Book 1: Water
Chapter 19: The Siege of the North Part 1
and
Chapter 20: The Siege of the North Part 2
A/N: I Know I know, I have been MIA for waaayyy to long. Sorry:P School has been crazy busy but we had the day off yesterday and after studying for my ACT I needed creativity! But to make up for it, here is a super long and detailed chapter for you:) This one is really thought out, so it took me a big longer than usual, but I hope you enjoy anyway:) P.S. Reviews make me happy:)
"The Fire Nation? How can you know for certain that they are getting ready to attack? Where did you get this information?" Pakku watched as Chief Arnook paced hurriedly back and forth. He knew that the Chief trusted him fully, and was not really questioning his foreboding news. No, his interrogation came from disbelief and denial.
"You know as well as I that I would not give you information that was invalid. We have managed to keep the Fire Nation at bay for as long as we can, but we both knew this day would come." Pakku replied, not fully answering Arnook's question. But the man took no notice. He let out a weary sigh.
"Come, we must inform the others. Gather the waterbenders, would you? We'll need them." He nodded and watched as the chief ran to begin the town meeting. Returning to his room, Pakku offered his arm to the arctic dove that had been sent to him bearing the bad news. Arctic doves were rare, but they had always been one of his favorite animals. He remembered taking his granddaughter up to see them a couple times, but as far as he knew, nobody else knew about them. Not many people liked to visit the frozen, snowy tundra above the spirit oasis where they lived.
Stroking the bird's soft feathers one last time, he set it down on his bed and left to gather the troops. It was time to prepare for war.
But in the back of his mind, there was the hope that his granddaughter would finally be returning home.
"Sokka, are you sure we should be doing this? The Fire Nation-"
"If anything, the Fire Nation is the reason we should be! You know, we can see them approaching." Sokka interrupted Princess Yue, taking her hand and leading her over to where Appa was munching on seaweed.
"Appa and I go way back, don't we buddy?" Sokka asked. Hearing his voice, Appa looked up and leapt at him, pinning him under his paws and dragging his tongue across his face. Yue's twinkling laugh sounded in the background.
"Apparently you haven't been giving Appa enough attention!" She said, smiling. Blushing, Sokka freed himself from Appa and helped her onto the saddle. Soon they were in the air, laughing, talking and of course, flirting. They had just broken apart from an awkward almost-kiss when Sokka noticed clumps of black snow falling from the sky.
"Oh no…"
"What's happening" Yue asked, nervousness lacing her tone.
"Soot mixed with Snow. They're close" There was no question about who 'they' were. Yanking on the reigns, Sokka started to head back to the palace. Yue clutched at his arm, and neither of them said a word.
The members of the northern water tribe sat solemnly as Chief Arnook spoke of the battle they would soon wage. When he called for volunteers, Sokka was the first to stand, earning confused looks from both Katara and Aang. Others quickly followed, and together, they and the waterbenders of the tribe would prepare to defend their home.
"I can't do it Uncle. I can't stay here one more minute!" Emi said frantically. Iroh had just returned from his 'chat' with Zhao, and every solider on the ship was preparing to attack. "It's my home." She whispered.
Iroh wrapped his arms around her in a hug, letting her bury her head in his shoulder. "I know it's hard my dear, but we are too far away for you to leave the ship right now." Emi looked up at him, still distressed.
"You're going to let me leave? What if Zhao notices?"
"Of course I'm going to let you. I couldn't stop you even if I didn't want you to!" he chuckled. His expression turned somber. "I know there are people you need to see. It's been a long time since you have been home." She nodded and hugged him tighter.
"Thank you Uncle." He smiled at her and then nudged her out the door. Together they went to the bowels of the ship to meet Zuko.
"Do you have a plan?" Iroh asked tersely.
"I'm working on it Uncle." He replied. His eyes drifted to Emi, where she was standing stiffly, her eyes worried. "What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing…."she paused, "Not now, I will explain later."
"Alright…" he said reluctantly.
