Chapter 12: Here In These Lonely Streets

"That's the igloo, Councilman."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," the guard confirmed, "At least, this was the information given to me."

"There's no guarantee it's correct," Sokka noted, "but we have to start somewhere."

"If you want, sir, I can inquire with them. There's a chance you might be attacked again if you're out in the open."

"For the last time, I'll be okay." And the warrior made his way over to the small igloo in the distance, followed closely by the guard. A little girl who had just then stepped out of the igloo saw them approaching and rushed back inside. Moments later, a tribeswoman stepped out, and upon recognizing the councilman, she bowed in genuine greeting.

"It is an honor to welcome you to our abode, Councilman Sokka."

"Thank you," Sokka bowed back. "But I'm afraid we're here for an inquiry. No need to be alarmed, just a few things I need clarified."

The little girl hid behind her mother. The woman, though initially concerned, nodded, "Of course."

"You wouldn't happen to know someone named Imnek, do you?"

"I do, sir," she answered, growing worried. "He's my son. Is something wrong, sir?"

"We'll have to see," the guard said harshly.

Sokka gestured to him to keep calm. He turned back to the woman, speaking more gently, "Not at all, ma'am. We just need to see him."

"Y-Yes..."

Sokka noticed the anxiety on the woman's face as she tumbled inside in search of her son. The guard apparently seemed to be getting a little excited by the fact that something was happening for once, but the councilman didn't expect the mystery to be solved this easily. This Imnek guy had apparently served as a part-time guard during the patrol last night and was the only person who was new to the job. He may or may not have had something to do with Unnuk's death, but at one point, he held the keys to a particular group of cells, one of those being Unnuk's cell.

"What did you do this time, Imnek?" the woman's voice rang as she made her way outside, dragging her son behind her, "Can't you stay put in one place?"

"I swear I didn't do anything, Mom."

Sokka saw that the supposed "suspect" was a boy of about ten years. He frowned, having expected this type of confusion.

"This is definitely not the Imnek I saw," the perplexed guard told Sokka.

The little boy paused and backed away a few steps once he saw Sokka. Sokka stepped closer to him. The woman flinched.

"Sir, I apologize on behalf of my son if he did anything—"

"Your son isn't the person we're looking for," the guard said rather disappointedly.

Sokka knelt down next to the young boy, ruffling the boy's hair and sporting a small smile, "Don't worry, buddy. You're not in trouble."

The boy nodded.

"So your name is Imnek?"

"Y-yeah."

"Do you know anybody else who has that name?"

"No."

Sokka glanced at the woman. "Do you happen to know anyone else with the same name, ma'am?"

"No, sir, I don't."

Sokka shot a knowing look at the guard. "You believe me now that there's something fishy going on?"

The guard pulled out a scroll. "But our charts lead us right here. This was the address given to us. The personal information doesn't match, though."

"Our address can't possibly be on that scroll," the woman said, surprised, "My husband is a fisherman. He has never taken up guard duty in his life, and there's just no way…"

Sokka took the scroll. "It says here that the suspect's name is Imnek. Age forty-three. Nonbender. Mark of distinguishment is a freckle near the left eye and a scar near the forehead—"

"Does he have long hair that's tied up in a ponytail?" the woman asked suddenly. "Hair loopies hanging on one side of his face?"

"Yes," the guard answered in alarm. "How did you know?"

"That sounds like the man who visited our igloo two nights ago," the woman answered. "Iluq."

"Did you know this guy before?" Sokka asked.

"No, sir, he was new in town. He was looking for a part-time job and came to talk to my husband about a possible position at the local prison. He'd supposedly heard from someone that my husband is a good friend of the marshal, and he came to ask for help."

The guard rapidly took notes, "I'm assuming he got the job, then?"

"Yes, my husband managed to get him a part-time post at the patrol last night."

"That's likely him," the guard confirmed.

But Sokka wasn't finished with his inquiry just yet. "When was the last time you saw him, ma'am?"

"Yesterday. He came by to thank my husband for the job, but he claimed he had to leave urgently to care for his sick mother. He didn't seem too truthful to me, though."

"Did he say where he was going?" the guard asked.

"No, sir, he didn't."

"Even if he did name a place, there's no guarantee that's really where he's headed," Sokka noted.

"He was scary," the little girl murmured suddenly, clutching her mom tighter.

Sokka noted the wave of uneasiness that caused the woman to stiffen for a moment.

"How was he scary?" Sokka asked the girl, and upon not receiving a response, he turned back to the woman, "Are you sure you're not hiding anything else from us?"

"It's just that...he was a bit intimidating, sir. My husband initially told him he couldn't help him that easily given the high demand for that position, and for a second…the look on that man's face... We thought he probably had temper issues, but there was something about him that was...off."

"Alright," Sokka nodded. "One last question. Did he happen to carry any equipment with him? Like hunting materials or weapons?"

"He had a strap of arrows. He said he liked to hunt polar-deer."

"Thank you for the information," Sokka bowed. "Your contribution is greatly appreciated."

"Anytime, sir."

