka quietly closed the door behind them, the boy and his mother looked up.
"Hey, you're that kid we saw earlier." Katara walked up to him, "Why'd you runaway?"
The boy, clearly remembered them but denied it. "You must have me mixed up with somebody else. I don't remember meeting you.""Yeah we did! Don't lie," Artymis said. "We saw you earthbending. Pretty talente - "
The old woman behind the counted rushed to close the window shuttered and panted. "They saw you earthbending?" She asked, looking to her startled son.
He turned away. "No, of course not! They're lying. Look how they dress, mom, I mean. They have to be imagining things!"
"Hey!" Artymis said, insulted. She looked down at her own wardrobe and whispered to Katara: "I don't dress weird, right?"
"That's not the point!" Sokka said, whispering back.
"Open up!" A rude voice shouted from outside the store.
Sokka adjusted the shutters to see who was outside. "Fire Nation." he said, angrily.
The woman went to open the door and a Fire Nation soldier came in, surveying the room for a moment.
"I've already paid you for this week." The woman said.
"Your taxes went up, so we need the tax leftover for this week." He smirked, as a flame came into his hand. "Fire is just too hard to control, and it spreads rapidly."
The old woman had a look of fear in her eyes, and sighed. She went behind the counter and took out a rectangular wooden box, she opened it and took out some money. She dropped it in the man's hand. He looked at it with disgust and gave her back four copper coins. "Copper ones don't count, old woman." He said, then stopped in his tracks and looked at Artymis, who did her best to look innocent. "What have we here, a bride?" He laughed, "Have a happy marriage." He shut the door behind him.
Artymis, who had not reacted to the man's comment of her being a 'bride', acted now. She was held down by both Sokka and Katara. "Bride? I'll show him a bride!" She waved her arms around and tried to free herself out of her friends' grip. "I'll break his arms and legs and stick them on his head with his tiny brain! Fire or no fire!"
"Art! Come on, you'll giving yourself a bad impression on these people!" Sokka said, through gritted teeth.
Artymis sighed, and calmed down. She turned back to the woman and her son, who both were staring at her. Artymis smiled and bowed her head in respect. "Please excuse me for my behavior."
"You don't have to, we all wish we could show them." The boy muttered, leaning against the counter, glaring at the floor.
"Haru!" The old woman stared at her son, and shook her head while putting the copper coins back into he box. "We mustn't say things like that here, or even earthbend." She looked up to her son, Haru sighed.
"Why not?" Katara asked.
"We say something, we all would be in trouble." The old woman said, placing the wooden box back in it's place behind the counter.
"No, about earthbending." Katara said, looking to the boy Haru.
"But how long has the Fire Nation been here?" Sokka asked, interrupting.
"Five long years." The woman answered in a dreadful voice. "The Fire Lord uses this village, because of it's coal mine. He fuels his ships."
"And back to earthbending: why can't your son use it?" Artymis asked. "He's pretty talented from what I see." Haru smiled at her remark.
"You don't understand, young maiden." The woman said sternly, "earthbending is forbidden to us and it has only caused misery for all of us. People who use it, are taken away."
"He can fight back though!" Artymis encouraged, "Look I know it's dangerous and pretty risky, but think of how you can be free from the Fire Nation."
"Exactly!" Katara supported her friend, "I can bend an element. It's a gift for those who would use it well enough. It makes us special and is a part of us."
"Bending an element is a gift and should not be wasted by not using it." Artymis pointed out. "I'm an Airbender, and I love to bend the air."
"You're an Airbender?" Haru stared at Artymis.
His mother cut in before Artymis could answer. "He can't, and mustn't." The old woman looked to Haru, and sighed. "They'll take him away, like they had done to his father."
Artymis looked at Haru in sympathy and Katara gasped, Sokka was wide-eyed.
"They took your father?" Artymis asked him, Haru nodded his head.
"I'm sorry." Katara whispered.
After apologizing numerous times, the old woman wanted to hear Artymis' story of being an Airbender. She explained she was the Avatar and apologized over and over for not stopping the Fire Nation.
"It's alright." The old woman smiled. "I am just glad you have returned." She offered them shelter in the barn house.
Haru led the friends to the barn house. "My mother said you'll stay here, but we suggest you leave in the morning." He said, "If the Fire Nation found out..."
"No sweat!" Artymis said over her shoulder, "We're make sure we'll leave as swift as a bison and silent as the trees!"
Haru didn't expect to find amusement in the Avatar, not like this. Then again, he expected never to meet the Avatar. "Yeah.." He turned to leave, Katara joined him.