By twilight, hundreds of fireballs had been shot at the Water tribe palace, and Zhao was too much of a coward to resume the fighting when the waterbenders were at their best. Of course, Emi knew that this had been Uncle's suggestion, a small opportunity for both her and Zuko to escape. Zhao's comment about the moon made her uneasy. She knew that the moon and water spirits had given up immortality to live amongst the mortals, but she didn't know their exact location. Nobody did, she hoped.
Leaving before she could get another earful of Zhao's simply genius plan, she made her way to the room in the side of the ship that not many people knew about. Zuko was waiting there, preparing the boat, when she arrived. Seeing her, he tied the rope in place and pulled her into a tight hug. He had been dressed as a nameless solider for weeks, so this was the first time he was able to do it in a while.
They stood like that until the door opened again to reveal Iroh. He said to them a proverb that had something to do with an octopus and a net-it made Emi's head hurt just to try and think it through, and she was pretty smart.
"We don't have time for your wisdom Uncle." Zuko said.
"I know. I just do it because I worry about you. Ever since my son died…"
"You don't have to say it-"
"I think of you as my own." Zuko closed his eyes, and when they opened again they were softer, not so determined. He placed a hand on his uncle's shoulder. "And you, Emi. You know I have considered you my daughter since Lu tin rescued you all those years ago."
"I know Uncle. But don't worry, we will be fine." She kissed his cheek and Zuko gave him a parting hug before taking her hand and leading her to the boat, just big enough to hold the two of them.
They set off, Emi waterbending so that the boat would move faster than if Zuko had been paddling. They reached a large rock and lifted themselves out of the boat.
"What now?" Emi asked, glancing around her. She could easily walk through the front gates, and that was her plan. She was a waterbender, a friend. The same could not be said for Zuko. He pointed at a couple of turtle seals that were jumping into a small hole, filled with water, who's bottom couldn't be seen.
"They have to come up for air somewhere." He said, wandering over to it.
"Zuko, I…" she stopped, uncertain. Zuko walked back over to her and took her hands in his.
"You have to find him. I get it, he's the only family you have." He said, giving her a small half smile. Beaming at him, she threw her arms around his neck
"He's not my only family. Not anymore." She replies. Separating, Zuko gave her one last smile before leaping in after the turtle seals. Emi stared at the spot where he had vanished for a moment, trying to calm herself. Turning on her heel before she can convince herself not to go, she walked to the edge of the rock and created a path of ice that ended right at the wall.
Pushing through the hard packed snow, she started to make her way up to the Palace. The city was in ruins around her, and everyone had taken cover, only one or two out and about. When she reached the entrance of the palace, two guards pointed spears at her, but she had eyes only for Chief Arnook. She raised her hands in surrender.
"Chief Arnook, I mean no harm, I need to see Master Pakku." Chief Arnook narrowed his eyes at her, as if she was a puzzle he needed to figure out.
"I know you. I know I do. But who-"
"Emi!" Hearing his voice, Emi forgot about the weapons pointed at her and launched herself into her grandfather's arms.
Arnook was shocked. Everyone knew the story of Master Pakku's long lost granddaughter, who had left for Ba Sing Se many years ago. Her parents had been with her on a small watertribe boat that got intercepted by a fire nation ship on their way to the city. Her parents had been taken away and locked up, and it was there that they soon got sick and passed away. But nobody had known where Emi was or what happened to her. To see her now was unbelievable, but he knew this was no time for questions. Instead he left, taking his two guards with him and leaving the two to their reunion.
"I wanted to believe it was you when I got the dove, but I couldn't be sure. How are you here? And why with them, the Fire Nation?" He stroked her hair gently and blinked tears out of his eyes. His granddaughter had returned when he thought she never would. He remembered when he had taught her waterbending, every day in secret, but she had been amazing. "Come on, you can tell me in a more private place."
"When our boat had been attacked, it was the general's son who was commanding it. He was the first one in and he caught sight of me. Uncle told me later that it was because he wouldn't have been able to bear seeing me hurt that he hid me away until we reached Ba Sing Se." She told him.
"Uncle? You're calling the great General Iroh Uncle?" Pakku asked in disbelief. She nodded and smiled sadly.
