Hey all! Thanks for coming to chapter two! And, OMG, you MIGHT find out the main character's name. But maybe not. I suck. REALLY big flash in the middle of this chapter, so beware if ya don't like those things. That is all.
Yay! I have received two reviews! Thanks for taking the time to reviews guys!
The Violent Tomboy- Thanks for pointing out my mistakes, and I'll be sure to keep an eye on that in my future chapters
Alliwantislove- Thanks for the comments! I'll see if more people want a ZukoxOC, and I'll think about doing SokkaxOC. Again, I need to see how many people support that idea. But I think it sounds interesting.
Oh, and I'm thinking about making it 1st person. Generally I don't like reading or writing in 1st person, but I think it could make this story interesting. I would like your opinion on this.
Avatar and junk is not mine. Owned by other people. My character is my character.
Katara opened her eyes and looked into the face of Momo, Aang's pet lemur, who was sitting on her chest.Katara had beautiful blue eyes and dark skin. She had brown hair, right now braided into ponytails. She wore a large, fluffy blue parka. Momo was white and black, with huge ears. He had thin webbing between his arms that allowed him to glide. "It's too early to get up, Momo. You should have let me sleep," the waterbender laughed, sitting up. The lemur slid off her with a squeak of protest, then scowled at her and started chewing her out in his odd language. This made the girl laugh harder. She glanced over where the lemur's owner, Aang lay still sleeping. He was bald, and had blue arrows on his head and hands. He wore a red outfit that allowed for easy moment when he was air bending. Its still felt odd, looking over and seeing Aang, who seemed like any normal twelve year old, despite the baldness and the arrows on his head and hands. But he wasn't. Aang was the last airbender, the Avatar. And he was the world's last hope of defeating the evil Fire Nation. She sighed and stood up, putting away her bedroll. Deciding not to wake Aang and her annoying brother Sokka just yet, she started gathering berries for their breakfast. Sokka, her brother, had dark skin and brown hair like her. However, his hair was tied into a small ponytail. Like his sister, he also wore the outfit of the South Pole water tribe. As she gathered the berries her thoughts strayed to her brother. Sokka. Yes, he was annoying. Yes, he was a walking stomach. But she loved him still. After all, he was her brother. Even if he was way too overprotective. Without realizing it, her thoughts strayed to Aang. What was she to do about him? She didn't even know what to think of him. She was in such different minds. He confused him, in his innocent, honest, straightforward way. He was kind, even naively so. She liked him, as a younger brother. But one small, honest part of herself told her that she liked him in a way other than just a love for a brother, even if he was a few years younger than her. And sometimes, she admitted to herself, a tad bit immature. But he was the Avatar. He would rise to the occasion. Ahh, but what occasion, the honest part of herself asked. She firmly and stubbornly told herself that it was saving the world.
She used waterbending and filled a jug with water from a nearby stream before wrapping a cloth around her berries and set them next to last night's fire. Then she paused. For a moment she stood indecisive, wondering whether she should wake Aang. Sighing, she bended down and shook Aang slightly on the shoulder. "Wake up, Aang," she said quietly. He opened his large brown eyes. "What is it, Katara?" he asked.
"Nothing," she replied. "I just thought I'd get you up." She looked at him for a long moment, savoring the boyish innocence on his face, the youthful joy… Sokka grunting and rolling over before waking up brought her back to her senses. "Where's breakfast, Katara, I'm sooooo hungry," he whined. Katara and Aang grinned at each other. Sokka never changed. To answer his question, she told him, "I picked some berries. I set them next to the remains of the campfire. "Oh goody," Sokka said, licking his lips and rubbing his stomach. He hurriedly walked over to the cloth she had wrapped the berries in. Unfolding it, he looked inside with a gleeful expression on his face. When he saw what was in the cloth (or what wasn't), his face fell. "Hey! There's nothing in here," he cried.
"What?" Katara asked. "I just wrapped those berries in there a few minutes ago!" She glanced over at Momo, whose belly seemed distended and had a slightly smug expression on his face, for a lemur, and realized what had happened. "I'm so sorry Sokka! I wasn't paying attention and Momo must have eaten our breakfast."
"What! I'll kill that lemur!" he yelled, getting up and rushing after Momo.
"No way!" Aang yelled, sitting bolt upright. Sokka slowed down. "I was just kidding about killing Momo," he said, rather sulkily. "But I'm so hungry," he whined again.
"Don't worry Sokka," his sister soothed. "I'm sure we can find some more berries." When Sokka still didn't look convinced, Aang piped in, "Don't worry Sokka, we can all look for berries together. I'm sure we'll find a lot that way." Sokka seemed satisfied. Katara shot Aang a furtive look of thanks. Aang nodded, understanding. "Well come on then. What are we waiting for?" Katara shouted, running ahead.
"Yeah!" Sokka said enthusiastically, following her.