Sokka was about to, but Artymis held him behind. "What?" he asked her.
"Leave them, I'm sure they'll be fine." Artymis smiled.
Sokka was about to open his mouth and say something, but decided against it. "You're one weird girl, Art."
"You barely noticed?" Artymis joked and went outside to chat with Anduril, who hid in the woods nearby with Appa, she took her gloves off and rubbed her bruised arms. Sokka laid on the hay and rested for a while.
"Sorry about your father." Katara apologized, as she and Haru walked on a path in the woods. "I didn't know. If I did, I wouldn't have said anything."
"Don't worry about it." Haru smiled at her, it made Katara slightly blush at this. "You reminded of my father back in the store, when you and your friend were talking. I could've sworn I was hearing my father in my head."
"Well, Artymis and I bend elements." Katara said, "We know it's not just magic. So we treat it like our friend."
"You bend water?" Haru asked, it was kinda obvious by her clothing.
"Yeah, what made you think that?" Katara joked, they both laughed.
"My father," Haru began to explain. "Was angry when the Fire Nation stroll in our village and took over like we were their property. He and the other Earthbenders of our village fought against the Fire Nation."
"But they were outnumbered?" Katara guessed.
"Yeah, they were." Haru said, both of them were on top of a hill and both sat down. "But my father kept fighting for us, I have never seen my father so brave before. When he lost, they took him away. He taught me everything he knew about earthbending, about how we must respect the earth and how to control it. Now, when I earthbend, I feel him close." He let two small rocks fly around in circles above his open palm. "I miss him."
"You see this necklace?" Katara asked, fingering her mother's necklace. "It was my mother. She was very beautiful, but the Fire Nation took her life. This is all I have left of her."
"But you want more, huh?" Haru asked.
"Yeah, I want her back." Katara said sadly, closing her eyes and picturing her mother's smile before the attack upon their tribe.
"I know how you feel, I want my father back as well." Haru said, staring out into the distance.
It's been hard on him, Katara thought, staring at the setting sun.
"Come on!" Haru broke the silence, "I'll show you how our coal mines work!" He offered her his hand, Katara took it. Haru led Katara down father into the woods where there wasn't as much as trees. There was a passage to a coal mine.
Boom!
Katara and Haru froze at the sound, smoke erupt from a coal mine. "Help!" An old man's voice croaked.
"Come on!" Katara sprint towards the smoke as it cleared. She gasped. There, trapped under rocks, was an old man. His entire body was nearly covered by rocks and dirt.
He stretched out a hand to the Waterbender. "Please help me!"
Katara tried to drag the old man away from the fallen rocks as Haru held the rocks back from crushing them. There was another rumbling, rocks fell and added more to Haru's weight on his back. Katara, no matter how hard she tried, tried to pull the old man from danger. It's no use! she thought and suddenly looked up at Haru, Unless...
"Haru!" Katara said, "You can help! This is no use!"
Haru stared at Katara and realized what she meant by when she said he could help. "I can't, my mother..."
"Please!" Katara begged. "There's no one around to rag on you!"
Haru hesitated, then nodded. He stepped away and stood in front of Katara and the old man. His foot step forward, while the other stepped back. He formed his left hand into an "L" shape, his eyes were hard. He stopped the rocks from falling upon Katara and the man. His right foot stepped forward and Haru twisted around. With both hands punching forward, the dirt and rocks were sucked back into the coal mine. Haru sighed.
"Haru! You did it!" Katara cheered, Haru flashed her a smile. He and Katara heeled the old man out and returned to the village.
"...and the old man thanked us." Katara had just finished telling Sokka and Artymis what had happened that day at the coal mine incident.
"Haru is one heck of a talented Earthbender." Artymis commented.
Katara smiled, "Yeah, he is."
"Alright, lights out!" Sokka said, "We're leaving at first break of dawn!"
"Dawn?" Katara asked, startled.
"At first break?" Artymis repeated, she groaned and buried her head in a small puffy pillow that Haru's mother lend her. "Can't we sleep in?"
"No!" Sokka said, "If the Fire Nation discovers you're here, Artymis, we'll be attacked!"
Katara sighed, and looked to Artymis. "He's right."
"I rather be attacked by the Fire Nation then eat nuts." Artymis whispered, Katara and her giggled.
"Good night and lights out!" Sokka said, turning over.
"'Night!" Artymis called out, as she send a ball of air towards the lit lamp.
It went out, and the barn house was enclosed by night's dark. The friends, including Momo, Anduril, and Appa, slept soundly. Trapped in their dreams of fantasy. They were not aware of the steps of Fire Nation soldiers coming nearby, and the sad cry of a mother...