"He's a good person Grandfather. Lu tin, that was his son's name, put me on the ship commanded by one of his friends headed to the fire nation. I stayed there for the duration of the siege, living in the palace as a daughter of Uncle's friends who had been killed during the war. When Uncle returned, I found out that my rescuer had died, and in that time I had become so close friends to the Prince that Uncle raised me as his own." When she finished her tale, Pakku still looked unsure.
"This doesn't explain how one of the most renowned fire nation generals is a good person." He growled.
"Lu tin's death changed him Grandfather. He's different now." She insisted. Then realization hit her. "Oh! How could I have forgotten? The moon spirit is in trouble, we have to save it!." Pakku leapt up, his granddaughters story momentarily forgotten.
"The Spirit Oasis. Emi come quickly!" Pakku raced off towards the small door to the spirit oasis, Emi hot on his heels. He opened the door and clambered in, Emi following. They made their way to the small Island in the middle of the oasis. Emi saw a person lying on the ground, and recognizing the southern water tribe robes, she ran over to her.
"Katara! Katara wake up." Emi said, shaking her until her eyes opened wearily.
"Emi? But...Zuko…he…no!" Gasping, she jumped to her feet, wobbling a little. Emi caught her arm to steady her.
"What? What is it Katara?"
"He took him right out from under me." She said despairingly, kneeling down by the water. Emi knelt beside her.
"It will be okay." She said.
"But what are you doing here? Why aren't you with Zuko?" Katara asked.
"I had some other business to take care of." Emi answered, smiling warmly at Pakku. Katara sniffed.
"But how do you know Master Pakku?"
"He's my grandfather. I grew up here, before I lived in the fire nation. Who else would have taught me waterbending huh?" Katara stared at her, as if not fully comprehending what she had just said. Before she could reply, Appa came sailing down with Sokka and Yue in tow.
"Katara! Where's Aang? Why are you here?" This last question was directed at Emi. "What's going on?"
"Zuko! He took Aang. I couldn't protect him." Katara's tears renewed themselves. Sokka put a comforting arm around her.
"It's alright, they couldn't have gotten too far." He said. A gasp and a squeal caused the siblings to look up.
"Emi!" Yue exclaimed, hugging the younger girl tightly. "I thought I would never see you again!"
"Now I'm really confused." Sokka said
"I know, it's so good to see you!" Emi returned, eyes filling with tears as she clung to her very best friend from the Water Tribe. "And I'm sorry Sokka, but there is no time to explain! Aang and Zuko are in trouble. There's a tundra right above here, that's where he would have taken him. Grandfather and I have to stay here and protect the spirits.
"Grandfather? Spirits? Oh I give up." Sokka said dramatically.
"Yes, I am her grandfather, and these are the moon and ocean spirits." Pakku spoke up finally, having been silent the entire time, and pointed at the Koi fish circling each other.
"Now come on, there isn't any time to waste!" Katara said, grabbing Sokka's hand and pulling him towards Appa. Yue looked to Sokka, then to Emi, clearly conflicted.
"Go. You two are cute together." Emi whispered in her, and they both giggled. It was almost as if Emi had never left at all. Yue wrapped her in one last hug.
"I missed you." She said
"I missed you too. Now go, we have a battle to win." She squeezed her once and then let go, waving as Sokka helped her up onto Appa.
"Now what?" She asked Pakku as they flew away. Momo settled himself in her lap and she stroked his fur fondly.
"Now, we wait."
Aang was surprised, to say the least, to see Emi sitting with Momo in her lap at the spot where his body should have been, Master Pakku standing guard. He was at a loss on how to return to his body, since he had no idea where it was, but in a flash of light and a strange flying sensation, he was himself again, tied up in a dimly lit cave. Great.
"Welcome Back." Turning around, he saw the source of the snarled words. Zuko.
"Good to be back." He snapped. Gathering the air around him, he blew a strong gust at Zuko, throwing him into the wall and propelling himself into the snow. He tried to wiggle away but didn't get far before Zuko recovered and grabbed him by the ropes tying him together. Then Appa flew overhead, and the day was saved.
"Here for a rematch?" Zuko taunted Katara as she jumped down from Appa.
