Chapter 33: Atteritta's story

Normal POV

Hello Zuko,

We investigated the house as you requested and we found that is inhabited by a young woman who appears to be a Combustion Bender.

The people seem to be under the impression she's dangerous.

Contact me as soon as possible on what to do. We really want to help her.

Love, Femke

Femke wrote on a piece of paper as soon as they were out of the house., watching after Hawkie the second as he flew to the royal palace.

"How long until a reply?" Zaheer asked as he stood next to Femke.

"Soon, I hope." Femke replied as she looked at her boyfriend sadly before looking back at the house. "We need to get her out of there." After that they all went silence until the fluttering of wings caught everybody's attention.

"That was fast." Ghazan smirked.

"Two black lines even. This is serious." Femke commented as she undid the lid of the messenger tube and got the letter out.

"What does it say?" Ilene asked, looking over her friend's shoulder.

Don't try to kick up a fuss. I'll be in Songpan shortly.

Zuko

"He's coming himself?!" Dizanna said with a shocked look.

"He's aware that this isn't the way to treat someone." Allerys said.

"So what is our plan?" P'li asked, looking around firmly.

"Well, trying to get her not to hate us any more is a good start." Femke said with a pondering look.

"Sneaking her some food might help." Dizanna said sternly.

"Sounds like a plan." Ilena nodded.

"How?" Selvia asked.

"We could use a distraction." Xai Bau brought up.

"Good idea." Femke smiled before she looked around. The street was quite busy at the moment. "Not now. We have to come back tomorrow after we worked out the details."

"Femke is right. We need to be prepared." Zaheer agreed.

"Let's get some rest and come back here tomorrow." Xai Bau nodded, after which they all turned around and started to walk away. Femke was the only one looking back one more time at the house

Hang in there. We're going to get you out of there

Femke thought, smiling as she saw the red eyes appear behind the bars again. Femke put her hand up and waved.

The next day, the Red Lotus members returned to the house. Femke carried a big bag of groceries with her.

"I'm sure she will be delighted to have some proper food to eat and be able to wash herself." Femke smiled as she looked at Zaheer with gleaming eyes, who nodded in reply and looked at the house.

"We have to be careful not to be seen. We don't need the fuss." Zaheer told her sternly, at which Femke grinned. She was already one step ahead.

"Zaheer is right. We have to be careful." Xai Bau said, at which Tziza nodded.

"Let's make a bit of a fuss. We can use the commotion to place the bag without people noticing." Femke smiled deviously as she got a firecracker out of her pocket before she showed it to the others.

"Where did you get that?" Noatak asked.

"I kept one in my pocket. Felt like it could come in handy." Femke smirked as the group went to the forested area outside of town to plan.

"Looks like she's a step ahead of you." Ghazan noted.

"I'm lucky to have her." Zaheer smiled at femke, which caused her to blush and P'li to look at Zaheer sadly. She still didn't like it when he was so openly smitten with her. It still hurt.

Well, maybe not as much

She thought as she looked at Noatak, blushing a little as their eyes met before she quickly turned away.

"P'li, you light the firecracker. Xai Bau, Tziza and Ghazan, be ready to fight. Ming Hua and Selvia; you're on lookout while I place the bag. The rest of you be ready to help me if I get in trouble." Femke instructed at which the others gave a curt nod. They all knew what they had to do.

"What do we do if someone spots you or when it doesn't work?" Zaheer asked with a worried look. He had been there before and it frightened him.

I can't start to think like that! What's done is done. I can't let it effect my actions in the now

Zaheer told himself firmly as femke smiled at him.

"We'll try something else. And if that doesn't work well… don't even think about that."

Femke smirked as she quoted her former husband Grovyle.

"We're in the middle of a mission and you're quoting your ex?" Zaheer asked as he gave his girlfriend a teasing grin.

"You're always quoting that Guru of yours and I wanted to try it." Femke replied with the same grin on her face.

"Touché." The older airbender grinned. After which P'li rolled her eyes, got up, walked to the town's main square and set off the firecracker, which indeed seemed to cause a panic as she calmly walked away.

