Book one:
Water
Chapter Six:
Imprisoned
Peace. Peace and quiet. It was a rare thing, and that made it that much more enjoyable when it did come around.
I had my eyes closed at the moment, relaxing against the trunk of a tree. We had travelled from Omashu a few days ago, and now we had made camp in a simple calm forest.
All there was to hear in this place was the soothing sounds of the trickling stream just a few feet from us, and the occasional chirp from Momo, as he flew about the campsite, looking for things to eat.
Katara, Aang and I had set up camp and made up our sleeping mats, while Sokka went to go find something for us to eat for dinner. He had been gone a long time, and I wondered what on earth was taking him.
"Great, you're back," at that, I opened my eyes, and saw Sokka coming to kneel beside me and Katara, a bag in his hands "What's for dinner?"
Sokka opened the bag "We've got a few options," he held up, in his hand a nut "First round nuts, then some kind of oval shaped nuts, and some rock shaped nuts that might just be rocks."
We all picked up a nut or two and looked at them. Katara and Aang shared looks "Seriously, what else you got?" the Water Tribe girl asked.
Sokka pawed and racked through his bag, but I knew he wouldn't find anything. There wasn't much to find here to the forest. I shrugged and started to nibble on the round nut in my hand- surprisingly it wasn't that bad really.
BANG!
We all jumped about a foot in the air and turned to look to the forest as a great booming sound rang throughout and echoed through the trees.
"What was that?" Sokka questioned, alarmed
BANG!
Again another booming sound echoed all around us, and Katara and Aang stood to their feet "It's coming from over there." Aang said as he pointed to ahead of him, and he and Katara took off.
"Shouldn't we run away from huge booms, not toward them?" Sokka called after them
He looked at me, hands held out in question and I gave him a confused helpless look of my own.
It seemed for once, we were the more mature and smart in this instance. It didn't seem like a very good idea to me, to race off into the forest, toward a sound that was more than likely being created by either a rather large animal or a bender.
Sokka sighed, stood to his feet, and held out his hand to help me up from the ground. Flushing only slightly I took it, and we ran after the others, Momo and Raiu flying behind us.
Aang and Katara were crouched hiding behind a fallen tree as Sokka and I joined them. There, I finally got a look at what had been making such a loud noise and was surprised to see it wasn't an animal.
It was a boy, about mine and Sokka's age. He was moving the earth.
"An Earthbender," Katara said in awe
"Let's go meet him," Aang said smiling
Sokka huffed "He looks dangerous so we'd better approach cautiously."
I looked up at the end of Sokka's words and exhaled in exasperation and placed my forehead in my hand. Katara had stood to her feet and had gotten closer to the Earthbender not at all listening to her brother's words of caution
"Hello there, I'm Katara, what's your name?"
The rock the boy had been lifting fell to the ground with a thud, as he gasped. His green eyes went wide, and then he was gone, running off down the little canyon and away, vanishing within a few seconds, as he bent rocks to block his escape.
"Nice to meet you!" Aang called out him
"I just wanted to say hi," Katara said, confused and clearly wondering what she had done wrong.
I put a hand on the younger girl's shoulder "Maybe he was j-just shy." she smiled at me, cheered up at my effort to make her feel better.
"Hey, he's gotta be running somewhere. Maybe we're near a village, and I bet that the village has a market." Aang said, getting excited
"Which means no nuts for dinner!" Katara said, and the two younger of us four took off again.
"Hey I worked hard to get those nuts," Sokka said, with his arms crossed, offended completely. Momo chirped as he followed after his master and Sokka let his arms fall to his side in defeat "Yeah I hate them too."
I laughed and quickly followed after him.
0o0
Aang had been right. There was a village, and it did have a market.
Aang went to go look at the different market stalls, and Sokka and Katara and I trailed behind him. The Airbender boy came to a stop and picked up a straw sun hat "Great hat, I'll trade you some nuts for it."
The man at the stall seemed to find that acceptable and traded the hat from some of Aang's nuts. I smiled, and turned away, wondering at my best friend's innocent charm, and froze.
There, heading into a building was that same earthbending boy we had seen earlier that day. I touched Katara's shoulder, and pointed the boy out "Isn't t-that the same boy we s-saw earlier?"
She smiled and rushed to the building the boy had gone into, with me right behind her. My sensitive hearing picked up the boy's talking inside "Hi mom."
"Where have you been Haru? You're late," an older woman's voice- his mother obviously- said in return "Get started on your chores."