"Trust me Zuko, it won't be much of a match." She answered firmly, trapping him In a tower of water that she brought crashing to the ground, rendering him unconscious as he had done to her. Sokka freed Aang of his bindings and the three of them climbed back onto Appa. They were about to leave when Yue spoke.
"Wait! You can't leave Zuko. Emi loves him." She said in a matter-of-fact way. Sokka and Katara gave her a strange look and were prepared to argue when Aang stopped them.
"She's right. If we leave him, he'll die." He picked Zuko up and brought him on to Appa's saddle, using the rope that had just been binding him to tie up Zuko's limbs.
"Alright, let's go."
Night had fallen when the door to the oasis reopened to reveal Zhao and a few of his men. Emi and Pakku stood and took defensive positions, hard determination in each of their eyes.
"I have to admit, I am a bit surprised to see you here, lady Emi. Even more so, that this waterbender seems to trust you." Zhao said, as if they were simply chatting over tea. Emi rolled her eyes.
"I have no time for your meaningless chatter Zhao. You musn't do what you have come here to do." She said.
"And who are you to stop me?" Zhao snarled. Emi took incentive to attack first, throwing a powerful burst of fire at Zhao. If Pakku was surprised, he didn't show it. The fight began, but when Emi tried to fire at him again, a pain so intense it brought her to her knees tore through her. Pakku was held up by all four of Zhao's men, and although he had already knocked two out of commission, he could not stop Zhao from scooping into the oasis and grabbing the moon spirit from the water.
The moon turned red, and Emi felt the power that the full moon brought swiftly leave her. Pakku was overpowered and Zhao's men held him with his hands behind his back. Emi forced herself to her feet, but she couldn't fight. Her waterbending was gone, and somehow she knew that the pain within her came from firebending. She had to try to reason with him. She was about to speak when she saw Uncle Iroh appear. He motioned for her to be quiet, and she obeyed.
"I have done it! This day will go down in History as the day the great moon spirit was destroyed. For generations they will tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon. They will call me Zhao the conqueror, Zhao the slayer of the moon, Zhao the invincible!" The end of his dramatic speech brought the arrival of Aang, Katara, and Sokka.
They looked ready to attack. Emi took a step forward to join them but stumbled, the pain earlier still causing her legs to be weak. It didn't matter anyway, because Zhao raised a fist, pointing it at the flailing bag that held the Koi fish.
"Don't even bother." He threatened. Aang raised his hands in surrender.
"Zhao, don't." he said firmly.
"It's my destiny to destroy the moon and the water tribe." Zhao returned fiercely.
"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the water tribe, it will hurt everyone. Including you. Without the moon, everything would be thrown out of balance! You can't imagine what that chaos would do to the world."
"He is right, Zhao." Iroh made his presence known, helping Emi to her feet while keeping a close eye on Zhao's fist.
"General Iroh. I can't say I'm surprised about your treachery."
"I am no traitor Zhao. The Fire Nation needs the moon spirit too." He said calmly, as if Zhao was a wild animal that needed to be tamed. But his efforts were not working, and everyone could tell. "Whatever you do to that spirit, I will unleash on you tenfold! Let it go, now!" he snarled. Zhao lowered his head, as if ashamed. Opening the bag, he released the koi fish back in to the water, and the moon returned to the sky.
But Zhao had to have the last word it seemed, because he let out a ferocious cry and sent a wave of fire into the water, striking the koi fish.
The sky went black. Uncle attacked, knocking out all four of Zhao's men, but unable to reach him because he had fled.
"Coward!" Emi snarled bitterly. She could finally move again, making her way over to the oasis and kneeling down, gently lifting the white Koi fish out of the water. It had a black streak in down it's middle. She closed her eyes, wishing there was something she could do, but knowing that she could do nothing without her bending. Yue crouched down next to her, Sokka on her other side. Iroh knelt down on her right and gently lifted the fish from her hands.
"There's no hope now." Yue said helplessly. Emi squeezed her hand, hoping that that at least would offer her some comfort when she had no words. "It's over."