"Femke knows how to cause a scene." Ghazan smirked as he watched the people run around in a panic while Femke snuck to the door and placed the bag with groceries on the doorstep and knocked to try and make her come get it before anyone would notice it.

"She was always like that." Noatak smiled as he and Tarrlok looked at the panicking crowd.

"That's Femke; always ready to stir things up." Tarrlok smirked as he watched Femke get out of sight as fast as she could and get back to them.

"That went exactly as planned" She grinned as she watched the bag. As they did so, a tall man managed to calm the people down. Assuring them no one was in danger.

"Now lets hope she gets it." Ilene started but stopped when Selvia tapped on her shoulder and pointed to the man, who had noticed the bag.

"That's not supposed to be there." The man said, just as the door opened slightly after which a hand appeared reaching for the bag, quickly retreating it and closing the door when the man came to the doorstep and opened the bag to see what was inside.

"And this is fresh as well." He said, before shrugging. "Hey, free groceries." The man said as he took the bag with him.

"That was a bust." Tziza said with a sad look on her face.

"Why do they treat her like that?" Allerys said with tears in her eyes as the man walked off with the bag. He was approached by someone else.

"Oh, hello Major." The man with the bag said.

"Who put that bag there? Everyone knows it's against the rules." The man, who looked like he was the Major of the village, asked.

"Thank goodness they didn't see us. Who knows what would have happened." P'li commented.

"Now what?" Ming Hua asked.

What more can we do to get that stuff inside?

Femke thought as she looked at the Major who looked down when he saw the hand come out of the house again, searching for the bag Femke had put down for her. The man grabbed the hand tightly.

"You should stay inside like we ordered you."He hissed.

"Oh my." Tziza softly gasped.

"Why are they treating her like that? She looks fine to me. If not a bit like P'li." Ming Hua commented.

"They're afraid of her." Xai bau commanded as he looked at the scene in front of him. It was interrupted however, when an older woman approached the Major.

"Excuse me? What are you doing?" She asked angrily.

"She was breaking the rules and needs to be taught a lesson." The Major answered.

"The rules is she can't leave the house and only open the door for food." The woman challenged. "She's keeping to your rules, no matter how cruel. So how about you at least leave her be?" The Major was silent for a moment, before he grumbled and let the arm go. "Good." With that, the woman entered the home. The Major simply glared at her.

"That's one way to solve the problem." Zaheer said with a smile on his face as he watched the woman close and lock the door behind her. The Major looked at the door for a moment before he walked away.

"That was odd." Tziza said as she looked after the woman as she disappeared into the house with the locked woman.

"So what do we do now?" Ghazan asked as the group decided to have some ice cream to lighten their spirits a bit.

"How long do you suppose it will take for Lord Zuko to come here?" Allerys asked as she licked her mocha flavored ice cream.

"A few hours, I guess. If he takes fang along." Femke replied as she carefully ate her Mint ice cream.

"We should try and make up a good excuse to get back in and smuggle some things along." Xai Bau brought up. "She needs those." He said firmly as he looked at the house as Femke looked at her ice cream sadly, suddenly feeling immense regret. They could sit here and enjoy the sun, enjoy a beautiful day, while she had to be locked inside that house.

"I'm sorry guys, but I lost my appetite." Femke said as she looked at one of the little kids that had heard her and now looked at her ice cream with a longing look in her eyes. Femke looked at him for a moment, before she dumped the ice cream in the trash can. The kid looked at her, stumped.

"Why'd you do that?" He asked.

"I can't feel good about enjoying an Ice cream, Knowing that a poor, innocent woman is stuck in that house."

"If she can't enjoy a nice ice cream today, I won't be able to swallow another bite as well." Zaheer said as he threw away his own ice cream as well, after which the others soon followed the example. The kid just nodded, before moving on.

"Be sure to tell your friends!" Zaheer called after him.

"We need a plan. We need to get in that house again." Ilene whispered with a stern look.

"We can't use force to get in now. Remember, we promised Zuko to not use violence." Femke reminded her friend with a stern look.

"I know, but we also promised to help that poor woman." Ilene said.