Then Katara opened the door and we stepped inside "Hey, you're that kid," the boy turned with a gasp as she spoke, "Why did you run away before?"
The boy got a look of panic and apprehension on his face "Uh, you must have me confused with some other kid."
I frowned and stepped forward "She doesn't, I r-remember you t-too."
Aang then continued on after me "We saw you earthbending."
The boy and his mother gasped, eyes wide, and expression filled with panic and fear. The boy's mother hurried from behind the counter, and quickly shut the door, and slammed closed the window shutters.
"They saw you doing what?" she questioned her son
"They're crazy mom, I mean look at how they're dressed." the boy replied, clearly trying to dig himself out of whatever trouble he was in.
Self-consciously, I looked down at my clothes-as did the others- and brushed them down for any dirt or dust, and searched for holes or loose seams; then I started to fiddle with my hair, suddenly feeling a little out of place, and unsure.
Sokka took hold of my hand and stopped my restless fingers "Stop it, you look fine." I nodded and found myself believing him.
"You know how dangerous that is. You know what would happen if they caught you earthbending." the boy's mother said
Suddenly there was a THUD THUD THUD of someone knocking on the door "Open up." a voice called. We all froze, and Sokka peeked out of the shutters he had opened slightly.
"Fire Nation, act natural." Sokka turned around to say.
I swallowed suddenly afraid. We hadn't faced any Fire Nation since Kyoshi Island, and then it was Prince Zuko and he wasn't exactly an expert at being frightening or catching us.
A hand took mine and drew me away to the other side of the room. It was Sokka. Lately, I had noticed he seemed to be doing that, looking out for me, keeping me out of trouble, something I should be doing for myself.
I tried to protest but he shushed me, and just this once I let the matter go. At least for now.
The boy's mother opened the door, and the Fire Nation soldiers came inside. I looked to the others and wanted to smack myself. Aang was grinning and leaning against a barrel- which broke and his whole arm fell in- and Katara was standing stone still eating some berries.
At least Sokka and I looked sort of natural as we gazed at some of the products that were on the shelves around us.
"What do you want? I've already paid you this week." the older woman said, clearly fed up
"The tax just doubled," the man said before flames started to spear in between his aloft cupped hands "And we wouldn't want an accident, would we? Fire is sometimes so hard to control."
The older woman slumped in defeat and then went to bring out a wooden box. There was not much in it besides two silver pieces and few coppers. The poor thing was practically empty.
The man took the money, and then dropped some onto the floor "You can keep the copper ones." he sneered as he left and slammed the door.
I glared after him, and then knelt to the floor to help woman picked up her money. I handed it to her, and she gave a small smile "Thank you, dear."
I smiled, and nodded in response and helped her to her feet. "Nice guy," I heard Sokka say sarcastically then "How long has the Fire Nation been here?"
"Five years," the women answered as she put away the money again "Fire Lord Ozai used our town's coal mines to fuel his ships."
"They're thugs," the boy spat out; frowning as he leant against the counter "They steal from us, and everyone here is too much of coward to do anything about it." he straightened and crossed his arms.
"Quiet Haru," his mother admonished him "Don't talk like that."
"But Haru's an earthbender," Katara said, confused "He can help."
"Earthbending is forbidden. It's caused nothing but misery for this village," the woman then turned to look at her son "He must never use his abilities."
"How can you say that?" I tried to stop Katara, but she kept right on talking "Haru has a gift. Asking him not to earthbend is like asking me not to waterbend. It's a part of who we are."
I sighed. "You don't understand." Haru's mother said
"I understand that Haru can help you fight back. What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?"
"They could take Haru away," Haru's mother explained, "Like they took his father."
Haru refused to look at any of us, and Katara's expression was one of regret, obviously wishing she hadn't pushed so hard on what she now saw was a delicate and painful subject.
I merely wished there was something I could do to help.
0o0
"My mom said you can sleep here tonight. But you should probably leave in the morning."
Haru's mother had offered us a place to stay for the night, and I personally was very grateful to her. We four were perfect strangers, but Haru's mother was still kind enough to let us sleep in her barn.
"Thanks. I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all your hay." Aang said.
Appa was chewing on a large bale of hay as we spoke, and I chuckled under my breath, as the bison looked to us with a disbelieving expression before continuing to eat.
Sokka and I began to unsaddle Appa and Aang set out our sleeping mats and blankets for the night. I looked and noticed Katara and Haru disappear out the barn door, alone, and together.