A hand shook Artymis' shoulder, making the barely-healing bruise on that arm a bit worse. She opened her eyes slowly and saw Katara's worried and frightened face looking down upon her.
"The Fire Nation took him! They took Haru!" Katara nearly yelled.
"What? Katara?" Artymis slowly sat up, and rubbed her eyes. She stopped and looked at Katara. "The Fire Nation took Haru? But why? And how?"
"The old man who was stuck in a coal mine that Haru helped!" Katara's voice was a mixture of worry and fear. "The old man turned him in for some gold!"
"Katara, slow down!" Sokka, now wide awake thanks to Katara, he placed his hands on his sister's shoulder.
"He wouldn't be away and his mother wouldn't be crying if I didn't force Haru into earthbending!" Katara said.
Artymis sighed as Katara kept saying it was her fault over and over again. "I really thought it wouldn't come to this but..." Artymis shook Katara's shoulders hard, really really hard. She would've slapped Katara, but decided against it. She stopped once Katara shut up. "Ok, Katara, let's go over it again: when did they take Haru away?"
"His mother said at midnight while we were asleep!" Katara answered, her tone still worried with fear.
"Too late to go looking for him, though. If we have known sooner..." Sokka's voice drifted off. Katara stood at the doorway of the barn house and stared off into the distance.
"Katara?" Artymis placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "If you're thinking what I think you'll thinking, then count me in."
Katara turned her face to Artymis, and smiled. "Thanks."
"So," Sokka came to his sister's other side. "What's the plan?"
Katara smirked and began to explain.
(Half an Hour Later)
Katara and Sokka pushed a very large stone rock on top of an air vent. Sokka wiped the sweat from his forehead. Katara sighed.
"Artymis, you know what to do, right?" Katara asked, looking behind a large boulder, where Artymis was.
"Yeah, I know." Artymis knelt down in front of another air vent, which was connected to the one that had a stone rock upon it. "Put all my airbending powers through this vent!"
"Then you know your cue, right?" Sokka questioned out loud.
"Yeah!" Artymis said, playing around with her lavender rose, that Sokka still didn't know of it's story but Katara knew a quarter of it.
"Ok, here they come!" Sokka said, he and Katara got in their places.
As the small group of Fire Nation soldiers drew close enough, Katara and Sokka pretended to bump into each other. They began to insult each other. Sokka, anyone could quite tell, was acting. But Katara, oh no! She was a pretty good actor. Artymis grinned and held back laughter as she remembered what Katara had said about her bother that she was saying now. So, basically, this was sweet for Katara, she was getting revenge. Katara was at the part where she would say she use her "earthbending" and end the fight with Sokka. Artymis sent a powerful wave of air through her air vent into the other one, and it lifted the rock ten feet above the ground.
"Do you see that?" Artymis could hear a Fire Soldier ask in awe, "That lemur so earthbending!"
What? Artymis took one small peek from her boulder and saw Momo with his hands upwards. It seemed he was the one earthbending. Momo - get over here! she mouthed.
"You guys!" Sokka pointed at Katara, who was in a perfect position for earthbending. "It's the girl!"
"Of course!" Came the soldier's reply.
Artymis saw them drag Katara off. If it all wasn't a plan, she be kicking the soldiers' butts. She came to stand next to Sokka as Katara disappeared around a corner. Momo jumped into Artymis' arms. Sokka sighed and looked to Momo.
"Momo, you've got - " He was cut off.
"Don't even say it." Artymis said dangerously. "How long did you give her?"
"Twenty-four hours." Sokka answered.
"Long time," Artymis said.
"Just hope she'll last that long." Sokka said worriedly.
"Katara's strong." Artymis said, trying to cheer him up. "I mean, if she can't make it, who can?"
Artymis and Sokka rushed back to the village, wearing hooded cloaks. They were on the sides as a wagon, containing an imprisoned Katara, pass by with two soldiers onboard. Artymis and Sokka watch it head inside a Fire Nation metal ship. Katara spotted them, and gave off a tiny smile.
"Let's go." Sokka whispered.
Katara stood in line with a few other captured Earthbenders. The sight of the ship gave her a shiver. Luckily, no one noticed she was of the Water Tribe, and not of the Earth Nation. She wore a wool sleeveless dress over her Waterbender's outfit. Like the other prisoners, she had chains on her wrists.
A man with gray hair and an elderly look on his face came. He held his head up high and he looked in disgust at the captured Earthbenders. His hands clasped behind his back and he walked up and down the line of the prisoners.