"But I don't think he would want us to use violence to get it done." Femke said, looking to the side in an annoyed way as another young woman walked to the group with a sad look on her face.

"Everyone, don't look up." Zaheer whispered as they noticed a villaged approaching. Everyone did so, not wanting to talk to one of the villagers that did nothing to help the poor woman.

"Are you the ones that put down the bag of fresh food the other day?" The woman asked, which made Femke turn and look at her.. It was the woman from before, who stood up to the Major and helped the woman in the house.

"Yeah, why?" Femke answered as she gave her friends some hand signals to tell them that it was alright.

"Follow me." The young woman said as she motioned them. They did, acting inconspicuously while they followed her into her house and up to a attic room that was arranged like a small living room, that looked very cozy, even with the curtains closed.

"Alright, what do you want from us?" Zaheer asked with a tone of suspicion in his voice while Femke took of her jacket and put it around her waist before she started to look around. She was trusting the situation, her instincts were telling her they had nothing to fear.

"I'm going to show you something." The blonde said as she put a hand on the wall that was connected to the house of the locked woman.

"What?" Noatak asked with a confused look as the blonde woman opened a secret hatch which she had hidden behind a bookshelf and went through it.

"It's okay, I brought some friends along that would like to see you again." She told someone. And when she re-appeared they saw the Combustion Woman from next door was hugging her, shivering with fear as she clutched to the dress of her neighbor, scared.

"She looks so frail." Allerys noted as she crouched down near the woman and placed a hand on the bandana on her forehead, which was loosened, revealing her third eye tattoo.

"She is. Her name is Atterita." The blonde woman said as she gave Atterita a soft, motherly look, holding the woman in her arms as she spoke.

"Atteritta. Not a common name around here." Tarrlok remarked as he sat down.

"I know. I have known her parents quite well. She lived next door to me ever since I was a child. It was a name they had once read in a book about an ancient spirit with wings named Atterita."

"Spirits with wings? Now that's familiar." Ghazan commented with a smirk. "Sounds like a fairy to me."

"Fairy?" The blonde asked as she looked up at them with shock.

"Just like the stories." Ghazan smirked.

"Those fairytales aren't made up. They're part of history. However long forgotten." Femke explained with a small smile as Atteritta slowly opened her eyes, looking around curiously.

"That is amazing. I just wished Atteritta's parents had been able to hear that. They would have loved it. Did you know her parents were combustion benders as well? Just like her grandparents. Her lineage goes back to the original Combustion Bender." This made everyone gasp.

"Lanniban." P'li gasped as she looked at the woman with widened eyes "That means we're..."

"Family." Xai Bau gasped.

"Excuse me?" The blonde woman asked as she looked up at P'li.

"Lee Chang is my father and he is also the grandson of Combustion Man." P'li explained.

"I remember him. He was locked in this house together with his parents and Atteritta, until one day, when they resisted their imprisonment." The woman started.

"Understandable, seeing how their daughter lives." Ghazan commented.

"What happened when they tried to escape?" Femke asked after a small. She knew there was no way around figuring out the fate of the parents of Atteritta and if the blonde woman didn't tell she was bound to get nightmares about it. she knew that.

"They tried to force their way out of the house, using their combustion bending to do so. Atteritta was five years old when it happened. She was on her mother's arm, her older brother ran out before them. Atteritta's father managed to get their son out of the house and out of sight into the forest, telling him to flee and never return but Attiritta's parents were killed for the attempt."

The blonde woman told them, smiling a little when Femke kneeled down by her side, thankful for the kindness of these people.

Femke's POV

"How horrible. Has she lived all on her own ever since?" I managed to ask after hearing that horrible story. That poor woman had never been free. Had no idea what it was like to live like a normal person.

"Until her eighteenth birthday she had to stay locked in our house so my parents could look after her. At first they were horrified of her just as much as the rest of the village but over time, and with my help, they started to get attached to her." The blonde woman said as she stroke Atteritta over her cheek with a tender smile on her face. Atteritta nodded, beaming when the blonde's parents were mentioned.