Once the councilman and the guard left the igloo and walked a few feet away in awkward silence, the guard, who had held back his surprise, suddenly blurted out, "That could possibly be the same man who injured you, Councilman."

"We don't know if it's the same guy or different people with similar weaponry," Sokka said. "If one person had fired the arrow at me, there would've been a basis to try to track him down, but a whole group was firing at me yesterday. Maybe this guy was a part of that group, or maybe he's from a different group altogether. We can't be entirely sure."

"The men who attacked you haven't been spilling any facts since we captured them."

"If they don't spill anything, so be it. Our mission at hand is finding Iluq. Assuming he's involved with the group at all, if he didn't take the risk of attacking me with the rest of the rebels that day, then he most likely has an important position within the group. Plus, he was stealthy enough to slip into the cell and finish off Unnuk when people least expected it. Since he had the keys at one point, he easily could have slipped into the cell and choked Unnuk so people wouldn't get suspicious. His aggressive behavior is likely to be established based on what we learned so far, so him being the perpetrator makes more sense than Unnuk killing himself. At least, in my mind."

"This certainly is a lot to take in," the guard said, taking notes crazily on the scroll. "But it ties everything together… somewhat…"


The prince, upon noticing Sokka and the guard Sokka had taken along for the investigation, rushed over to them. "Did you find out about anything?"

"Only a lot," Sokka said, feeling accomplished. "Nothing on Unnuk's family, unfortunately, but I did gather some information about a suspicious guard who was patrolling last night." Turning to the guard who accompanied him, "I need you to hand this information over to the marshal and tell him to begin a more thorough investigation. I want this man in prison by the time the Moon Festival begins."

"Yes, sir."

After a few minutes of catching the prince up on the contents of the investigation scroll, the warrior rubbed his aching head, "You're not busy today, are you?"

"Not that I know of."

"Care to join me on a mission after lunch then?"

"Another mission?"

"Yeah, but this time, it's not related to a crime or anything. I'm going to explore the current situation in the tribe." Sokka shrugged, "I figure it'll benefit you, too, if you learn some stuff about the tribe without your princely following."

"So you actually remember that you'll be the chief soon, huh?" Anyu questioned, crossing his arms.

"What are you saying? Of course I do."

"Councilman, may I just say that you're not taking any measures to protect yourself?" Anyu asked, annoyed. "General Kano is trying to prevent himself from announcing your chiefly status to the rest of the officials. Avatar Aang will be here in a matter of days. We need to get things ready for your coronation. You don't seem to be invested. You're showing zero interest, first of all, and every time we offer to send some security with you, you're declining it."

Sokka sighed. "I know, but once I get some answers, I'll be able to take on the responsibility. This next mission is going to achieve exactly that. Once I find out what the main domestic issues are, I won't have to worry about sending representatives or relying on a particular group of people."

The prince thought for a moment. "I guess I'll join you, but Kano is bent on actually sending a group of people with us this time."

"I guess we have to appease him at least once, right?" Sokka grunted. "Fine. We'll leave two hours past midday."


After failing to convince Kano that an entire battalion was not needed for exploring the tribe, Sokka pretended to have dropped the endeavor altogether and decided to set off alone at his own time. That evening, when the prince and the other generals headed for the Session on Public Affairs, the councilman feigned exhaustion and stayed behind, taking the chance to sneak out of the palace. Clad in a long, shabby cloak, partially hiding his face with a shawl, he made his way towards the commoners' sector, basking in moonlight and a degree of melancholy.

Despite himself, Sokka felt this was an apt time for exploration. If he was to be promoted to a chiefly position within the next few days— even if the position would be temporary— it was crucial that he spend some time outside and study the environment beyond the palace. Not to mention there was going to be a lot of nocturnal activity around this time of year considering how the week-long Moon Festival was coming up. From annual plays and the acrobat shows to large-scale offerings to Tui and La and mass feedings of the poor, there was so much for the community to prepare for. More and more people would be in the streets in preparation, and Sokka would have a good opportunity to observe the community up close.

He had wandered for a while, passing by families who worked together to decorate their usual stalls for the sake of attracting more customers. He saw artisans who were focused on painting different masks, capturing the essence of several Water Tribe motifs. Sculptors— both benders and nonbenders— worked together to construct different works of art imbued with religious symbolism. Fancy crescent-shaped paper lanterns were hung along the roofs of individual stalls like rows upon rows of lanterns lighting up a path through the skies, and the bazaars were bustling with people setting up boards announcing discounts and deals for the week of the festival.

He had to admit he was impressed by the fervor of the preparations this year.

"Wanna buy a kaleidoscope, sir?"

A young boy approached the warrior with a large pail containing dozens upon dozens of kaleidoscopes. The boy was wearing a dirty overcoat that was torn in some places, exposing a good bit of his skin to the Arctic gusts. He was freezing, but the smile on his face was genuine.

Sokka withdrew from his thoughts, and with a frown, he knelt down to meet the boy's height. "Aren't you supposed to be home right now, kiddo?" he asked, taking off the warm cloak he'd been wearing and wrapping it around the boy.