"I will be your honored and loving host. I would like you to think of yourself as guests, not prisoners. Respect me and we will get along famously." He stopped and looked at Katara for a moment, who clasped her hands in uneasiness. The man next to her coughed. This apparently wasn't allowed, since their host threw a fireball at the prisoner's feet. The prisoner managed to get away in time. "How dare you disrespect your humble host? Do you not know manners?" The host yelled, "Take him away!" Two guards clutched the man's arms and took him away from the Earthbenders. "Now," The host cleared his throat and he led the prisoners to their campsite aboard the ship. "As you noticed, Earthbenders, there is not the slightest piece of earth near or on this ship. So all attempts of escaping or rebellion is impossible. Good day to you all." He said and the prisoners entered a large "campsite" where there were many other Earthbenders held.
The metal door slammed down behind Katara, who for a moment, glanced at the ocean, and found the host right about not the slightest piece of earth nearby. Yet, Katara felt he was wrong. She felt something wrong about his words.
I hope I can find Haru, she thought and felt a hand tap on her shoulder. Katara turned around with a smile and she embraced Haru.
"Haru! I thought I never find you!" She said, and backed away.
"Katara - what are you doing here?" Haru asked, surprised to find the Waterbender here.
"It's all my fault." Katara said, her face and voice sadden. "If I didn't force you to help that old man with your earthbending skills, you never would be here. Your mother wouldn't be so sad."
"So, you came here to rescue me?" Haru asked her.
"Yeah, it was the only way." Katara answered, she felt his hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see a small smile on his face.
"You got guts, Katara." Haru commented.
"Thanks."
"Come here, I want you to meet somebody." Haru led her to a man, who was sitting on the floor with a bowl of unwanted food. Katara had a feeling who this was. "Katara, this is my father." The man looked up, and Katara could see a little of his father in Haru's face. "Dad, this is Katara of the Water Tribe." Haru introduced.
"Hello, Katara." The man said, with a greeting smile.
Katara bowed her head, "It's an honor to meet you."
"Here, have some dinner." He said, holding up a bowl to Katara. She took and gave a disgusting look at the food in the bowl, "It's not so bad." She took a sip and nearly threw up. "Once you're use to it."
Katara knelt down with Haru and took one more sip, this time it wasn't as disgusting as the first. Haru also took his own bowl, and sipped the soup. Even though you could see there was a trace of disgust in his face, he didn't complain. "What's your escape plan?" Katara asked, looking to Haru's father.
"Escape plan?" He asked, surprised.
Doesn't he have one? Katara thought then asked her question with more details this time. "You know, to get out of this prison and go back home?"
"Our plan... Our plan is to survive." The old man said in a monotone, "Survive and hope. Hope that everyone here can, somehow and someday, go back to their families and homes."
"That's it?" Katara asked, shocked. She had expected them to plan for a rebellion or something.
He looked at her sadly, "Yes, we can't fight the people on this ship. There's not a slightest bit of earth near, that would have given us courage probably." A moment of silence. "Time for bed, now." He left to talk to some guards for some more blankets for the prisoners.
Katara still couldn't believe they had not one slightest bit of plan in them. She looked out to the ocean. The sun was setting and the sky was pinkish and red. The colors spread over the waters. Her time would be up soon, her twenty-four hours would be up.
And I still need to help all of them escape.
"Art!" A hand shook Artymis' shoulder. "Wake up! It's time!" Sokka whispered loudly.
Artymis groaned and waved a hand at Sokka. "Lemme go to sleep!" She whined and turned over. She made a small smile for some unknowing reason.
Sokka didn't give up though, he shook Artymis again. "Art! We gotta go and get Katara!" He reminded her.
Artymis opened her eyes and sat up, "Ok!" She said, jumping to her feet. "Let's go!"
Sokka rose an eyebrow at her, and giving her a look that said "Weirdo" all over. "Ok, um, Anduril? Appa?"
Anduril and Appa lowered themselves to the ground so their passengers could ride on their backs. Sokka rid on Appa, and Artymis was on Anduril - as usual. Appa and Anduril, like passing clouds in the sky, rode side-by-side. Sokka was deep in his talk with himself about something. Artymis was reviewing her recent dream.
He was so close, she thought about her dream. Once again, Zuko's lips was close to her own. they were so close to kissing... So close. So close to my lips. So close to kissing me. Why me, though? Artymis didn't see how Prince Zuko - the last person in the world you would least expect - wanted to kiss her. And, why was I so... happy? Why was I so happy about my "almost" kiss?
Are you alright? Anduril asked her, he usually asked this now.