"They made this house feel like a home, instead of a prison. They gave me food, bathed me, hugged me. Loved me." Atteritta said and with every word she said she became sadder and sadder.

"They made the secret hatch to get to Attiritta after she had to leave our house. It broke their hearts to see her go." The blonde woman said with a sad look in her eyes.

"We have always been like sisters. I was the one that proved my parents that she was just a small little girl and not a monster. After that I've always stayed there to help her when she needed me." The blonde continued to tell.

"How did you manage that? Most parents don't listen to their children." Zaheer asked since his parents never listened to him.

"Indeed." Noatak commented as Tarrlok nodded.

"By playing with her even when they forbade it. By caring for her. Staying by her side when she was ill." The blonde said before she pulled a picture out of her pocket which showed a much younger version of her together with Attiritta, who looked ill, a loving smile on her face as she slept.

"Too bad you didn't manage to free her." Zaheer said. He was right, if they had managed to free her, she would have been truly happy.

"I know. They tried after they realized how the poor child was treated but they never managed." The woman firmly said, trying to protect her parents.

"We understand. Different subject; you never told us your name." Zaheer asked.

"My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Aleia but my friends call me Ali."

Aleia smiled as she held out her hand for us to shake. Which I did with a smile on my own face.

"That's a nice name." Xai Bau commented.

"Glad to meet you, we haven't introduced ourselves either, my name is..." I started. but stopped when aleia held up her hand.

"I know who you are. I read all about you in the newspapers. You're my heroes." Aleia said with a smile as she showed me an old newspaper with a picture of me holding Noatak and Tarrlok around their waists, happily smiling, believing the hell was all over now and we could be a family at last.

"There is also the remainder of my friends." I smiled as I introduced the rest of the group.

"Glad to meet you all." Aleia smiled.

"Why am I your hero?." I stammered with a blush on my face. I never saw myself as a hero.

"Because of what you did with your powers, trying to help people like Amon, Tarrlok and the Red Lotus. That's what heroes do. Trying to see the good in people no matter what." Aleia said as she smiled at me kindly. I took my coat and wrapped it around Atteritta's shoulders.

Aleia's POV

"Because of what you did with your powers, trying to help people like Amon, Tarrlok and the Red Lotus. That's what heroes do. Trying to see the good in people no matter what." I said after introduced myself.

Like how I am towards Attiritta. How I've always been towards her. Long before my parents understood

I thought as I remembered something. The first day Atteritta had been in our home.

Songpan

38 years earlier

It had been a day since Atterita's parents had been hanged for trying to escape. That same evening Atterita had been locked back in the house. However, the people of the village knew she was too young to stay on her own. Even they didn't want to be responsible for the death of a child. My parents were asked to take Atterita to keep a eye on her until she was old enough to live on her own. I was five years old back then, unable to understand any of these matters. All I knew was that a new girl was coming to live with me.

"Here she is Mister and Miss Zhan Ti."

The police officer said as they pushed a sobbing and scared looking five year old towards my parents. I just smiled as I walked towards her, holding out my hand.

"I'm Aleia. Welcome to your new home." I asked her. I saw the girl had a strange tattoo on her forehead as she looked around nervously.

"What's your name?" I asked now as I held out my hand to her. She whimpered as she looked at me with big, scared eyes.

"I think she's a bit shy." I said with a smile on my face.

"Or she has never been taught manners." My mother told me before she took Atterita up towards the bathroom were she let the tub fill up with hot water and soap. I walked to my toy chest and got my bath toys and before my mother could object I had put them in the bath with the Atterita.

"There you go, you can play with my toys." I smiled at her as my mother washed the girl, who tried to get out of the water, looking at the toys curiously.

"Can I also get in the tub?" I asked my mother. I wanted to play with my new sister. I wanted to explain that taking a bath wasn't something to be afraid off. She seemed to be afraid of taking a bath, that wasn't right. She should have fun while bathing, just like anyone else.

"No. She's far too dangerous." My mother said. I shook my head.