"I am home. I live in that shop." The boy pointed to a shabby-looking stall at the end of the street. "My aunt and uncle work there."

"And they're making you sell these anyway? You know what the temperature is outside?"

"Who's gonna sell 'em if I don't?"

"What if I bought all of them?"

"Are you trying to get me in trouble?"

The warrior chuckled, "Alright, Smartypants. Get me two, then. Oh, wait." Does Tenzin really need one? Eh, might as well. "Get me three."

The boy handed the councilman three kaleidoscopes. Sokka reached into his robes, pulled out two gold pieces, and stuffed them in the boy's pouch. The boy's eyes went wide, "But they're only two copper pieces each!"

"Oh, three gold pieces each?"

"No, silly, they're two copper pieces—"

"Oooh, so they're five gold pieces," the warrior smirked and dropped a few more coins into the boy's pouch. "Seriously, kiddo, get some warm clothes first. And I should probably warn you to get cover in the next three minutes or so. I hear the officials are coming for an inspection tonight."

"Like who? The goofy councilman guy? He's not that scary."

"What goofy councilman guy?!" Sokka squeaked, flustered. "For your kind information, kiddo, he's the scariest guy on the planet."

The boy laughed and dismissed the comment, turning back and lugging his pail with him.


Sokka continued his walk, keeping his head low now that he didn't have his cloak. He kept passing by other, much younger kids selling various items. The more tiny vendors he ran into, the more he began brainstorming the changes he was going to establish as chief. In the process, he disregarded the need to remain anonymous given the lack of his concealing cloak, so he didn't stress as he was greeted by several other members of the community; it was, after all, no surprise that the people of the North loved the Southern warrior so much. The man had made his very best efforts in helping the Northern Water Tribe progress, especially following the Siege. Not to mention his deep admiration for Yue. As off-putting as it was for several people to digest his continuing love for Tui, their discomfort was largely compromised due to their pity.

It was this pity that came into the limelight once Sokka found himself in the vicinity of the Moon Spirit statue again. As he approached the central plaza at the heart of the city, his attempt at stability swayed. The wall of ice that had been hastily erected around the statue during the attack yesterday had been lowered a little bit so that Yue's face would be visible.

"Councilman Sokka!"

He saw that a couple was heading his way. The man who called out to him happened to be an acquaintance of Chief Arnook. "Aviq'an, good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too," the man said, hurrying over to him. "I had planned to visit you yesterday, but after what happened, we weren't allowed to see you. How are you doing, sir?"

"I'm okay," turning to the white marble, "The Goddess is merciful."

"Yes, yes," the man agreed, turning to his wife, who was holding a bundled newborn close to her chest. "This is my wife, Mirrah. Mirrah, this is Councilman Sokka."

"It's an honor to meet the chief's right-hand man," the woman smiled.

"And this here," Aviq'an beamed with joy as he reached for the baby's tiny fist, "is our daughter. She was born two weeks ago."

"Congrats," Sokka smiled, "You must be excited to finally be a dad."

"Yeah, we've been trying for several years." Smiling at the Moon Spirit statue, "Goddess Yue is very generous to have answered our prayers."

"Just before we conceived our daughter, the Goddess visited us in our dreams," Mirrah said enthusiastically, explaining how the Moon Goddess had placed a baby girl in their arms in their respective dreams. Here they were nine months later, blessed with a baby girl identical to the one they held in their dreams.

"We came to give thanks to the Goddess and to finally name our daughter in Her presence," Aviq'an said, his eyes filled with wonder and love as he took the baby into his arms. He held her beneath the abundant moonlight, allowing Sokka to take a look at her.

"She's a beautiful little lady," the warrior said. "Have you decided on a name?"

"Tui'ka," the proud dad smiled. "It means, 'Tui's gift'."

"Sounds perfect. Congratulations to you both."

It was then that Sokka noticed the bag that was slung over Aviq'an's shoulder. Mirrah reached into the bag and pulled out several different types of flowers along with small incense sticks. She approached the white marble and went to work at clearing the snow away from the feet of the grand statue. Afterward, she began to decorate the area with flowers.

"'Our princess had always been merciful," the tribesman said, glancing at the white marble, "While it's a shame she had to leave us so early in her life… Sometimes I wonder if she gave up her life to bring joy to millions of people." Holding his daughter close, watching the lively bundle snuggle up against him, "If it wasn't for her grace, we would not have been blessed today."

Sokka's smile faltered, replaced by a furrowing of his eyebrows and a harsh pang to his chest. Those who knew him and the extent of his love for the goddess, the extent of his suffering in the wake of her loss would understand that those statements would not set well with him. He wanted to argue so many things at that moment: Yue could've had a wonderful life. She could've had her own family. She could've been the chieftess. A mom, if she wanted. She doesn't have to exist just to make your life better. If you were meant to have kids, then you'll have 'em. You shouldn't have to expect someone's life to be run over just because you want something…

And yet, Sokka found that he couldn't say a single word. This was not the time, he knew, and furthermore, the innocent bundle in the tribesman's arms was nothing short of precious— life meant to be lived, life granted by the Moon Spirit. Despite the problematic approach held by the father and, in all honesty, most of the tribe, Yue herself would not have wanted to see an argument in place of celebration of a new life.

