Book one:

Water

Chapter Two:

The Avatar Returns

Afraid. That was what I was feeling. Afraid, and confused, and also filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. Something was very wrong.

I stood with the other villagers, staring up into the golden sky, as a bright white/yellow flare arced in the sky, leaving a trail of grey smoke behind it. I could hear it whistling in a scream as it soared above my head. This was bad.

I looked back to the ground and noticed two figures making their way towards us. Two figures that were familiar, one dressed in Water Tribe blue, and the other dressed in the familiar Air Nomad orange and yellow.

It was Katara and Aang. The children cheered, and with smiles, on their faces, they ran forward to meet the young Airbender. The adults on the other hand…They did not look at all happy.

I bit my lip and fiddled with a loose curl. This wasn't going to end well. I saw Sokka stride forward, anger and determination on his tanned face. I had never seen him look this way in the short time I'd known him since we met….and it scared me all the more.

"I knew it. You signalled the Fire Navy with that flare." he pointed up to the still flying flare in the sky "You're leading them straight to us aren't you?!"

Katara, Aang, and the children came to a stop just a few feet from the rest of the villagers and me. I corrected my earlier thought…this was very, very, very bad. Katara, I noticed, was frowning at her brother

"Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident."

Aang nodded, innocent and guileless. I fiddled more anxiously with my hair. I doubted even Aang's candid and honest innocence could help matters or fix them now. "Yeah, we were on the ship, and there, was this bobby-trap and well we-we…" he rubbed the back of his neck "-We boobied right into it."

Katara's grandmother frowned as she spoke "Katara you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger."

Aang held out his hands in a peaceful gesture "Don't blame Katara. I brought her there," his shoulders slumped "It's my fault."

I immediately noticed the angry and cold look on Sokka's face and knew where this was going. I stepped closer to him, as he exclaimed "Ah ha! The traitor confesses! Warriors away from the enemy. The foreigner is banished from our village."

The children walked away, leaving Aang with a dejected look. I touched Sokka's arm, in the hopes to calm him down, but he jerked his away. He scowled then said, "Both of the foreigners are banished from our village!"

I felt hurt at that. But then I felt a rare feeling of anger. Now I was mad myself. I narrowed my eyes and frowned at the older boy, and then I stalked past him, bumping into his shoulder as I passed, and stood next to Aang.

Katara looked angry as well. Her fists were clenched as she glared at her brother "Sokka you're making a mistake."

Sokka glared right back "No, I'm keeping my promise to dad. Protecting you from threats like them!" he pointed at both me and Aang and I bit my lip as the hurt returned.

"Aang and Mina are not our enemies," Katara snapped back as she gestured to the two of us beside her "Don't you see? Aang and Mina have brought us something we haven't had in a long time. Fun."

I bit back a smile. That was sweet. I was glad we had someone on our side, and I was even gladder it was Katara. She was kind, and if I was being honest she was sort of like the big sister I had always wanted- even though she was younger.

"Fun?! We can't fight firebenders with fun." Sokka replied back.

Aang shrugged, and smiled "You should try it sometime."

"Get out of our village. Now." Sokka growled, low in warning and even angrier than before.

Katara looked to her grandmother and held out her hands pleadingly as she begged "Grandmother, please. Don't let Sokka do this."

Her grandmother simply kept her stern, unmoving expression "Katara you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbenders leave."

Katara threw down her clenched fists and snapped "Fine! Then I'm banished too!" She turned, took hold of both mine and Aang's arm each and dragged us with her "Come on guys lets go."

I looked to the younger girl and saw tears were hanging at the corners of her eyes. I hadn't seen Katara's dark sapphire eyes so sad, and I hated that they were. The fun, laughing kind girl was gone, and in her place was an angry, determined, sad girl.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sokka demanded from behind us.

Katara's grip lowered from our arms to our wrists, as she stalked forward, towards Appa who was already saddled and packed up "To find a waterbending master. Aang and Mina are taking me to the North Pole."

I felt my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline. The North Pole?! What on earth was she talking about? We were taking her to the North Pole? I felt that I was most definitely missing something here.

Aang looked as confused as I felt "We are? Great."

"Katara!" At her brother's shout, Katara let go of our wrists and stopped to look over her shoulder "Would you really choose them over your tribe? Your own family?"

She looked away, blue eyes on the ground. She looked so lost, so confused. I bit my lip and placed a hand on her arm. She didn't move or say a word. Aang came and put his own hand on Katara's shoulder "Katara I don't wanna come between you and your family."

I dropped my hand and followed after Aang as he walked away. "So you're leaving the South Pole?" I heard Katara question us. Her tone turned sad "This is goodbye?"

Aang whipped around, a big smile on his smile "Thanks for going penguin sledging with me." They faced each other, as I stood to the side.