"She doesn't look dangerous." I said as I joined her in the tub. My mother just sighed and let me. "Let's play." I said as I took my toys. "Here comes Captain Ducky!" I chirped. Atterita looked at me uneasy, unable to understand why I wanted to play with her. "Have you never played in a bath?" I asked her as I made the boat float around us in the water. Atterita shook her head, looking down sadly.

"No. We don't have one. Only real people have. Not Monsters like us." Atterita softly said. This was the first time I heard her speak. I was shocked she talked about herself like that.

"You're not a monster. You're a girl. Like me." I said with a smile on my face. I couldn't comprehend that she saw herself as a monster.

"No I'm not. I'm evil." Atterita said as she looked at my mother. I simply pulled her into a hug.

"You're my sister now. I will be there if you need me."

I told her with a smile. Atterita started to cry, placing her head in my chest.

"It's okay. I will help you. Whatever happens." I told her. I felt her calm down.

"Thank you. My name is… Atterita." She said as she looked at me with a smile on her face. Her eyes were gleaming orange as she spoke out her name.

"It's nothing really but I'm glad to help her if she needs me."

Femke answered. This snapped me out of my thoughts and made me look at her before I looked down at Atterita with a gentle smile, remembering that very first day she had been with me and despite her fear of me, I managed to reach her. Which was the very first step into getting Atterita out of this misery someday.

"That's what a true hero does. Help the people in need. Whatever it takes." I said with a smile on my face. A true hero would do whatever it takes to serve the need of the people, regardless of what would happen to them. Just like what Femke and her friends did for Atterita now.

"You're a hero as well. You're risking everything to save Atterita, even your own freedom." Femke smiled kindly.

"It must be hard to stay cooped up in this town for your entire life." Xai Bau noted.

"That might be but seeing Atterita's life be a little more bearable because I'm around makes it worth it." Aleia smiled as she looked down at Atterita.

"You must feel horrible." Femke smiled as She reached towards Atteritta but she flinched away. Poor woman, she had been through so much she doesn't trust anyone anymore except me

That must have taken a lot of time

I thought as I got closer to her.

"Hello." I smiled as I calmly sat down a little closer to her. "I want to help you."

"I don't believe you." Atteritta said.

"Well, we mean it." Ghazan tried.

"We really do." I tried as I managed to edge closer to her.

"That's already more than we can ask for." Aleia said.

"But what are we going to do now?" Xai bau asked as he looked around, hoping someone knew something.

"She needs to get out." P'li said as she looked around firmly.

"Hopefully the plan doesn't involve much walking." Zaheer brought up, softly patting his legs as he said this.

"Can't you let your earthly tethers go temporarily?" Ghazan asked, which made me look at him with shock. That would mean he would have to detach himself from me.

"No. That only worked because I thought the woman I loved was dead" Zaheer replied, smiling at me. "I'm not going through that Hell twice."

"I don't think it's something you can fake, either." I replied smiling from him to P'li as, which made her smile in return.

"Can we tunnel under the city until we're in the forest?" Tziza tried.

"Tunneling worked for us before." Tarrlok smiled at me, which made Noatak look at him surprised.

"So that's how you two were at the rally in time." He said.

"Yeah, we fixed the roof afterwards so Tenzin wouldn't notice." I smiled.

"Where should we start to tunnel?" Ghazan asked, ready to earthbend.

"How far can we actually leave the house with Atterita without getting noticed?" Xai bau asked as he got up.

"Her parents made it to the edge of the forest but I don't think we'll be that lucky." Aleia replied after thinking for a moment.

"We should start in the backyard and tunnel towards the forest. That will make it harder for them to track us." Ilena said with a stern face.

"We're Wood Village trained, this will be easy." Dizanna smirked.

"We can't do this on our own." I remarked.

"Especially if someone calls the guards." Zaheer agreed.

"Good think you have royalty by your side." A familiar voice called, which made me look up, smiling when I saw him standing in the doorway while both Aleia and Atterita looked at the old man gasping, Aleia beaming while Atterita hid her face.

"Good to see you finally arrive, Lord zuko."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

And with that I end the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it.

Thanks for reading and let us not forget to thank paranoidgirl for doing such a great job as beta reader and advisor.

Please leave a review!