The Southern warrior reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag containing a hefty amount of gold pieces. He placed the same in the tribesman's free hand. "If I'd known, I would've brought a proper present."

"Oh, no, sir, you don't have to—"

"I insist."

"We thank you for your generosity, Councilman."

Mirrah, who had quickly finished setting up the offerings, stepped away from the white marble to give Sokka enough space, "Did you have an offering for the Goddess, too, Councilman Sokka?"

The warrior eyed the statue for a moment before walking up close to it. He traversed the icy steps nearby until he reached one of her hands, which was held out in a gesture of giving. He planted a kiss on the goddess's hand before stepping back down and going on his way. Mirrah and Aviq'an watched him leave, their pious selves unsure of what to make of the gesture and yet their human instinct delving in sympathy.

"That poor man. He's still not over her."


"Must be a long walk where you're headed, Councilman."

Sokka's observations were interrupted as a skinny tribesman gestured to a gondola nearby with a hopeful grin.

"Care for a ride, sir?"

Sokka hesitated. Gondolas just brought so many memories back to him. Already he was drowning in thoughts of Yue; would he survive a gondola ride without succumbing to more grief? Hence, he shook his head. "I'm okay."

"You sure, sir?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Alrighty, suit yourself." The man looked disappointed, but he shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal and tended back to his gondola. Sokka paused and reconsidered. What if this man had a family to support? And wasn't the warrior's excuse a little ridiculous? He was staying in the North, for goodness' sake, so he was bound to encounter reminders of Yue. Isn't that why he was here in the first place? Why for every Moon Festival, he immersed himself in the North? Besides, if he was going to stay strong at the North Pole and even accept the responsibility of interim chiefdom, he shouldn't succumb to everything. If at least for the sake of not being dragged away from here by his sister and brother-in-law. One ride wasn't going to hurt him.

"Actually, my feet could use a break. Let's go."

The man grinned, "Then hop on, Councilman! Where'ya headed?"

"The commoners' sector."

"Right this way, please!"

It was smooth sailing, and Sokka realized his feet really did need a break. He shrugged off his emotional uneasiness and took a deep breath, holding his chest up. He glued his eyes to the surroundings and found that everyday life was the way he had expected it to be, but as he approached deeper into the actual sector, he saw that the vivacity from the upper sectors dimmed automatically. He witnessed many arguments over high prices, overheard conversations regarding extra amounts paid for "taxes." There were issues with the newly established industrial sectors, such as pollution and water contamination, the corrosive chemicals that heavily affected the pipelines in the commoner's sector. He took notes of the situation, the wheels in his mind churning with regard to future legislation and prospects.

There came a point when the oarsman stopped the gondola at the call of a family waiting by the sidewalk. A couple and three children who appeared to have been unsuccessful in securing a gondola for a while now.

"Let 'em join us," Sokka told the oarsman.

The next minute, the happy couple stepped in and situated their kids in their laps, the mother holding the youngest of the three and the father balancing the older two, one on each knee.

"Can you please take us to the Imperial Court?" the man asked the gondolier. "We have something to discuss with Councilman Sokka."

Clearly they hadn't seen him before but were coming to see him anyway. The oarsman turned to Sokka, but Sokka subtly shook his head, telling him to keep quiet. Despite giving up on anonymity, the reason for Sokka's hesitation was the queasy feeling that took over him. He was surprised and upset to see how easily the universe taunted him by creating a couple that resembled Sokka and Yue so much. The husband's hairstyle and joking manner were strikingly similar to Sokka's, and the woman's hair— though not white by any means— was swept up in a braid with a centerpiece ornament similar to Yue's. The woman's smile resembled Yue's, too, and her skin tone was on the lighter end of the spectrum too, almost like Yue's.

"Of course, sir," the oarsman told the man, "but I have to drop this gentleman off at his igloo—"

"Actually, take me to the Imperial Court, too," Sokka said quickly. He knew he was contradicting what his mind was telling him. There was a greater chance they might recognize him. Clearly he was going to get emotional and he should be trying to find a way to get off the gondola now, but a part of him wanted to stay and watch the happy family. Wanted to hope for the seemingly impossible...

"If you say so, sir."

The oarsman steered the gondola around, and they headed back the way they came. Despite knowing it would only perturb him in the end, Sokka turned around and got a better look at the family anyway. They had two sons— a toddler sitting in the man's lap and a baby boy sitting in his mother's lap— and a daughter, likely the oldest, who was balanced on her father's leg. The daughter was the spitting image of the woman, possessing her dad's eyes, which sparkled with every detail the father was giving regarding a story he was telling her. The toddler boy played eagerly with his father's hair loopies, trying to shove one into his mouth and whining when his father pulled it away. When the couple saw that Sokka was looking at them, Sokka masked the awkwardness with a smile, "Neat family you got there, pal."