Yeah, I'm perfectly fine. Artymis lied. When she felt that Anduril was content with that answer, she thought grimly, I'm already started a chain of lies, to everyone.
"Katara!" A loud whisper woke Katara from her sleep. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, and looked up to the sky. It was nighttime. "Katara!" the voice whispered loudly, it was obviously Sokka. Katara, looking around to see if anyone was watching, snuck up to the edge of the "campsite" and peered over. She smiled.
On Appa, was Sokka and Momo. Next to Appa, was Anduril with a distant-looking Artymis. But she immediately looked up to Katara and flashed her a smile.
"Can you whisper any louder?" Katara asked Sokka, smiling.
"Ha ha ha! Very funny." Sokka said, "Listen, your time is up, where's Haru?"
Katara's face fell, she shook her head. "I couldn't convince them all. I need to stay."
"No," Sokka whispered. "Your disguise may not fool the Fire Nation for long."
"I have to stay." Katara argued, "I can't abandon them all!"
"Well, we can't leave you!" Her brother argued.
"Is there another way?" Artymis spoke for the first time, brother and sister turned to her. "I mean, a way to free them all?"
"All of them?" Sokka repeated, he looked back at Katara. "It's impossible!"
"I believe there is." Katara said, ignoring Sokka's frown. "I just can't think of it. Maybe a bit of earth, but..."
"But what?" Artymis asked.
"There is no piece of earth nearby, like rock or something." Katara explained.
Artymis frowned and looked around carefully, her eyes brighten and she looked at Katara with a smile.
"What are you smiling at?" Katara asked. "It's no time to be happy, Art!" She hissed.
"Well, you're wrong at there is no piece of earth." Artymis said.
"Huh?" Sokka and Katara stared at her in wonder.
"Well, beneath the surface of the ocean, there's an water world. So, every world has a 'floor' - and there's your earth!" Artymis said.
Sokka slapped his forehead, "So stupid..." He muttered.
"What?" Artymis glared at him.
"You think someone can bend the earth from like - what? - 500 feet below us?" Sokka pointed out.
"Not to mention there'll be an interference, with all the sea creatures, I mean." Katara agreed.
Artymis gave a nervous laugh, "Yeah, sorry!" She looked up and saw smoke coming out of ship, where the tube was. Wait a minute, doesn't a ship need fuel? And if there's fuel, there's smoke, and if there's smoke... Artymis clapped her hands happily.
"Shh!" Sokka hissed.
"Oh, shut up, like you didn't wake the ship up." Artymis pointed to the smoke. "A ship needs fuel, right?" Her friends nodded. "So, when there's fuel, there's smoke, right?" They nodded again, not getting her point. "So, if there's smoke, there's...?"
"Coal!" The three whispered.
"Artymis, you're smart!" Katara said.
Artymis smiled coolly and said with sarcasm, "Yeah, I know. I mean, what would you guys do without me?"
"We be better off." Sokka joked, he only got a playful punch. "Ow!"
"Shush!" Katara hissed at him.
"Ok, you guys. I got a plan..." Katara and Sokka leaned forward, and Artymis whispered her plan.
Katara and Sokka carefully, but a little loudly, removed the cover of an air vent. They set the clack cover aside and peered into the empty and dark air vent.
"You think it would work?" Katara asked, she looked around. She saw the sun rising across the horizon.
"Of course, it will." Sokka replied. "Listen: Artymis closed all the air vents except the one that connects to this one. She'll use airbending to push all the coal up, to this air vent. The coal comes, Earthbenders see it, they fight, and we can get back on the road!"
"Doesn't sound as promising as I though," Katara muttered, before Sokka can say anything, there was a voice shouting:
"Hey! You two!" The two Water Tribe teens looked up to see a Fire Nation soldier, pointing at them. He looked over his shoulder and shouted orders. "Get the intruders!"
The brother and sister stood up and stood back-to-back. Sokka and Katara were surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers in the next five seconds.
"Katara!"
Katara looked at the owner of the voice, Haru. He was in the front of a crowd of Earthbenders watching Katara and Sokka. Haru looked at Katara with worry and sadness. His father, beside him, frowned. "Katara," he said. "You can't win this fight. Whether you're alone or not, you can't win."
I think differently, Katara thought and she glanced at the soldiers with no fear. "Got a plan in mind?" She asked in a whisper to Sokka.
"I'm thinking!" He whispered back, holding on to his boomerang.
"Artymis, please hurry." Katara pleaded, glancing at the soldiers.