I heard Sokka let out a groan of annoyance "Where is she going?" he got to his feet to go after them when I grabbed his wrist and stopped him
"Let them be. They need t-to talk."
Sokka gestured helplessly for a moment, tongue-tied before retorting "They don't know each other, what could they possibly need to talk about?"
I simply gave a knowing smile and said: "That's for them t-to decide." As I went back to my task, I heard Sokka grumble and murmur under his breath, as he helped me. But he didn't go to leave after his sister again.
I smiled.
0o0
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't know about your father." Katara said first
"That's ok. It's funny, the way you were talking back in the store, it reminded me of him." Haru replied.
He didn't notice the smile Katara gave as she glanced bashfully at the ground "Thanks." she said softly
"My father was very courageous. When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other earthbenders were outnumbered ten to one. But they fought back anyway."
"He sounds like a great man," she said, as they climbed the hill and came out of the trees.
"After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earthbender, and took them away," Haru then knelt to ground at the top of the hill "We haven't seen them since."
"So that's why you hide your earthbending."
"Yeah," he replied, and picked some small stones from the ground "The problem is, the only way I can feel close to my father now, is when I practise my bending," he crushed the rocks to sand and it blew away on the wind "He taught me everything I know."
Katara then sat beside him, legs out to the side, and leaned in a little "See this necklace?" she asked him
He turned and gazed at where her right hand was placed. Attached to a dark blue choker was a light blue stone like crystal. Engraved onto the stone was a design. Three spirals above three waving lines. A Water Tribe symbol.
"My mother gave it to me."
Haru smiled "It's beautiful."
Katara dropped her hand and lowered her gaze to the pure red sunset before them "I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her." she then looked away completely.
"It's not enough, is it?" he asked, turning his own gaze away to the sunset
She sighed "No."
0o0
They were walking to Haru's home when there was a loud BOOM and a yell just in front of them. A voice was calling out for help. "The mine!" Haru exclaimed before he and Katara took off running.
Haru braced himself against what was left of the mine entrance and used his arms to back the flow of rock and dirt, as Katara knelt to the ground and tried to pull the old man that was trapped, free.
"It's not working, we have to get help," she said
Haru was in disbelief "There's no time, pull harder." he retorted, the earth seeping past him despite his efforts.
"Haru, there's a way you can help him," she said
Haru frowned "I can't."
"Please," Katara begged of him "There's no one around to see you. It's the only way."
He hesitated, torn between decisions. He knew if he didn't help the old man would be crushed to death underneath the rubble. But if he did help, he'd be exposing his bending, and there was a more than likely chance, he been taken away.
He sighed, dropped his arms, and took his earthbending stance. The rocks came to a floating stop, and then pushing his hands outwards, the rocks, and collapsed entrance was blown back into the mine tunnel.
"Haru you did it," Katara said, smiling
Haru smiled in return, and then they both helped the old man away and to safety
0o0
Later that night, after Katara and Haru returned, Katara told us of what had happened earlier while she and Haru went walking.
Aang was hanging over Appa's head, listening with eagerness, as Katara sat up in bed, the lantern held between her hands. I was lying across Appa's folded legs, his fur softer than any new and well-made mattress.
"It was so brave of Haru to use his earthbending to help that old man," Katara said when she had finished
"You must have really inspired him," Aang replied, smiling honestly
"I guess so." Katara was blushing a little.
It was then, from across me, Sokka turned over onto to his back to look at his little sister. He was lying atop a bale of hay, and he did not look as interested in Katara's story as Aang and were "Everyone should get some sleep, we're leaving at dawn."
"Dawn?" Katara sounded surprised "Can't we sleep in for once?"
"Absolutely not, this village in crawling with Fire Nation troops. If they discover you're here Aang, you and Mina, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast," he turned away again "Good night."
"I'd rather eat fireballs than nuts." Katara retorted, derision in her tone.
I smiled, and said cheekily "Rather fireballs than round nuts, oval nuts and rock shaped n-nuts that might just be r-rocks."
Both Aang and Katara lightly laughed at that, as Sokka huffed out another "Good night." clearly offended by my response.
Then Katara blew out the light, and we went to sleep.
0o0
Footsteps. I was awoken to the sound of many sets of heavy footsteps. I stretched, and frowning, I sat up. It was the middle of the night, what on earth was going on? I heard the sound of someone knocking on the front door of Haru's home.