"Where will you go?" Katara asked, still sad and lost.

Aang shrugged, an unsure grin on his lips "I guess we'll go back and look for the airbenders" I frowned at that but Aang continued "Wow. I haven't cleaned my room for a hundred years. Not looking forward to that."

My eyebrows went up so high they disappeared into my hairline this time. I felt my eyes go so wide it actually hurt. What?! What was Aang going on about?! Looking for airbenders?! What?!

Katara and Aang didn't seem to notice my panicked confusion yet. Aang spun, and airbent himself onto Appa's head and took the reins. I shook myself out of my daze, resigning to question Aang later- extensively question him.

I bit my lip, hesitating, then whirled around, and leapt up to hug Katara tightly. She was surprised at first, gasping at the shock, but after a moment she hugged back.

I pulled away and gave a small smile, meant to say goodbye which she returned, then I used my airbending to jump into Appa's saddle. "It was nice meeting everyone," Aang called to them.

Sokka's arms were crossed; one eyebrow raised in scepticism "Let's see your bison fly now airboy."

I frowned at what I knew was supposed to be an insult and narrowed my eyes at the Water Tribe boy. He didn't notice, too busy frowning at Aang. Aang ignored him and snapped the reins "Come on Appa, you can do it, Yip Yip."

Appa stood with a rumbling groan but didn't take off. He must still be very tired. Sokka's arms were still crossed and he snapped a sarcastic reply back to them "Yeah I thought so."

Two little girls, one I didn't know and Kila came running forward, the one I didn't know crying out and coming to stop with watery eyes "Aang don't go I'll miss you."

I looked to Kila and saw Ohkah, Lakka, and Hala following. I jumped down, knowing what they wanted, and held out my arms for them. They gladly rushed me, and jumped into my arms, as I wrapped them in a hug.

I smiled and held back my own tears. I noticed the villagers, especially Sokka, looked surprised. Kila pulled back and sniffed, "Must you g-go?" she asked her little voice shaking.

I nodded and wiped her tears away with my thumb. I hugged each of the three girls in turn, and kissed each of their temples gently, as a goodbye. They stepped back, and I turned quickly around before they saw my tears.

I sniffed, and let out one little almost silent shaking whimper and then airbent myself back into the saddle. Aang looked down at the other little girl that I didn't know and said gloomily "I'll miss you too Koko."

Even though Aang was looking at the little girl, he glanced to Katara his words meant for her. I saw Katara's blue eyes shake, and start to get watery again. She gazed up at us with sadness.

Aang turned away "Come on boy." Appa started walking away.

I glanced back once, taking a last look at the village. I then turned away and felt a tear roll down my cheek as we left the Southern Water Tribe

0o0

Little Koko hummed dejected under her breath, as Aang and Appa and Mina disappeared, walking away back to the village. Katara's grandmother walked up to her granddaughter, as Katara stood were she was, still gazing out.

"Katara. You'll feel better after you-"

Katara whirled around; fists clenched at her sides, upset and angry "You happy now? There goes my one chance at becoming a waterbender!"

She walked away from her grandmother, leaving the older woman behind watching her sadly.

Sokka was at the entrance, waiting as the boys ran past him "All right ready our defences. The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now." One little boy turned back and opened his mouth "And no potty breaks!"

The little boy rushed away, as Sokka followed behind.

0o0

We hadn't gone far. Appa was still tired. We stopped at an unusual glacier, shaped like an eight. Aang was curled in the top part, Appa at the bottom. Appa growled, and Aang sighed

"Yeah. I liked her too." From where I sat right at the top I heard Aang and knew he was talking about Katara.

I was thinking about her too. And her brother. I felt like I had known them my whole life, and I missed them both. It was awful, but I knew now we were banished from the Southern Water Tribe, we'd never see Katara or Sokka again.

I heard Aang gasp, and I frowned. Then I looked out to the water and saw what had caused Aang's surprise. I saw a grey metal ship, black smoke billowing out the steam pipe. And it was heading right toward the village!

"The village!" Aang exclaimed and I climbed down after him "Mina bring Appa as quick as you can, I'm going ahead to warn them."

I nodded and watched him race off. I hoped he'd be careful.

0o0

In a tent in the Southern Water Tribe village, a fifteen-year-old Water Tribe boy was preparing for battle. He drew on his black gloves that covered his thumb and first two fingers and left the rest bare.

He wrapped his wrists and made sure the padded protective arm guards were secure. He drew on his boots then proceeded to put on his warrior's mask. Black around his eyes and white, slipping down from his eyebrows and black in a triangle pointing down from his forehead, grey spreading over the top of his face to the tip of his top lip, and under and to his chin were white.