"I'll be right there," Aang told them. Using his airbending, he jumped high and landed next to his huge white flying bison, Appa. Appa had an arrow on his head too, and he had been trapped with Aang in the iceberg. He was a loyal pet. "Guard the camp for us, will ya, Appa?" asked Aang. The bison groaned in reply. "Good, I knew I count on you." Aang smiled at Appa. "Come on Aang, I'm hungry," Sokka called back to him. Aang stood up. "Coming," he yelled in reply. And with a grin he dashed into the forest after them, Momo on his shoulder. Appa watched until he could not see Aang anymore, groaned, and then went to sleep.
The red headed firebender was on the road again. And she had a problem. She was bored stiff. She had abandoned the road and was now walking through a thick forest. She sighed and slowed her pace slightly enjoying the scenery. She did not see any point of going quickly to a place that she didn't know. Hell, it wasn't just that she didn't know the place she was going to, she didn't know where she was going to. She sighed again and stopped. With sadness she examined a red flower. She gently stroked it, then released a small amount of flame from her hand and burned it. It looked even more beautiful as it burned, but when it was gone, it was gone. She stopped the fire before it spread to the entire plant. She now felt worse, because even though the flower had looked prettier as it was burning andbefore it had turned to ashes, its beauty was now extinguished forever. She sighed, then realized how silly she was acting. All this moping and sighing was completely ridiculous and totally unlike her. She snorted a thin stream of smoke, further revealing her firebender nature. She was not like this. She was not a moper. She was a spitfire, a girl with a touch of spice and an adamant nature. Many boys had found her spice endearing back home, until they got to know her. Then they were scared away by her quick temper and mood swings. Not that she had any time or interest in boys. Any advances they had made were quickly shut down and neutralized. She didn't have time. She was always training. And she just didn't like boys. She thought them silly and that they got in the way. But it was her fault she was here, wandering in a forest by herself. She wasn't banished or anything like the prince. She had chosen to go into a semi-exile, honing her skills in martial arts and firebending. It had seemed like a good idea then. She could remember the day clearly. She had been fourteen.
FLASHBACK
The girl sat, knees crossed, eyes closed, breathing deep and even. She was in a courtyard with a large fountain. Behind her fancy buildings had been erected, and to the sides were entrances to the gardens. In front of her a small candle had been lit, and the small flame flared and withered in time with the girl's breathing. Above her a man stood watching her. He was an older man, with a gray beard and a potbelly. It was hard to believe that this man was one of the most celebrated of the Fire Nation's generals, Commander Iroh, brother of Fire Lord Ozai, and one of the most powerful firebender's in the Fire Nation. For several minutes they waited in silence, until finally the girl snorted a stream of smoke. Her concentration breaking, the candle extinguished. She sighed and stood up. "Patience. You must learn patience," Iroh chided. "Your firebending is good, but you will never reach your full potential until you learn patience." The girl hung her head and listened without a sound. When he had finished she said, "I'm sorry Commander Iroh. I will try harder." He had smiled at her then, his sternness disappearing. "I know you will. And please just call me Uncle Iroh. No need to be so formal with me."
"Yes Commander- I mean Uncle Iroh."
"Good girl. Now why don't you come inside for a hot cup of ginseng tea?" The girl looked up and smiled. "Sounds good." Iroh led the way, with the girl following behind. Inside one of the buildings they enjoyed a cup of tea. But there was something troubling the girl. When she had finished her tea she spoke her mind. "Comm- Uncle Iroh, I was thinking…um… you know how some of the warriors go off an spend a year or so in the wilderness, in solitude, honing their skills? Well, I think that this might be a good option for me. To get away from the capital and train by myself." Iroh sighed and leaned back. "Ahh. You, like many before you, feel the urge to go into the world." He sighed. "I can't stop you. But you want my advice. All I can say is do what you must. Go where you will. Remember where you're from, and most of all, is that you can always return, whenever you want." There was a moment of silence. " Yes, sir. I'd better go prepare. Goodbye."
END FLASHBACK
And that had been it. She had left a few days later. She had learnedlater that Iroh had left only a day or two after her, following the prince into exile. The prince. She grimaced. Because of him, the Fire Nation was now less by one less great warrior to train new recruits. And hardened veterans too.
