I've received several requests for a "Genderbender" piece, as it's apparently a popular form of comedy in shipping-heavy fandoms, but it wasn't until recently that I was hit by inspiration. (It was sharp and heavy.) I actually have an idea for a sequel, so look for that sometime soon.
Hidden A-Gender?
Katara the Waterbender stood atop the his village's wall, watching the Fire Nation ship draw closer out of the ocean mists. As the only young man in the village, and the only Waterbender in a generation, it was his responsibility to protect the women and children from whatever evil the Firebenders had in mind this time. Plus, in a way, it was an act of redemption. He and the Airbender girl Aang had set off the trap that had brought this invading ship to the village, and it was a need to make up for such a stupid mistake that had led Katara to stay behind after Aang had been banished.
Katara heard the shifting of snow to his left. He turned to find his older sister standing beside him atop the wall, wearing... full war paint and a warrior's uniform? "Sokka, what are you doing?"
Sokka, despite her ridiculous appearance, had that patronizing look that Katara suspected all big sisters used on their little brothers. "Helping you. It's not like you're a real warrior. You were too little to be taught anything when Dad left to fight in the war-"
"I am too a warrior-"
"And you're not a real Waterbender-"
"I am too a Waterbender-"
"-because the only thing you know how to do is move some waves around and capture fish since Dad couldn't find you a teacher," Sokka finished authoritatively. "What are you going to do against that Fire Nation ship?" She gestured to the incoming vessel, which had drawn a lot closer during the brief argument.
A lot closer.
"Run!" Katara shouted.
He and Sokka jumped off the wall as the warship slammed into their village's little ice construct. It crumbled into snow behind the siblings, flowing out into the village and so cushioning their fall, their heavy bodies sinking into the mess. In too much of a hurry to bother digging, Katara threw out a hand, and the snow covering him flew away; that was pretty much the extent of his Bending ability this far from water. Katara quickly went to help his sister as the warship's prow hissed and opened into a ramp.
"Thanks," Sokka wheezed as Katara helped her up. Her makeup had been washed off by the snow, making her femininity more obvious.
"Looking real frightening there, big sister," Katara smirked.
"Sexist," Sokka sniffed.
The pair turned at the sounds of footsteps. A young man, fully armored and wearing an open helmet, was stomping down the ship's ramp. Two soldiers, similarly armored and hidden behind skull-like face-plates, followed behind him.
Targets.
Sokka let loose with a high-pitched screech that reminded Katara of an angry arctic hen, and charged at the lead Fire Nation soldier, the young one. Katara couldn't help but wince. His older sister was bearing a spear, but holding it the completely wrong way, with both hands at the weapon's butt and the rest of the weapon extended haphazardly into the empty air. Sokka had always shown an academic interest in how their tribe's weapons worked, but their mother had tried to encourage her daughter's intelligence and mechanical aptitude instead.
That probably wasn't the best choice, in retrospect.
The young Fire Nation soldier grabbed the spear just below the point, and yanked. It came easily out of Sokka hands, and the girl tumbled forward into the snowy ground. He snapped the spear in two and threw the pieces away, then kicked Sokka in the head when she tried to get up.
Katara wanted to attack, but couldn't bring himself to overcome his fear.
The Fire Nation soldiers turned their attention to the rest of the gathered villagers, who had stupidly come out of their tents to see the invaders. "Where is she?"
No one answered.
The young soldier snarled and lunged for the villagers. Katara thought about attacking, but before he could, the soldier had grabbed hold of Gramp-Gramp, the only male besides Katara to remain behind. "She'd be about this age? Master of all elements? I know you're hiding her!"
Katara had no idea what the soldier- he sounded like a teenager- was looking for, but that was the worst case scenario. If they had what he wanted, they could give it to him and then he might leave, but this time, appeasement wasn't an option. They had no choice but to fight and win.
Katara gritted his teeth, straightened his arms, and shoved with all his might in the Fire Nation teen's direction.
A splat of snow splashed into the young soldier's face.
With a raging roar, he thrust his fist out and fountain of flame ignited into the air. The shear concussive force of the blaze's sudden appearance in the air knocked Katara off his feet. Back near the Fire Nation ship, Sokka rubbed her head and moaned.
That's when the chirping voice sounded. "What are you doing to them?!"
Everyone turned to the village's entrance. Aang, the Airbender girl, had returned from her banishment, and looked ready to cry at the sight of the Fire Nation attack.
There was silence.
The young soldier spoke again. "Where is the Avatar?"
Aang burst into tears. The young soldier actually began looking uncomfortable under his helmet. "Why are you crying? I won't hurt anyone if you hand the Avatar over to me."
It took Aang a while to articulate her response. She was sobbing enthusiastically, giving her voice a stutter, and then she actually started hiccuping. Eventually, she managed to get out her words. "I'm- I- I'm the (hiccup)- the- the Ava (hiccup)- Avatar!"
No one moved.
Katara just couldn't bring himself to believe it. This littel girl? The Avatar? This adorable little thing (not that Katara liked her that way, but she couldn't be cuter with her little Air Nomad outfit and dark hair tied into pigtails on either side of her arrow) was the Master of All the Elements? The young Fire Nation soldier was evidently having the same trouble. "Are you sure?" he ventured.
Aang, still sobbing, rubbed an eye and nodded.
The young soldier turned to the other two who had come out of the ship with him. "Get my Uncle! Now!"
Before he could turn back, Katara saw Aang meet his eyes, and wink.
After several minutes, a older, fatter man came out of the ship. He wore no armor besides a standard chestplate, and was yawning and stretching as he walked into the village. "Really, Prince Zuko, I was just getting ready for a nap."
Prince Zuko? The young man had removed his helmet, giving everyone a good view of his horrific facial scar. He pointed furiously at Aang, who had calmed to the point of repeated sniffling. "This little girl says she's the Avatar!"
The Uncle looked at Aang, then back at Zuko. "Okay."
"Okay?!"
"Well, she's dressed like an Airbender. Granted, she's a little younger than I was expecting-"
"A little younger!"
"-but the world is full of many strange things, especially where the Spirits are involved. The question, Prince Zuko, is what you're going to do about her?"
"...what?"
"She's a little girl, nephew. Are you really going to take her back to your father in chains?"
Zuko looked back at Aang. She sniffled again. "Please, sir, don't hurt me." Her voice, high-pitched and pleading, tugged at heartstrings in Katara that he suspected were built into his male gender. Zuko didn't look like he was taking things any better. She was just too cute.
Sokka, sitting happily in the snow, was sneering.
It took a while, as the Prince was evidently not used to making hard decisions, but in the end he took his forces and departed in peace, warning Aang to stay out of trouble.
Later, Aang and the Water Tribe siblings attacked Zuko's ship as they passed it, flying on their journey to the North Pole. Sokka accused Aang of flirting with the Prince. Katara groaned and couldn't help but get a little angrier at this Fire Nation royal.
END