"Momo!" Artymis whispered. She continued crawling through the vent, on all fours of course. She grunted and called out to the lemur, "Momo - come back!" Artymis began mumbling to herself, "I can't believe I thought of this! I didn't know it would be so long and so hard to get to the coal!"
She looked up ahead, still seeing the bright red light where she guessed the coal was. "That light doesn't seemed to be getting any closer." She whined, then heard Momo chirping up ahead. "Momo! Don't leave me!" She pleaded and crawled again.
Artymis felt blisters on her hands already. Damn it! she thought angrily, I couldn't be an Earthbender! Oh no! I just had to be an Airbender! Earthbending is more useful in this situation! she thought bitterly.
"Momo!" She said happily, when she saw Momo's head and ears blocking a bit of the bright red light. "Wait right there!" She orders, but the lemur was already in front of her. Staring at her with his big yellow eyes. "Oh sure!" She joked, as Momo crawled with her through the vent. "When I say 'come back' - you don't! But when I say 'stay there' - then you come!" Artymis said furiously, she finally reached the coal. She kicked the caged cover and landed on top of a large pile of coal. "What's up with that?" She asked, looking at Momo, who stared back at her.
Artymis sighed and picked Momo and placed him on her shoulder, she smiled at him. "Come on," she said. "Let's close these vents and do a special delivery!"
"Artymis, where are you?" Sokka muttered as the host came towards the two siblings.
"Ah, so here are our little intruders." The man said, a smirk on his face. "Well, then, we should give our guests a very, very warm welcome - "
He was cut off by a rumbling sound. It seemed to be coming from the opened vent. Katara and Sokka looked at it and smiled. Their plan was working. The noise became louder and louder, then a blur of back shot up from the vent and high into the blue sky. The coal dropped between the Fire Nation group and the imprisoned Earthbenders. Everyone stared in awe at the very large pile of coal.
Katara and Sokka turned around at the sound of a cough. They came over to the vent and helped haul Artymis out and help her stand up. She coughed a few times and dusted dust off of her. She had a few small smears of black on her face and her outfit, but it could be cleaned out. Artymis placed her hand son her hips and looked to Katara, "You're cue is up." She said.
"Oh, right!" Katara smiled and ran up to Haru. "Haru, you can escape now." She said happily. Haru took a step forward towards the coal, but a firm hand on his shoulder suppress him. His father gave him a shake of his head. "But, why?" Katara asked, she pointed at the coal. "You all can fight back now and go back home!" She said fiercely.
"We cannot, we are outnumbered." One said from the crowd.
"You have to fight back!" Katara said back fiercely.
"Foolish girl!" Katara turned around to see the host laughing. "Go ahead! Waste all your energy on these broken spirited-people!"
Katara listened to his words and she looked upon the Earthbenders' faces. She saw that there were no hope in their eyes, only despair and pain. She felt someone by her side. Katara turned her face to Artymis, who gazed at the prisoners' faces. Katara looked back at the people. Artymis also saw the sorrow and suffering in their eyes.
"Why don't you fight back?" Artymis asked them, her voice thin.
"Because..." Haru's father answered. "Because we can't."
"Yes, you can!" Katara said.
"You foolish girls, don't even try!" The host turned to the guards. "Seize them!" The guards began to close in.
The girls and Sokka looked around in fear.
"This isn't good!" Sokka said.
Artymis turned back to the prisoners, "You can fight back! Have you tried?" She received no response. "If you don't try - you'll never know! Life isn't a game! Once you loose - you can't play it again, you lost it. Just like how you'll doing it right now, letting life pass by like it was a ghost!" Artymis was almost at the top of her lungs. "If you lot think of yourselves as useless - I think differently!"
"Do life right!" Katara yelled, her eyes scanning to see if there was any hope at all among them.
There wasn't any.
A pair of strong arms grabbed the Avatar. Katara and Sokka were also struggling, like her, out of the guard's grip. They were being hauled off when the friends felt the guards' grip on them release. The three friends turned around to see Haru. he had a smirk on his face and was twirling three medium-sized rocks of coal hovering a little above his palm.
"You dare defy me?" The host yelled.
Haru turned around and nodded, "They're right. I've gotta play life right, I'll never get a second chance."
The host was wide-eyed at this, but his face screwed up in anger. "Beat him!" He ordered. A Firebender soldier stepped up at once, he hurled a fire punch at Haru. It seemed Haru would be burned, but suddenly he was shield by a wall of coal. The four teenagers looked at whose doing was this. It was Haru's father and two other Earthbenders who had stepped up.
"Show no mercy!" A order shouted from the host.