"Thanks, man," the tribesman grinned. "All thanks to the Goddess! She's the reason why we're here and blessed with happiness."

And that was all. Sokka turned away quickly, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.


"Nah, the universe can be a pain sometimes. Have I told you about how my favorite fort got destroyed? And that one time when two fishing hooks got stuck in my thumb?"

"Sounds like you and the universe have an unbreakable bond," Yue laughed.

Sokka shrugged, smiling smugly. "Yeah, pretty much. Not that I'm too weak to handle it or anything. I regularly work out, you know." He waved his eyebrows, attempting to be stylish but clearly failing.

"I'm sure you do," she giggled. "But I'm surprised that you retained certain rules down South. I figured our sister tribe was more liberal."

"A bit too liberal sometimes. My dad's technically the chief, but since we don't have a strict government and all that, we're just like normal people." The warrior rubbed the back of his head. "You could visit the Southern Water Tribe sometime. I-If you'd like."

"Oh...of course." A nervous smile, "One day when I'm allowed to leave the North, I will definitely come."

The tension there remained unspoken, but it was swallowed up by the Southern warrior's chuckle, "You'll be that busy ruling the country, huh? Well I'll come back and take you to the South myself. Take your mind away from the hustle of chiefdom. I'm sure you'll make a great chieftess, Princess, but you need to take some time off for yourself. What better vacation is there than to travel across the world?"

"You're definitely right," she said, "But I'll need a strong reason to go with you. A chieftess can't leave the country on her own."

"Hm…" and after a moment of thought, "Well, it'll be for diplomacy purposes."

"Diplomacy?"

"Yeah! You're not going to have fun. No no, leaders shouldn't be having fun. They're not humans, they're machines mean to work for other people."

"Right you are," she smirked.

"You'll be going to the South to…what's the language… 'strengthen the harmonious relations between the sister tribes.'"

"Of course."

"And I as the son of the South's chief need to show my utmost respect by personally escorting you."

"Yes, you do," she chuckled, "You can't back out of your duty, now, can you, Prince Sokka?"

He grinned to the ends of the earth, basking in her laugh as their gondola rounded a corner. They passed by a street where a man, woman, and toddler were waiting, likely for a gondola. Upon taking notice of them, Yue turned to the gondolier. "Will you please wait?"

"Yes, Princess."

Once the gondola came to a stop, Yue caught the lady's attention. "Excuse me, are you looking for a ride?"

"The princess!" the woman gasped.

"It's an honor to be in your presence, Princess Yue," the man bowed low to the ground.

"A pleasure to meet you as well," Yue smiled. "Would you like to ride with us to your destination?"

"That's fine, Princess, we can wait—"

"Come along, we won't bite ya," Sokka invited.

"Princess, I'm sure you know of how we don't let commoners share gondola rides with you," the gondolier reminded.

"He's right, Princess. Please, carry on," the woman said.

Sokka rolled his eyes at the oarsman, "They have a baby with them. How could they cause any harm? I'm not sure if you know this, but royal families' interaction with the public increases respect for the chief."

"But sir—"

"And I'm sure you think of me as Princess Yue's bodyguard, right? If anything was to happen, I'd be right here."

Yue felt her cheeks warming and her smile widening. Surely she was impressed by his choice of words. "It will be fine," she told the gondolier. "I'm sure Father would understand."

The tribesman sighed, indicating his acquiescence. Sokka scooted to the other side where Yue was sitting, providing room for the family, but noticing how close he actually was to the princess, he voiced his nervousness with an awkward chuckle. In the meantime, the family members stepped in one by one, but they hesitated to sit in front of the princess.

"Please, have a seat," Yue told them warmly.

"But Princess—"

"Unless you want us to stand, too," Sokka stood up, swiftly settling the incident as they plopped down.

The ride was fairly quiet. The family didn't say much out of intimidation, and each time Sokka attempted to make a conversation, a reply was ensured to where the conversation ended right then and there. Yue then cleared her throat, turning to the family, "What part of the sector do you all come from?"

"We live off the sector," the woman answered. "We're acquaintances of Advisor Ching."

"Really?"

"We were going to see him today, but he had to attend a meeting or something like that."

"Yeah, I heard about that meeting," Sokka pointed out.

The toddler jumped down from his mother's lap and took tiny steps towards the princess. Yue smiled and held her hands out. "He's so precious! What's his name?"

"Jian."

"How sweet."

"Yeeahh," Sokka said, feeling a little different, a little warm and fuzzy— oh, heck, very warm and fuzzy— on the inside. He normally wasn't into babies too much and always thought it was the "women's job" to squee over them, and even after some sense had been knocked into him and made him progress from his close-minded views, he still maintained a bit of distance out of awkwardness. And yet, he found he couldn't take his eyes off of Yue and the small child. He dismissed his overwhelming feelings; no science was going to rationalize his ridiculous notion of finding Yue more beautiful than usual just because she was playing with a three-year-old.

"Come here, little guy," Yue coaxed sweetly.

And again, Sokka had a hard time not faltering. He couldn't figure out if it was Yue or the child or their interaction that was cute. Not that he would admit to anything like that outright.