He gave him the look of an arctic wolf as it was meant to. The arctic wolf was a fierce, resilient creature that gave no quarter. Qualities that warriors in the Water Tribe used with honour.

The boy slipped his sharp boomerang into his back sheath and was ready.

0o0

On a grey metal ship, another boy of sixteen years of age was preparing for battle. His cuirass was on first, two crew members slipping it on and tying the strings, next were his boots secure and fastened, and his gorget was placed on last.

Then, his barbute was slipped onto his head. He was ready.

0o0

The fifteen-year-old Water Tribe warrior was just finishing when the wind blew into his tent, the lantern flickering in the breeze. He looked up, then spun and shot to his feet leaving the tent.

0o0

Some of the villagers were huddled around a fire, as a lone warrior stood atop the snow wall, gazing out to see, his club in his right hand. He waited, and waited, as the fog seeped through the air, and covered everything in a fine mist.

There was a loud thundering boom, and all gasped as all eyes turned to the entrance to the village with wide fearful eyes. Katara's grandmother was one of those around the smoking fire, and she stood to her feet, gasping with her fellow villagers.

The earth started to quake, and the coming increased and rumbled, it was like being in the middle of an earthquake zone.

The wall that Sokka was stood on started to crumble a little around his feet, and he gazed down and took a small step to avoid falling. He heard a cracking and turned to see the guard tower collapse into nothing but snow, and he groaned "Oh maaaan!"

The villagers started to panic and run away from the entrance, shouting and calling out in surprise and fear. Katara raced forward and noticed her older brother stood on the wall. Her eyes went wide, as the outline of a huge ship came into focus, coming at the wall.

Sokka's own eyes went wide, and he gazed with dread at the sight before him "Oh man." he muttered under his breath.

As the ship sailed full steam ahead, the ice started to crack, heading swiftly at the wall. Sokka stood frozen and watched as it did. Katara was helping her grandmother into a tent when she heard a cry for fear and turned around.

A little boy of no more than three was on his hands and knees was right in the way of crack spreading across the ground. Katara rushed forward, scooped the little boy just in time. She placed him down and he rushed inside the tent.

Katara then remembered her brother, and whirled around again "Sokka! Get out of the way!"

Her brother didn't listen; his club was raised, expression waiting and alarmed, eyes wide, but grip and stance steady. The snow flowed under him, as the ship came to a slow stop, and he drifted with it, back down.

Steam puffed out from the ship, as the villagers immerged from their tents, to see the threat that had arrived. There was another rumbling as the ram on the front of the ship came down with a creaking, opening like a door and turning into a makeshift ramp.

Sokka stumbled backwards, to avoid getting squashed, and fell on the hard ground.

Once the steam had cleared, all could see the figures in red and black armour. One stepped forward, and he was obviously the one in charge. He came down the ramp with two others flanking him.

Sokka shot to his feet, letting out a battle cry. The one in the lead, kick his club out his hand with his right foot and then used the same foot to kick Sokka aside and off the ramp. Sokka landed head first into the snow, as the armoured men walked down and off the ramp and stood on the snow ground.

The villagers watched and gasped. Katara had her hands over her mouth, blue eyes wide as the men stopped, and the one in charged stepped to just a few feet from them. Katara noticed the scar on the left side of his face, as he paced up and then down, gazing at them all.

"Where are you hiding him?" there was nothing silence. He reached out and dragged Katara's grandmother forward "He'd be about this age, master of all elements."

The one with the scar threw Katara's grandmother away into Katara's arms, and the young waterbender glared. The scarred one swung his right arm out, a hot blaze of fire flying just above the villagers' heads, causing them to duck and cry out. "I know you're hiding him!"

There was another battle cry, as Sokka picked up his club and charged at the firebender. The scarred one ducked, Sokka flying over his crouched form. Sokka landed onto his behind and swung out the way as another blast of fire came at him.

Sokka threw his boomerang, and the scarred one dodged out the way. Sokka was glared at by the firebender as one of the boys chucked a spear and he caught it 'Show no fear." the boy encouraged.

Sokka charged again. The firebender used his armour covered arm to break pieces off the spear inch by inch leaving the Water Tribe boy with nothing but a stick, which was snatched from him. Sokka was poked repeatedly in the head until he fell over. The stick was snapped into unusable pieces.

The firebender forget about the boomerang as it came back and crashed into his helmet. The firebender glared, hands clenched, as the boomerang sat upright in the snow. Flame daggers appeared in the firebender's hands and then…

He was knocked clean off his feet. The children cheered as they saw Aang riding the penguin past them, and covered them in powdery snow. They resumed cheering and laughing as Aang came to a stop.

"Hey Katara, hey Sokka." he greeted them from where he sat on the ground.

"Hi Aang," Sokka lifted a hand in greeting, tone defeated and short "Thanks for coming."