Katara used her waterbending, Artymis used her airbending, and Sokka fought with his boomerang. They helped the Earthbenders fight off the Firebenders. Katara would laugh when she burned out a Firebender's fire. Sokka had a little difficulty, but managed. Artymis would knock the soldiers off their feet when a fellow Earthbender or her friends couldn't defend themselves against them while handling another.
"An Airbender!" The host stared at Artymis. "But - but they're all dead!"
"All but one thanks to you!" Artymis shouted and sent a wave of air towards him that knocked him off his feet.
"But how?" He asked.
"I'm the Avatar!" Artymis revealed. "And don't forget it!" She dodged a fireball from him and watched as he was lifted by coal along with some of his soldiers. Artymis smirked as he pleaded for mercy he was just a hundred feet above the ocean. The Earthbenders performing this, let them dropped to the ocean.
(An Hour Later)
Artymis, Katara, Sokka were on a sailing ship - so nicely "borrowed" from the prison ship - with a few others that were crossing the ocean. The sun was setting down. Katara had taken her woolen prisoner's clothing and was comfortably in her Water Tribe clothing without her coat. Sokka was sneaking off food from the ship's kitchen.
"Sokka!" Katara hit her brother softly.
"What?" He asked, his mouth full of food.
Artymis chuckled at this and turned around to see Haru. She smirked as a plan formed in her mind. "Haru?" Haru leaned in and his eyes widen and his cheeks blushed at whatever Artymis whispered in his ear. "Got it, right?" She asked, when she pulled away.
"If you say so," Haru said. "Avatar."
"Don't call me that please. 'Your Majesty' would be fine." Artymis joked and laughed, "No, I'm kidding! Just call me by my name, Artymis!"
"Thank you," Haru's father laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "Both of you: Katara of the Water Tribe, and Artymis the - " Artymis rose an eyebrow at him, he smiled. "Alright - and Artymis."
"Thank you!" Artymis smiled.
"Don't mention it." Katara said, strolling over to Artymis' side.
"But we should." Haru's father insisted, "I thought I lost my faith five years ago. But when both of you stood up and talked to us, I realized there was still a bit of hope and spirit left inside me. We are all in your debt."
"No, don't." Artymis said softly.
"But we do." Haru said.
"All we want," Katara said. "Is that you'll all go home with your families."
Haru's smiled and nodded at her words. He turned to shout over his shoulder, "We will go home and take what was ours back from the wrath of the Fire Nation." There was a cheer from the other sailing ships.
"Katara?" Haru asked, "Will you stay with us? All of you?" There was a bit of hope in his eyes.
"I can't." Katara answered, a bit sorrow in her blue eyes.
"We have different roads to follow." Artymis said, "But, we will meet again."
"I hope so." Haru said, he noticed the bruises on Artymis' arms. 'What happened?" He asked.
Artymis hadn't even noticed she had taken her gloves off. She rubbed her bruises. "Oh, I just hit myself."
"Here." Haru's father handed a few plants in her hands. "You arms should be looking as good as new in a few days if you rub them with these."
"Thank you." Artymis said, bowing her head and placing the herbs in her pack and handed it to Sokka.
"We gotta go." Sokka called out, he was already on Appa's saddle.
"Good bye, Haru." Artymis gave him a short and friendly hug, "Do it now." She hissed in his ear, and pulled away.
"Katara?" Haru said, walking up to her.
"Yes?" She asked. Katara felt Haru's lips press against her cheek, but very quickly. When he pulled away, Katara's cheeks were a bright pink color.
Artymis pulled Katara's arm. "Come on, Blushy." She teased. "Good bye!" Artymis waved as she and her friends took off on Appa. The ships became very small as they shot up to the sunset sky. When Artymis sat down, she smiled at Katara. "I think I hear wedding bells." She teased again.
Katara's cheeks returned to their normal color as she shot her friend a glare. "You planned it all, didn't you?"
"Wedding bells?" Sokka repeated, his eyes wide with fear. He glared at Katara, "Oh no! I don't think so!"
"What?" Katara muttered, she had never seen her brother react like this before.
"If you're even thinking of marrying Haru - " Sokka sharpen his boomerang, his eyes narrowed. "Haru will have to pass the test." Sokka looked over to Anduril, who was flying below them and staring out. "Anduril, back me up!"
"I would never - " Katara gave out a loud gasp in the middle of her sentence. She looked down and clutched her throat, her eyes widen with fear. "My necklace! It's gone!"
"What?" Sokka stopped and realized the necklace that their late mother had given to Katara, was gone. "But how?"
"I must've dropped it!" Katara said.