The ride turned a little rough despite there being very few gondolas out in the canals. The gondola began to shake.

"Be careful, Jian," the mother warned.

"Hey, man, can you go a little more smoothly? We have a kid on board," Sokka said.

"Sorry, sir, I'm trying. The water seems rough all of a sudden."

A swift motion of the gondola alarmed the little boy, more so when the gondola swerved.

"Uh oh—"

"Woah there—!"

Before they knew it, Sokka and Yue simultaneously grabbed hold of the boy to prevent his fall. The parents breathed a sigh of relief, but the princess and the warrior both froze. Their hands had interlaced in a somewhat clumsy fashion. Not that they minded, especially Sokka. A soft smile tugged at his lips, and he experienced a feeling he couldn't name. He and Yue with this child...well, maybe he shouldn't go down that road yet considering he's only sixteen, but it was a sweet feeling. He dared to dream in that moment of a future: after the war, with Hahn rotting away in the deepest depths of hell and out of their lives, Yue free to pursue a future she wanted: hopefully, a future she would share with him. Beneath the aurora skies amid blankets of snow, the two of them without a care in the world, running around in the snow after a couple of toddlers of their own…

And the fantasy brought a grin to his face, a spark to his eyes that would never be seen otherwise.

"I'm so sorry, sir!" the gondolier exclaimed. "I'll be careful!"

Sokka snapped out of his trance and let the kid go, prompting the princess to gently set the boy in her lap. He reached for one of her braids, and although his parents scolded him, Yue smiled and allowed him to play anyway.

"Well isn't this nice? I believe this will be great practice for you both in the future," the boy's mother smiled.

"Practice?" Sokka asked, raising his eyebrows but clearly blushing beet red.

"Why, you two are getting married soon. You are the princess's betrothed, aren't you?" the man asked Sokka.

Sokka and Yue's smiles faded at the same time, and disheartenment took over. They shared a brief look before looking away, caught again by the noose of uncertainty.


The gondola was sweeping across the canal by the central plaza— at the heart of which a white marble Moon Spirit was waiting— when Sokka choked out to the oarsman, "You can just stop here."

The gondolier stopped the gondola by the sidewalk, "But sir, the Imperial Court is—"

"I forgot I had some business here."

"Here?" And upon seeing the white marble statue just a few feet away, "Oh…" before turning back to the Councilman, "Alright, sir."

Sokka shakily got off the gondola. He paid the gondolier for his service before turning to the family, who were currently bowing before the Moon Spirit statue.

"You were going to see Councilman Sokka, right?" Sokka asked them. "I heard he might not be at the Imperial Court today as there's a meeting."

"Oh," the lady blinked, "Then what do you think we should do, sir?"

"I tell you what. Go ahead and go anyway. I know some people who work in the court. I can try to get the prince to talk to you about whatever you need, and he can pass the message onto the councilman."

"That would be perfect, sir," the tribesman bowed. "Thank you."

The toddlers blinked curiously at the warrior, their big blue eyes then shifting to the bag of kaleidoscopes at his belt. Sokka smiled and reached for his bag, handing each of the children a kaleidoscope.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, sir," the tribesman began.

"It's fine, I can always get more." Sokka handed the third kaleidoscope to the lady, "For the little guy," gesturing to the baby. "He might not be using it just yet, but for a future time."

"Thank you very much, sir," the woman smiled.

"Say thank you, kids," the man said.

"It's fine. Take it easy, folks."

The gondola swerved and moved forward, leaving him behind. The toddlers in the gondola had turned around, smiled, and waved at him. He waved back with a soft grin, watching the gondola round the bend and disappear. And as he made his way toward the statue, he realized that by now, many of the tribesfolk he saw earlier had retired to their homes, leaving the sidewalks and canals empty.

He took his seat in the snow beside the statue of Yue, thankful for the privacy, and he leaned against the pedestal, glancing down at the Moon Spirit's marble face that was reflected in the water. A longing whisper left his lips, "Sure would be nice if you blessed yourself with happiness, too, Yue."


"I believe you have seen for yourself how much the tribe has changed, sir."

Sokka contemplated over Kano's words. Sure the Northern Water Tribe now has a factory or two and receives its resources from extensive trade with the Earth Kingdom, but all of that increased profit didn't mean the tribe had to slowly start leaving behind its sense of community and ethics. This was shown keenly in the number of children of school-going age he ran into yesterday, how they were spending their time selling things on the streets to make both ends meet in the outer sectors.

"I'm surprised you didn't tell me all of this sooner," Sokka set his documents down. "It hasn't even been a full year since I was last here, and already things had changed this drastically. I know you mentioned there were some other domestic issues in the tribe as of late, but if only you had been more specific. I would have taken action sooner."

"Initially, I thought after a few months, Prince Anyu would settle the issues. He demonstrates a keen interest in reviving ancient customs from overshadowing industrialization. He is too young, unfortunately, to carry out his tasks, and plans had changed after you arrived."

"That's no excuse, Kano."