The firebender was now on his feet, and with a gesture, he sent his soldiers to surrounded Aang, who held his staff, ready and waiting. He swept his staff to the right and then to the left, blowing up a powerful wave of snow and air. Then he sent a blast in the firebender's direction.

"Looking for me?" Aang asked, stood straight, staff in hand.

The snow that had landed on the scarred firebender's head and hands slowly melted and turned into steam, vanishing in the air as he used his bending. His eyebrows were drawn down, and a disbelieved angry expression was on his face.

"You're the Airbender?" he exclaimed, "You're the Avatar?"

Katara eyes went wide, and Sokka's were just as enlarged in stunned shock and disbelief "Aang?"

Sokka shook his head "No way."

The firebender and Aang circled each other, hands and staff raised in preparation to bend. The villagers watched, and the six soldiers waited on the sidelines. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training, meditating. You're just a child!"

Aang's left eyebrow rose, and his gazed at this boy not much older than himself with innocent confusion and scepticism "Well you're just a teenager."

That just made the firebending teen angry. He swept his right arm out, shooting fire, and then followed with a powerful flame blast. Aang spun his staff, blocking the flames thrown at him.

The firebender teen continued to shoot fire, and Aang continued to spin his staff, blocking it. As they did this, they still circled around each other. The flames got too close, and the villagers gasped and cried out in fear, hands raised to shield themselves from the heat.

Aang looked back at their cries and screams and knew he had to do something. He brushed off the last fire shot, and spoke: "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?"

There was a minute of heavy silence. The firebending teen dropped his raised hands, expression serious and hard. Then he nodded in response to Aang's question. The Airbender boy was then surrounded by soldiers and lead away.

Katara rushed forward "No Aang, don't do this." her expression and voice were filled with despair and sadness.

Aang looked over his shoulder at the water tribe girl and gave a reassuring smile as they walked up the ramp into the ship "Don't worry Katara it'll be ok."

The soldiers pushed him forward, making him grunt out in surprise. Katara watched, hands out as if to reach out, grab him and pull him back. Her blue eyes filled with tears, and one hand went to her mouth.

"Take care of Appa for me until I get back!" Aang called back.

Katara and all the villagers watched as Aang was led away. The firebending teen was in the front, and stormed up the ramp, calling out an order

"Head a course to the Fire Nation! I'm going home."

Aang stood in the ship, with a reassuring smile on a smile as steam blew out and the ramp slowly started to rise with a creak. Tears appeared in Katara's eyes as she watched the ramp slowly close.

The smile slipped from Aang's face when the ramp finally closed.

0o0

The ship was long gone, when the villagers began to reassemble and clean and put things back into order. One woman threw wood on the fire pit. While others were reassuring and comforting their children. The guard tower was being rebuilt, and tents were put back up.

"We have to go after that ship Sokka," Katara commented from where she stood, gazing out at the ocean "Aang saved our tribe now we have to save him."

Sokka raised a hand, as he spoke "Katara I-"

His younger sister cut him off, interrupting whatever he was going to say "Why can't you realise he's on our side? If we don't help him no one will," Sokka waited with crossed arms "I know you don't like Aang but we owe him-"

Sokka had finally had enough and shouted over the top of his sister "Katara! Are you gonna talk all day or are ya coming with me?" he gestured to the packed supplied canoe floating in the water beside him.

Katara gasped, and then her face lit up with a grin as she raced forward and hugged her brother "Sokka!"

Sokka smiled and let her go "Get in. We're going to save your boyfriend."

Katara eyebrows went up, and her hands clenched in surprise and indignation "He's not my-!"

Sokka shrugged, not wanting to argue with her "Whatever."

They gazed at each other for a moment, him in an unbothered expression and her with a disgruntled face. "What do you two think you're doing?" they turned to see their gran-gran right behind them

They smiled innocently, hoping that they would be able to get away with it. Their gran-gran's stern expression stayed on her face, until she held out a wrapped fur bundle, and smiled "You'll need these," she said, "You have a long journey ahead of you."

The two siblings shared looks of surprise, as their gran-gran stepped closer "It's been so long since I've had hope. But you've brought it back to life my little waterbender," Katara hugged her "And you my brave warrior, be nice to your sister." she hugged him

Sokka patted her back, "Yeah, ok gran-gran." she stepped and he grinned

"Aang is the Avatar," the elder woman explained "He is the world's only chance. You both found him for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with his." Katara and Sokka shared looks.

"There's no way we're gonna catch a warship with a canoe." Katara deadpanned.

Suddenly there was a rumbling growl and a familiar white and brown furred flying bison appeared over the horizon. On his head holding the reins was a familiar looking figure, who waved.

Katara suddenly beamed "Appa." she rushed off towards the bison.