She continued her journey, but it was only a few minutes later when she stopped again. This time it was out of caution. She narrowed her eyes, listening as hard as she could. She could have sworn she heard someone, or something, crashing through the trees. But now she heard nothing. Before she could take a single step to investigate, someone crashed into her at full force, knocking her into the mud, with them landing on top of her, completely driving the air from her lungs. She tried to speak, but all she managed was a croak. The person on top of her had no such problems. Her body must have cushioned them. She felt boiling resentment. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was go- HOLD IT RIGHT THERE FIRE NATION SCUM!" Before she had any chance to react, and she wouldn't have been able to do much due to the fact that she was squashed, a very sharp looking boomerang was pressed to her throat. "Listen guy, I don't know who you are, but get this boomerangAWAY from my throat!" She was beginning to regain her breath- and her temper. "Are you crazy? You're from the Fire Nation. You can't trust any of them. All of them are murderers and thieves," her "captor", a boy who looked like he was from a water tribe told her. Somehow she thought what he said was amusing. He was telling her what her nation was like. Then her anger resurfaced. "All right listen up, boy, about the trust thing, DUH. That's what makes my people interesting and you're people skulking cowards. At least the Earth Kingdom tried to fight back. And the other crap, our soldiers are just fighting this war. They didn't plan it. King Sozan did. But the Fire Nation has backbone. We aren't about to roll over and get walked over. So I would appreciate it if you would GET OFF OF ME and get your freakin' boomerang out of my FACE!" she yelled. Before he could reply, two other people came through the path that the boy had made. One was a girl who looked so much like him that she could be his sister, and probably was. The other was an odd looking boy who not only happened to be bald, but had blue arrows on his head and hands. "Sokka, what are you doing?" the girl exclaimed. Obviously she hadn't seen the red head's fire insignia on her shirt. "Can't you see? This girl is from the FIRE NATION." But the girl had had enough of this. Flipping herself over and twisting uncomfortably, she used her legs to flip the boy, Sokka or whatever his name was, and pin him down. Cautiously the girl got up, then slowly let him get to his feet, threatening that she'd roast him if he tried that again. There was a moment of stiff silence that was broken by the second boy as he bounded over, shook her hand, and said, "Hi! I'm Aang, what's your name?" The girl blinked, confused. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sokka said. "What are you doing, Aang! She's a firebender!" The girl, and Aang, ignored him. "My name's Amory. And I believe he was introducing himself and asking my name, Sokka." Sokka worked his jaw furiously. "Aang, what are we doing standing here talking to a firebender! She could have been sent to capture you! And besides, she's a firebender!"
"So you've said, Sokka," the girl said.
"We still can't trust her," Sokka sulked.
"By the way, my name's Katara," the girl said. Aang frowned. "Sokka has a point. How do we know Zuko or Zhao hasn't sent her to capture me?"
"And why would I want to capture you," Amory said sweetly and innocently. They all looked at her. "Because I'm the Avatar," Aang stated simply. Sokka elbowed him. "You're the Avatar? Aren't you a bit young, kid? I mean, I heard about him returning and all, but shouldn't you be a hundred years old?"
"I was trapped in an iceberg for one hundred years," Aang pressed. "Really!" Amory burst out laughing. "Fine, I'll prove it to you!" With lightning speed, he pulled a small marble from a pocket and made it float in his hand. "See?"
"Dang. You really are the Avatar," she said, hardly able to believe it. She thought a moment. "Okay. I want to come." The others looked at her as if she were crazy. Maybe she was. Finally Sokka broke the silence. "WHAT? You're a FIREBENDER, if you haven't noticed. And he's the AVATAR. Your nation is sort of trying to destroy him. And WHY would you want to come? AND WHY SHOULD WE TRUST YOU!" Sokka was not a happy camper.
"Okay. One: you've mentioned the fact that I'm a firebender before. Two: I'm me, not my nation. Three: because I'm bored and this sounds interesting. Four: No real reason, besides the fact that I won't turn you in. And how can I when I'm with you twenty-four seven?" For a few seconds Sokka digested this information. "And I can teach Aang firebending. Doesn't he need to master all four elements?"
"Wouldn't that be betraying your own nation?" Sokka wasn't going to give up without a fight. "My loyalty is to the Fire Nation. Not Fire Lord Ozai. Let's just say that I disagree with some of his methods. But don't think I'll fight against my own nation. No way, not gunna happen." Sokka glared, opened his mouth, closed it, glared, opened his mouth closed it again, sighed. "Aang…" Sokka pleaded.
"I think it's a great idea," Aang exclaimed.
"Katara…" Sokka tried again. Katara shrugged. Sokka sighed again. "Fine. But if you should betray us, if you should turn us in to Zuko or anyone else, should you do ANYTHING that I have not mentioned that would harm any of us in ANY way, I will flay you until you die!" Amory chortled. "Of course. I'll be very careful."
"And one more thing. I want to know your story. Your full story." Sokka wasn't about to let up.
"Fine. I have two requests. Well, one's a request and one's a question."
"What?" Sokka narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "Well," the girl continued, "I want to hear all of your stories, and what the heck is that?" She was pointing at Momo, perched on Aang's shoulder. "That's Momo," Aang answered. "He's a flying lemur. I'll have to show you Appa, too."
"Appa?" Amory raised her eyebrows.
"He's my flying bison," Aang said with a grin.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go back to camp!" Katara turned and started walking back to camp without waiting for their reply. Sokka, Aang, and Amory shrugged. Then they followed her; Sokka scowling, Aang grinning broadly, and Amory with a mischievous grin on her face.
Hey all! Hope you enjoyed chapter two! Sorry for the long flashback and convos, but they were necessary. If people think that the characters were a little OOC in that last scene especially, I had to tweak it a bit to suit the storyline. Same as with them rushing to accept Amory. Don't worry; she still won't be completely trusted! Trust takes time. And Zuko and other ppl will make their appearance…later. I'm trying to build the foundations of the story. It will get better and longer with time.