"No. It's not over." Emi looked up to see Aang's eyes and arrows glowing, a sign he was about entering the avatar state. He walked out to the middle of the oasis, Katara making a move to stop him but stopped when Uncle held out his hand. The other Koi fish circled Aang, its eyes and markings beginning to glow as well, lighting up the entire pool. Aang disappeared and a dazzling blue light shone from around them, travelling as it entered the rest of the palace and grew into an enormous, monstrous being that struck out at fire nation ships, fighting for the water tribe.
The small group's attention was turned back to the other matter, the Koi fish.
"It's too late. Its dead." Katara said sadly. Iroh bowed his head, before something else caught his attention.
"You have been touched by the moon spirit. Some of its life lives within you." He said to Yue. Emi felt her heart drop. She knew what that meant, and it seemed that Yue did too.
"Yes. It gave me life…maybe I could give it back." Her voice was firm and determined; her mind made up.
"No!" Sokka said desperately, and Emi's heart broke for him. "You don't have to do that!"
"It's my duty."
"I won't let you, your father told me to protect you!" Sokka reached for her hand and clung to it.
"I have to do this." Yue answered pulling her hand from his grip. Sokka reached out for her again, but Emi laid her hand on his arm. He looked at her and could see the pain and tears in her eyes. He remembered when they first arrived at the oasis, how Emi and Yue had reunited happily, best friends who had been separated for far too long. She understood him. Sokka sank to his knees and let Emi comfort him as Yue stepped forward and stared at the Koi fish, her hands shaking. She looked back at Emi and Sokka.
"Be brave Yue, you always were." Emi said, trying to muster up a semblance of a smile for her. Yue placed both hands on the fish, and in a bright flash of light, the fish began to flail and she fell back, Sokka catching her.
"No!" He held Yue close to him. "She's gone. She's gone." He said brokenly. Emi smoothed her friends hair back and kissed her cheek, tears freely flowing down her face.
"I'll miss you Yue." Iroh returned the Koi fish to the water where it's counterpart gladly resumed their age-old dance. He wrapped his arms comfortingly around Emi just as Katara did the same for Sokka. Then another glowing light came and Yue disappeared from Sokka's arms, reappearing over the oasis pond, hair floating around her and pure white robes flowing gracefully.
"Never forget who you are Emi, embrace your heritage." Yue told her. "Thank you for being my best friend."
"You look really pretty as a spirit." Emi told her, smiling sadly, her tears still falling. Yue smiled back at her before moving to Sokka.
"Goodbye Sokka, I will always be with you." She said, kissing him once before disappearing altogether. When she had gone, the full moon filled the sky once more, casting a hopeful glow over the oasis.
"I am surprised, Prince Zuko. Surprised that you are not, at this moment, trying to capture the avatar." Iroh said, pulling on the sail of their small raft.
"I'm tired." He answered quietly. "Emi needs time." He added. She was staring out over the clear blue water, lost in her own world. Zuko sat with his arm around her, still hesitant to let her go after she had run to him, throwing her arms around his neck and crying for the loss of Yue, her parents, the life she was leaving behind. She needed time to recover.
"Then rest. A man needs his rest." Uncle said, smiling proudly at his nephew. His gaze was sad when he looked at Emi, who still had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, as if needing protection from some unseen force. Zuko nodded and laid down near the center of the raft, pulling Emi with him. She shook herself out of the daze she had been in and gave him a smile that was a little closer to a grimace, but she was trying. She curled against him and fell asleep almost at once. Zuko didn't realize how stiff and strong she held herself until she was completely slumped against him, all energy gone. He knew she didn't really understand that she didn't always have to be the strong one.
That was his last thought before he drifted off to sleep. Iroh smiled at the two of them curled together, glad that at the end of the day, they still had each other. No matter what.
A/N: I can't believe that I am really finished with Book 1! I am very excited to start book 2, although I couldn't even hope to tell you guys when the next chapter will be up! Bear with me, schools keeping me super busy. Other than that I'm very pleased with this chapter:) It took me ages to write, but it was a fun one to write too. So now you know a little bit more about Emi. Really you weren't going to find all that stuff out until later but my mind had other Ideas:) Reviews pretty please! And I will try to have the next one up in a reasonable time frame!
Much Love,
Em:)