Sokka watched her go with smiled resigned shoulders, and defeat in his low tone "You just love taking me out of my comfort zone don't ya?"

Katara ignored him, and with a sigh he raced after her, bringing some of the supplies. Katara saw Mina jump down, a smile on her face. The smaller girl raced forward and enveloped Katara in a hug.

Katara, though caught unaware, hugged back, laughing. At least they would have Mina to help now.

0o0

I pulled back from the hug with Katara, pleased and excited and not to mention relieved to see the younger Water Tribe girl again. I heard pants and turned to see Sokka making his way over too.

I then noticed something was missing. Or rather someone. I looked, but there was no tell-tale sign of a small boy wearing orange and yellow clothing. I frowned and bit my lip. Where was Aang?

Was he all right? Was he hurt? What had happened, what had I missed, that had caused my best friend to not appear in front of me, when he heard Appa coming?

I noticed Katara and Sokka standing right beside me, and came back out of the thoughts that had pulled me under. I sighed and knew that I would have to speak, have to talk, in order to ask the two where Aang was.

This was going to be fun. I fiddled with my hands, and then just jumped right in "K-Katara, where i-is Aang?"

To say to the two Water Tribe natives were surprised would be an understatement. They were stunned speechless. Katara's blue eyes went even wider than dinner plates, and Sokka's jaw dropped so low I was sure it'd hit the ground.

Sokka gazed from me to his sister and back numerous amounts of times "D-Did you just…" he took in a breath "Did you just talk?"

Katara glared at him, giving a dirty look at his rude and impolite tone. She even went so far as to smack him on the arm "Sokka!"

Sokka's own sapphire eyes went wide with disbelief, and he spluttered at his younger sister "What?! Don't tell me you weren't thinking it."

Katara groaned out a heavy exasperated sigh filled with annoyance, and turned back to me "Ignore him," I smiled, and then she sighed again this time in sadness "And... and Aang is… he's gone."

I frowned, and took hold of her hands to gain her attention- she had looked away and down at the ground in order to avoid my gaze- and said "G-Gone w-where?"

Sokka stepped forward "Fire Nation soldiers took him. He's long gone."

I felt the very blood leave my face. My lower lip started to tremble fiercely, and the sting of tears at the backs of my eyes burned like fire. My hands clenched tightly at my sides, and my heart fluttered at an increased pace like a bird trying to escape a cage.

I held back the tears, but I knew they hung there at the corners of my eyes, for all to oh so easily see. Aang was…gone. He couldn't be gone. He was…I couldn't even continue the thought.

Katara must have seen my distraught expression because she gave an encouraging smile "Buts it's ok, we're going to save him."

At her light words, I felt the ache loosen slightly. I nodded and knew exactly what she was thinking.

0o0

They were now on-board on the hulking ship, on the top deck. Aang was standing with his hands tied behind his back, facing the firebender teen, who held his glider staff in his hands.

"This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks," Aang gave him a dirty look for that "Take the Avatar to the prison hold. And take this to my quarters." He held out the staff to his uncle.

Aang was led away, by two Fire Nation soldiers, as the firebender's uncle took the staff with a raised eyebrow "Hey you mind taking this to his quarters for me?" he handed the staff to another soldier.

Aang was pushed forward and led down the stairs into the lower deck's hallway. One guard was in front, another behind him. "Sooo, I guess you've never fought an Airbender before," Aang stated, "I bet I could take you both with my hands tied behind my back."

"Silence." was all he got in response

They stopped, as the guard in front took out a key, to unlock the steel door in front of him. Aang drew in a deep breath and then using his bending….blasted the first guard into the door, and the second backwards all the way to the stairs.

Aang jumped through the door above, and raced across the deck, opened the main door with his bending and rushed inside. He knew it wasn't long before he was found out, and so he hurried down the hallway.

Up on deck, one of the guards appeared and shouted up to the higher deck "The Avatar has escaped!"

0o0

We had left the Southern Water Tribe village a little while ago, and now we sat as Appa swam steadily through the ocean. Katara was leaning forward at the front of the saddle, and Sokka reclined in the back with his arms crossed.

"Go. Fly. Soar." He deadpanned.

If I was being honest he was starting to annoy me now. Katara frowned at him and patted Appa's side "Please Appa, we need your help. Aang needs your help."

I would have said something, but I knew Appa was still a little too tired for flying. Appa grumbled, and Sokka spoke up again "Up. Ascend. Elevate."

Katara bit her lip and patted the bison's side again "Sokka doesn't believe you can fly, but I do Appa. Come on don't you wanna save Aang?"

Appa grumbled again, giving her an answer that I was sure she didn't understand. I had known Appa since Aang had bounded with him when he was a kid and knew that certain roars and grumbles meant certain different things.