Artymis helped her look around in the saddle, she stopped and stood up after five minutes. "It must've fell when we were on the prison ship." She said, she looked down below. "Anduril!" Artymis jumped and landed on Anduril's back.
"What are you doing?" Sokka asked her.
"I'm going back for it!" Artymis yelled up at him, while pulling on her gloves.
"Artymis!" Katara yelled at her, "You don't have to!"
"It was your mother's!" Artymis yelled back, looking up. "And if it was that much to you, I would go back and get it back!"
"Why?" Katara asked her.
"Isn't that what friends are for?" Artymis asked her back, a smile on her face. Katara smiled back. "I'll be back!" Anduril made a swift U-turn and flew back to the abandon prison ship. She was very close now, close enough to see another ship close to the abandon one. A ship that was all to familiar. "Prince Zuko." She muttered.
Artymis, we need to go back. Anduril's voice said in her mind.
But what about the necklace? Artymis asked.
We have to get it another time.
I can't leave it. It's Katara's, and it once belonged to her mother, Anduril! Anduril came to a halt and Artymis pounded her fists on his scaly skin. Anduril! GO!
Sorry, little sister. Anduril made a U-turn and headed back to Appa and the others. He remained silent for the journey back.
Artymis sighed and felt she had really let Katara down. "I'm sorry, Katara." She muttered sadly, lowering her eyes and closing them for a brief moment. She lifted a hand and pulled a strand of hair behind her ear, she should've felt Zhao's suitor's rose there - but she didn't. Artymis opened her eyes and ruffled through her long hair in search of the lavender rose. The only thing she found was the golden ring, which nearly fell off into the ocean. Artymis clutched it in her hands and realized she lost it. She lost her suitor's rose. Artymis felt a pang of pain and she felt a tear escape from her green eyes. "I've lost it. I've lost my suitor's rose."
Prince Zuko stood on the deck of the imprisoned ship. It seemed a battle took place. He scanned his eyes across the coal-littered metal floor and walked on it. Something blur and black caught his eye. Zuko stopped and bended down to pick it up. It was a necklace. I really was a black choker, and dangling from the middle was a small carved thing that almost looked liked glass. It was a light shade of blue with a wave in it that was a slightly darker shade of blue. Zuko realized this was the Water Tribe girl's, the one who traveled with the Avatar.
He smirked. Now I have something of that Waterbender's - I can make her tell me all I need to know about the Avatar, he thought. Zuko hid the necklace in his pocket and walked a few more steps 'till something very bright caught his eye. Zuko saw it was a lavender color, he observed closely and saw it was a rose petal. A rose petal? His eyes traveled a little far ahead from the rose petal and he saw the Avatar's rose. Zuko took a few steps up and picked it up, and placed it in his open palm. The lavender rose still looked beautiful and the white ribbon was still tied to it - it still was a suitor's rose. Zuko clutched the rose in his hand as he shook with anger and jealously. He shut his eyes and opened them again, he stared out to the setting sun.
Why do I feel so... envious? Zuko quietly asked himself. Why do I want to tear this rose apart? Why do I feel like this? Why did I even try to kiss that idiotic girl! Zuko held the rose up and stared at it for a few seconds before staring at the setting sun across the horizon.
"I have your suitor's rose..." Zuko muttered, he continued to stare at the sun and not the suitor's rose that Zhao had given to the Avatar. He refused to. "...Artymis."
Author's Note: Hola, my friends! I am so happy I still got your support. And this chapter didn't take as long since I was almost done with it before "Jealously and Lies" one was up, but someone gave me a good idea of Artymis and Zuko almost kissing (which I was gonna plan later also) and I had to write it. I think I might change the title for this chapter, "I think differently" doesn't have a click thingy for me - but it'll work for now, better than nothing, so I might change it. I hope everything is correct on this one, and if there are mistakes - I'm pretty sure I did spell check - please tell me where and what. I will work on the next chapter, and I'm sorry if I didn't say it earlier (it's also on my profile)ideas are always welcome. Thank you to the reviewers of the last chapter, thank you very much:
And-You-Are: Kissing action - almost though. The real kiss is much later, but you won't have to wait too too too long. And thank you for reviewing, I kinda like your idea of Artymis having dreams that Zuko almost kisses, I used it in this chapter, hope you like.
Firework: I keep thinking Katara 13, not 14. I don't know why, but thank you for reminding me, I appreciate it. And I'll try to update fast!
PrincessZula24400: You're not strange, chica. I'm not strange either, I'm weird. But thanks for the review, yeah that happens to me sometimes: I read a chapter and forget to review - weird, huh? And I had hope you like some "almost" kissing action!
See ya later!