With an indignant huff, "Even after it was decided that you were going to be the temporary chief, I was not willing to perturb you with all of this. I mean, I knew your feelings are already turbulent from Arnook's passing and...matters about your personal life…"

Sokka grew flustered. "My personal matters are not going to get in the way of my loyalty for the North."

Lacking all sincerity, "Apologies, sir."

A servant quickly stepped into the tent, interrupting the exchange. "Councilman Sokka, Mr. Qajak is here to speak with you."

"Send him in, please."

A man clad in feathered robes stepped in, greeted by the councilman with a bow. The man bowed back, his tone lacking in respect similar to Kano's, "It is an honor to meet you, Councilman. And my greetings to General Kano as well."

Though the general didn't seem to have a soft spot for the tribesman. "Just go on with what it is you're here to rant about."

Qajak cleared his throat and glanced at Sokka. "I am aware of the restrictions that you are wanting to put on businesses here in the North."

"Frankly, I wouldn't call them restrictions. I am aware of how important business endeavors are, and there is nothing wrong with them if they stay within certain limits. I will not stand back and witness children being taken advantage of as a result of your dealings with the public. Excessive taxation has also become a problem."

"But we are an emerging world power, sir. We have access to more resources than before, and with resources comes a labor source. The children I'm employing are basically peasants. I'm doing them and their families a favor by giving them opportunities to work." Crossing his arms, "So you see? There is nothing to really consider unethical in this transaction. As you usually do not spend an extensive amount of time in the commoners' sector, you are not quite familiar with its everyday issues, hence you wouldn't understand what all their families go through and how they could use an extra family member to work the streets—"

"Don't pose as a god, Qajak, because you're not even close," Sokka glared, standing up. "You don't give two yakshits about those kids and their families. You just want a labor source. And since you can't rely on your sponsors and their rich kids, you're preying on the less fortunate—!"

"I have no reason at all to prey on anyone," Qajak retorted, annoyed. "And I don't get why you're so upset about this. This is all fairly common in other industrialized countries. You've traveled around the world; you should know this! Be practical, Councilman. The Northern Water Tribe can no longer linger as a block of ice."

Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Since you speak so strongly, I suppose you know of living in blocks of ice? They're not that bad, really, compared to all the gunk that oozes out of those factories in highly advanced blocks of ice. I'm not about to let the Water Tribe get to the situation of barely surviving under polluted air with unclean water.

Qajak grimaced. "I would like to mention that one of the biggest superpowers during and following the Hundred Year War were those who maintained their industrial advantages. Ba Sing Se and the Fire Nation Capital are a few examples. Have you not been supportive of the industrial boom yourself? My research tells me you have remarkable skills in the fields of science and engineering, so you would have plenty of experience and overwhelming support for the development of the Water Tribes. How can industrial boom possibly cause harm or corrupt our society in any way?"

Sokka could recognize a manipulative businessman anywhere. Boosting the warrior's ego wasn't going to make him drop this, though. "You think society will not be corrupt by taking advantage of children? You think education will not at all be affected if almost one-third of the adolescent population is wasting away in factories? I thought Avatar Aang and I have been enforcing the importance of education."

"Sir—"

"I've also noticed a lack of fraternity in the tribe as well due to the excessive taxation that your factory requested the government to impose. Last time I checked, brotherhood was one of the most important values of the Water Tribe."

"No industrialist intends for children to take part in the labor force," Qajak reasoned, hissing. "It is a commoner's decision to allow his or her child to work in our factories. And as far as Water Tribe customs go, I am well aware of how brotherhood plays along with industrial endeavors. I'm sure being a Southerner would make you feel close-minded at times in terms of change but—"

"You do realize who you're talking to," Kano raised his eyebrows.

"Don't spike your stress, General," Sokka said, completely unperturbed as he shot Qajak a look. "So let me get this straight. You are a strict businessman who practically does nothing to associate with the Northern Water Tribe culturally, and you think—"

"Culture is not a factor of progress. We can have a million festivals related to the Moon and Ocean Spirits, but I guarantee you nothing will change. Since culture serves no purpose in boosting economic improvement, we might as well start making money off of the things we do to uphold these traditions."

"Right. And this goes for the taxes and stuff. I suppose you're also saying that you came to the position you're in now because you've been working in factories and paying every single one of these taxes? I'm sure you were not at all educated, were you?" he asked rhetorically.

"I never meant—"

"And since you're a rational guy, I think you would appreciate a bit of how the universe works in reality. These commoners you're taxing like crazy, they're not going to just sit there. The more of their children your industry tries to consume, the more they'll see the need for rebellion. Their rebellion is not far from actually reaching its breaking point, and it won't be long before it happens. And by the time your industry seeks help from the government, I'm sure Prince Anyu, being pro-culture as he is, would love to help you out in any way he can."

Qajak's impatience turned into a glare.

"What makes me still pity you is that you thought of the Northern Water Tribe as a block of ice before the era of industry. That block of ice is where a common tribesman's life begins, believe it or not. And it was that 'block of ice' that stood up during the Great Siege knowing there was absolute guarantee that it will win. It's a shame that you don't understand this."