I heard Sokka sigh, from where I sat in Appa's head with the reins in hand "What was it that kid said?" he frowned thinking "Yee Ha. Hup, Hup. Wahoo. Uh…Yip, Yip"

I grinned, as Appa rumbled a happy grumble and heard his tail splash the water. He picked up speed, and I was relieved that the flying bison had regained his energy. And then suddenly, with the magic words, he took off into the sky.

"You did it Sokka!" Katara exclaimed.

I smiled even more at the sight of Sokka leaning out over the back of the saddle, blue eyes wide with excitement and surprise "He's flying! He's flying! Katara he's-" when he turned and saw Katara's smug expression- and mine- he cut off "I mean, big deal he's flying."

With that, we took off into the sky at last

0o0

Aang raced down the hallway, looking back over his shoulder, then he came to a stop when he noticed three armed men standing to block his path. "You haven't seen my staff around have you?" he asked them

They went to attack, and Aang used his airbending to circle over them on the ceiling and dash away "Thanks anyway." he called back to them

He jumped into another hallway and instantly leapt over a blast of fire that was shot at him from another soldier blocking his way. He flipped over the man and used the sharp spike on the soldier's helmet to cut the ropes tying his wrists.

He was gone around the corner before the soldier could hit the floor.

Aang opened every door he came across, searching for his staff. The first one, no luck. The same with the second and in the third was the firebending teen's uncle fast asleep. Aang back out, and shut the door, muttering an apology as he went.

He raced past an open door, skidded to a stop, and turned back. There leaning against the wall was his glider staff. "My staff." he raced in and heard the door slam shut behind him.

"Looks like I underestimated you." Aang turned to see the scarred teens standing by the door.

They shared heavy glances. The teen stuck out his foot, then blasted fire out of his left hand. Aang dodged one then another, panting heavily backed into the corner. He rolled forward, dodging another shot, and tumbled under the teen's legs to stand behind him.

Aang circled with the teen as he shot fire, staying hidden behind the teen's back. The windows could be seen lighting up with orange light from the outside. Aang made air swirls in his hands putting out the flaming fists aimed at him.

He used the teen as a step, jumped into the air, and proceeded to ride around the room on an airball. As he did this, he dodged and ducked and avoided the fire that was being thrown his way.

Aang was knocked off his airball into the wall. He then pushed off into the air from a handstand, grabbed the tapestry on his way from the wall, and twisted it the scarred teen, then he lunged and grabbed his staff. The tapestry was blown up into ash and the firebender was free.

They circled for a second, and then Aang used his staff to throw the mattress from the floor into the teen, knocking him into the left wall. As the teen flopped down with a groan, Aang used his bending again to push the mattress off the floor into the ceiling.

When the scarred teen looked up again, the room was empty.

0o0

The lock on the floor hatch twirled by the air, and Aang floated up into the bridge, he leapt over the compass and table there, and out the open door. He took a running start, threw his staff, which opened and then leapt to grab hold of it.

He was escaping, getting away. A hand grabbed his ankle and dragged him back down onto the lower deck. His glider couldn't take the sudden unbalanced weight, and both the scarred teen and he crashed onto the deck.

They stood to their feet, and Aang turned at a familiar grumbling groan. Flying towards the ship was a white fluffy creature with six legs and horns. The scarred teen lowered his hands in surprise "What is that?"

"Appa!" Aang exclaimed.

He didn't have time to do much else for another shot of fire was aimed at him. He twirled his staff, dissipating the flames, and leapt back to teeter on the edge of the ship. He caught himself, and blocked another fire blast…and a second and a third. His staff was sent out his hands.

He dipped and bobbed and evaded another four fire shots. Aang jumped onto the railing, and then looked up to see more fire being thrown at him.

He was knocked back, out cold, and fell into the ocean.

0o0

I felt my heart stop when I saw Aang fall, and sink into the water. I let go of the reins in my surprise, and Katara lunged forward and caught them. She called out "Aang! No!"

I was shaking. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All I could do was sit frozen in place.

0o0

He was sinking, sinking deep and fast. It was cold and dark. "Aang!" he knew that voice "Aang! AANG!"

His eyes opened, and he felt a rush of warm energy revitalise him. He wasn't aware of what he was doing, but suddenly he knew what to do. He twirled in place in the water, gathering it around him, and shot up into the air.

0o0

The scarred teen stood on the deck, floored by what he was seeing. The young boy, the Avatar was surrounded by the waters of the ocean. He was floating in the spout, and his eyes and the unique blue arrows on his hands and head were glowing a fierce white.

He landed on the deck, drew the water in, whirled it around him, and sent it outwards, knocking the soldiers off their feet, and the teen over the side.

0o0

"Did you see what he just did?" Katara asked stunned.

All three of us were looking over the right side of Appa's saddle, mouths dropped, and eyes wide as dinner plates at the awe-striking sight of what we had just seen.

"Now that was some waterbending," Sokka stated.

I could only nod in response. We landed on the deck and hopped off. Aang had collapsed and lay unmoving. We all raced over "Aang!" Katara called out "Are you ok?"

I slid the last few feet and drew the younger boy's head into my lap. Katara held his left hand, while Sokka gripped his right arm. I was relieved, and let out a breath I hadn't realise I'd been holding when Aang's eyes opened.

"Hey Katara, hey Sokka," he looked at me, and I smiled "Hey Mina. Thanks for coming."

I wanted to smack him for that. Did he think we wouldn't come? That I wouldn't come for him? He was lucky I was so relieved he was ok and unharmed, otherwise, I would smack him upside the head.

"Well, I couldn't let you have all the glory." Sokka half-laughed.

Aang looked to the left "I dropped my staff." he choked out

Sokka was on his feet and rushing across the deck before Aang even finished "Got it!"

We watched as he raced over, and picked up Aang's staff. That was when a hand came out and grabbed the other end. I handed Aang to Katara, got to my feet, and rushed over. As I did, I caught a glimpse of who had hold of the staff.

It was a boy, no older than me and Sokka, and he had his hair up in a ponytail, and there was a scar on the left side of his face covering his eye. I watched as the teen's golden eyes went wide, as Sokka poked him in the head with the staff end, causing him to fall off.

"Ha! That's from the Water Tribe!" Sokka exclaimed in victory, staff raised high.

I shook my head and turned to see Katara helping Aang onto Appa's head, as the bison rose to his feet. The soldiers that Aang had knocked down with the water earlier got to their feet, dripping wet, weapons in hand.

Sokka and I looked at each other, and then rushed over. Katara had her hands raised, and the water on the deck followed. She whipped her arms back, and threw her hands out to knock the soldiers down and then….the water turned to ice backwards and froze Sokka's feet to the deck. "Katara!"

The soldiers charged, and I knew I had to do something. I spun my hands above my head, creating an airball, then twisted my body to the right, and pushed out my hands. I knocked two men over, and Katara having re-thought for another option, turned around, and did the same movement from before, and this time froze all the men with her waterbending.

Katara climbed up into Appa's saddle, calling out "Hurry up Sokka!"

I turned around, to see Sokka chipping and hacking away at the ice encasing his feet with his boomerang. I bit my lip, unsure. Should I try to help, or stay out the way, and get on Appa?

"I'm just a guy with a boomerang. I didn't ask for all this flying and magic," I heard him mutter as he got free himself, and he ran up Appa's tail as I floated up into the saddle. "Yip, Yip! Yip, Yip!"

And finally, thankfully, we were taking off.

0o0

Back on the ship, the scarred Teen's uncle was helping him back onto the ship, the younger of the two groaning in discomfort and effort as he did. He looked up and saw the creature, along with the Avatar getting away.

"Shoot them down!"

Together he and his uncle did a basic firebender form and shot a powerful fire blast at the creature and its riders.

0o0

Sokka was on the right side of the saddle, Katara on the left, and both were staring wide-eyed at the incoming fireball being shot at them. I gasped, and whipped around "Aang!"

My best friend turned, got up, ran down Appa's back, leapt into the saddle, and stood at the back cushioned arch. I stood to my own feet, seeing what he intended to do, grabbing my own glider staff.

In perfect sync we swung our staffs forcefully, grunting with the effort of strength we were putting into it, and using an air slice, changed the fire's direction…right into the towering ice glacier, the ship was sailing past.

The ice crumbled, and reminiscent of an avalanche, hit the ship with the force and power of a tidal wave.

Aang gave a wave, as Sokka mocked the firebenders "Ha ha!" Katara and I laughed. We were all smiling.

Appa was gone, flying into the sky, the ship turning into nothing more than a grey blur.

0o0

"Good news for the Fire Lord. The Fire Nation's greatest threat is just a little kid."

The scarred teenage prince stood to his feet, having been knocked onto his knees, and turned at the sound of his uncle's words. "That kid uncle just did this."

On deck, three crew members were using their bending to heat and melt the ice from their frozen solid comrades. The teen's uncle looked around at the damage, the frozen crew members, and the front half of the ship stopped and covered with snow.

A soldier came up, a second one behind him, and they both saluted "Sir, we have important information for you."

The prince sighed in exasperation, and narrowed his eyes "Well get on with it then!"

The first of the two nodded and continued "The Avatar isn't the last Airbender sir."

There was a deathly still silence. The teen's hands clenched into fists, and his gaze was so cold, it could freeze the crew members in front of him itself. "What. What did you just say?"