"I think my brother-in-law pretty much nailed this argument."

Sokka turned to see Aang standing near the entrance of the tent. An impressed smile was painted on the Avatar's face.

"Avatar Aang!" Kano bowed. "It is a great honor to see you again."

The airbender walked in and placed his hand around his surprised brother-in-law, eyeing Qajak. "I think it's time we let the poor guy go, Sokka. I can see he has some reflecting to do."

"My apologies for being disrespectful, sir. I will not interfere with your restrictions. I hope to meet you on a lighter note next time." Qajak bowed before leaving abruptly, his apology nowhere near sincere as it was spurred by intimidation.

"I will meet with you after lunch, Avatar Aang," Kano bowed. "I'm afraid I have some errands to do."

"Alright, General Kano."

"And if you can, please let the committee know that we'll be having a meeting this evening to discuss further matters," Sokka told the general.

"As you wish, Councilman."

Once he left, Aang smiled widely at Sokka.

"When did you even get here?" Sokka asked.

"Just in time to hear your debate."

"You've been standing out there the entire time?"

"Yeah, but I'm glad I did." Aang gestured him to have a seat and sat next to him. "You know, I was really worried about you while flying here— well, ever since you started for the North, to be honest— but now I know you've been doing really well. And I know you know this already, but...I'm proud of you, Sokka."

"Why the touchy-feely emotion, Aang? It was just another one of my epic word battles."

"But I was even more impressed this time. You're going through a rough time, but you're weathering it with more grace than expected." The airbender sighed, noticing Sokka's injured arm. "I have to admit I'm terrified on another level, but I'm really glad you're okay."

"You didn't have to worry about me, Airhead."

"We've been family since forever. I can't just not worry about you," the Avatar said. "And you were so careless!"

"You just said you were proud of me!"

"That doesn't mean you're not in trouble."

"Fine," Sokka sighed, "Where are Katara and the kids?"

"Back at the palace." The horrified look on Sokka's face caused Aang to quickly assure, "In the safer part of the palace with ten security guards in front of their chambers."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go see my preachy tearbendy sister."


"I can't believe you didn't even think of sending us a word of what happened! You think you have to handle everything on your own?"

"Katara, be quiet. The kiddos are taking a nap—"

"You be quiet. You just don't want to hear my rant!" The waterbending master ran her smooth, water-coated hands over Sokka's injury. Other than the slight scarring and the occasional jolt of pain, for the most part, the wound was healed at a rapid rate that could only be credited to the Moon Spirit (though even with that possibility in mind, Katara and Aang refused to mention it outright).

"She's right, you know," Aang said, still not pleased but softer in demeanor compared to his wife, "I kept telling you to communicate with us if necessary because I knew you would neglect telling us something like this. It's a good thing Anyu was there to give me all the right details."

"Okay, even if I did tell you guys, would you have let me go on and do my research? Wouldn't you send a million orders to the authorities, telling them to give me extremely tight security and making me stay indoors all the time?"

"At least until you got better!" Aang defended.

"Look, guys, I know what you're doing is all for my own good, but since I'm going to be the chief in a couple of days, I need a little more freedom to check out my surroundings and see what the situation is like in the tribe," Sokka pointed out. "It's going to be harder for me to explore the tribe once I become the chief. And it's not just that." Frowning, a look of concern crossing his eyes, "I need to know what happened to Chief Arnook. It's…it's hard for me to process already. I can't rest until I know for sure…"

"But you still have to be careful," Katara told him, worry clouding her vision, "You can't be so reckless. The rebels are out there. They made it as far as the palace. I'm not saying you're not capable of protecting yourself, but…"

"The point is that you're going to be the next chief— even if it's temporary— which means you'll be in the spotlight," Aang said. "You have no idea when or from where your opponent might strike you—"

"I know, Aang. I know it's important. And I will protect myself."

Aang and Katara didn't seem too convinced; their fears only seemed to grow worse. Sokka sighed, "Guys, I promise you that nothing is going to happen to me. I'll be fine."

"You have to be fine for our sake, Sokka, if not for yours," Katara said, the octaves of her voice lowering with sincerity, "Dad left us not too long ago. It's just the two of us now. We need to watch each other's backs."

Sokka softened his eyes. He ushered Katara to sit next to him and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Look...I might be a lot of things, but I'm your big brother first. You know I'll never turn my back on you. Sure you're married to the Avatar and have three extremely protective babies, but you're still my baby sister. I won't leave you in the dust."

She smiled. "I know you won't. I just want you to take care of yourself."

"I will, I will…" He cleared his throat, sensing the awkwardness, "You're starting to make me feel overly emotional, Katara. Geez, even your oogies with Airhead are better to watch than this— ow! Hey, I'm injured over here."

"That's some injury alright," she smirked. "Everything seems pretty normal to me."

"Make a warrior's promise," Aang demanded. "That you'll pay attention to every step you'll take."

"Yes, Airhead warrior's promise. Now can we please move on to the dining hall? I'm starving."