The second of the two bowed and spoke up in a barely shaking voice "Sir it's true. There was a girl, with those same blue markings on her hands and forehead as the Avatar. She knocked us both out using the air."

The prince frowned and turned away. It seemed there was more to know and discover about the Avatar and his disappearance over a hundred years ago. The prince's uncle hummed in thought "Another Airbender. Who'd have thought, there would be another not including the Avatar, and a girl as well, hmmm Prince Zuko?"

The prince said not a word. After a moment, he said low and determined "I won't underestimate him again," he pointed in the direction the Avatar and his companions had gone "Dig the ship out and follow them!" the crew members gave him looks for that, as they continued to unfreeze their comrades "As soon as you're done with that."

The prince continued to glare out at the horizon, sights still on where the Avatar had gone.

0o0

"How did you do that?! With the water?! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

At Katara's voice, I brought my attention back from the clouds that we were gently and leisurely floating past, and turned around to slightly, face both the front of the saddle where Aang was sat, perched and Katara and Sokka in the back.

Sokka was sat, leaning against the bundle- where the supplies were covered and tied down- using it as a makeshift pillow, his arms were crossed, his expression curious and incredulous, one eyebrow raised, as he listened to his sister.

Katara was sat in the middle, legs crossed, arms gesturing as she talked, voice filled with awe and bright stunned disbelief. Her blue eyes were wide, eyebrows all the way to her hairline almost.

I looked to Aang, who continued to stare out the sky and clouds around us. I bit my lip and fiddled with my hair. I could feel the tension and unease rolling off of Aang from where I sat.

"I don't know," he replied, tone filled with lost confusion "I just sort of did it."

I knew what Katara was going to ask next. I don't know how I knew, but I just did. Call it a sixth sense. And I also knew, that what Katara was about to ask, was a touchy, delicate subject, one that my Aang could not- and more likely would not- talk about easily, if at all.

"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?"

All airbenders had more or less good hearing- some even had super sensitive- especially when it came to the air currents and the wind. Mine and Aang's mentor used to say, that some of the greatest air nomads known, said they could even hear the wind speak. Our mentor used to say, that only a very powerful, very spiritually connected master Airbender, would even be able to accomplish something like that.

That was how, I could hear Aang sigh from where I sat, even though he exhaled so quietly it was practically silent. I was a rare Airbender, that had the super-sensitive hearing "Because…" he turned away, and I could see his grey eyes or his expression "…I never wanted to be."

The sun started to show through the clouds. The clouds were fluffy as pillows and looked as soft as Appa's fur, and one passed overhead, casting us momentarily in shadow during the silence. It seemed like we entered a soft, golden world filled with light and the sweet melodies from the air.

"But Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war." Aang's head sunk lower at Katara serious words.

"And how am I going to do that?" Aang asked her, though I figured he was really asking himself the question.

"According to legend, you need to first master water, then earth, then fire right?"

I felt my own eyebrows shoot up. How did Katara know so much about the subject of the Avatar? While it wasn't exactly a secret, it wasn't knowledge that was widely known. "That's what the monks told me."

I saw Katara finally give an encouraging, smile one that spoke of things that the younger girl only knew, and was excited to proceed in doing them "Well if we go to the North Pole, you can master waterbending."

Aang's expression lightened. He gave that old, familiar goofy grin "We can learn it together."

Katara turned to smirk at her brother "And Sokka, I'm sure you'll get to knock some firebender heads along the way."

Sokka expression as filled with veiled amusement, and contended happiness "I'd like that. I'd really like that"

"Then we're in this together," Katara stated confidently

Aang looked to me, expression suddenly a little unsure "Mina? What about you? Are you with me?"

I shook my head and sighed in mock exasperation. Didn't he know me better by now? I stood to my feet, and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. I gave a wide soft smile, and said in a tone filled with affection and pure-unbridled candour "A-Always."

Aang grinned even more and floated down to sit crossed legged in the saddle, a roll of parchment in his hand "All right, but before I learn waterbender we have some serious business to attend to."

He unrolled the parchment showing it to be a map of the four nations. He pointed to a spot in the Earth Kingdom, just opposite the Fire Nation "Here," and then he pointed second to another spot in the Earth Kingdom, further down south and to the east on the point of a lake "Here," Lastly he pointed to a spot that I would be able to find anywhere on any map- A little group of mountain ranges "And here."

Katara touched the first spot Aang had pointed out "What's there?" she asked curiously

I saw the look in Aang's dark grey eyes and knew instantly what he planning. He grinned "Here we'll ride the hopping lamas. Then way over here we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish. Then back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like people riding them, buts that's what makes it fun."

Katara looked in disbelief at Sokka, and the two Water Tribe siblings shared incredulous looks of confusion. They had no idea Aang was just getting started.

And I could only think to myself with a smile… here we go again.

0o0