I quickly got up, jumped the second level of the barn and peeked out the window there.
I had to quickly cover my mouth with my hands to hold in my gasp of surprise at seeing who was standing at Haru's front door. Fire Nation soldiers. And a lot of them. It was then the front door opened.
Standing there was Haru, who gasped in shock at seeing who was there. Then I noticed an old man with the soldiers and the dots connected in my head. I hopped down from the second level, opened the barn door, and quickly slipped out.
"That's him, that's the earthbender." the old man accused and he pointed right in Haru's face.
I rushed forward, and instantly went to Haru's side "Haru hasn't d-done anything, what's g-going on?"
Haru took my upper arm in his grip and tried to pull me back, tried to pull away from the soldiers and out of the way "Mina, don't."
I ignored him. The one in charge stepped forward "Don't get in our way girl or you'll be arrested as well, for aiding and abetting a criminal."
I simply narrowed my eyes- not sure where my courage was coming from- and stayed right where I was "He's n-not a criminal; he hasn't d-done anything w-wrong!"
"Mina, please don't-" I shook my head.
The man in charge smiled "Fine then, have it your way."
Then both Haru and I were grabbed and led away.
0o0
At dawn, Aang and the others woke up, stretching and rubbing their eyes free of sleep in the early morning sunshine. They got to work packing up their supplies and sleeping mats and blankets.
As Sokka and Aang packed away the supplies, Katara went to the pump to go get water for the journey.
Using her bending she pulled a stream of water from the pump and bent it into the jug at her feet. Smiling at how easy it was- she had been practising- she picked the jug up, to go back inside the barn.
She stopped when she spotted Haru's mother, and she went to call out good morning when the older woman turned around. Tears spilt and rolled down the woman's cheeks.
The realisation hit, and Katara dropped the jug. It smashed to pieces on the ground at her feet.
0o0
"They took him, they took Haru away!" Katara burst into the barn, the door slamming open as she did.
Aang and Sokka to their feet "What?" Aang questioned, surprised
"The old man turned in to the Fire Nation, it's all my fault I forced him into earthbending!" she exclaimed distraughtly.
Sokka stepped forward, wrapped his left arm around her shoulder and clasped her right hand with his "Slow down Katara, when did this happen?"
Katara lowered the hand from her face "Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight."
"Then it's too late to track him, he's long gone," Sokka observed.
Katara turned away, hands clenched "We don't need to track him; the Fire Nation is going to take right to Haru."
Aang was confused, and naturally was the first to speak up "And why would they do that?"
Katara narrowed her eyes, filled with determination and seriousness "Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending."
Both Sokka and Aang shared uneasy looks.
0o0
Once they came up with a plan, they were ready to leave. But as they did so, Sokka stopped and gazed around frowning "Wait a minute, where's Mina?"
The other two stopped and looked about them, as if the older airbending girl would suddenly just appear out of nowhere, and be right there beside them. They had no such luck.
"Where could she have gone?" Katara asked
"The Fire Nation took her." at the voice they all whirled around to see Haru's mother standing there.
"What?!" Aang exclaimed, shocked and in a panic.
The older woman sighed and shook her head in despair "The Fire Nation took her away as well. I am sorry."
Aang could only stare wide-eyed and suddenly just as distraught as Haru's mother was. Mina was the only family he had left, the only Airbender beside himself left in the entire world. If he lost her, he'd be alone.
"Don't worry Aang," Sokka said tone hard and serious "We'll get her back, I swear we will."
Katara nodded her agreement "She was taken by the same people who took Haru, which means she'll be in the same place. We'll find her."
Aang merely nodded, and pushing thoughts of Mina away for the moment, they then left to execute their plan
0o0
"I thought you were crazy at first Katara, but this might work," Sokka commented as they rolled a large boulder onto an air vent in the ground "There are ventilation shafts throughout these mines, all Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one here."
Sokka then smiled "The boulder levitates and, ta-da! Fake earthbending."
Katara nodded then turned with her hands on her hips to face the Airbender boy in question. He was leant against the rock, hiding the second vent, playing with a butterfly with Momo at his feet.
"Aang did you get all that?" Katara asked him
"Sure, sure I got it." He reassured her, not really paying attention
"Do you remember your cue?" Sokka asked him this time
Aang continued playing with the butterfly, still not really paying attention "Yeah, yeah, just relax, you're taking all the fun out of this." And despite Mina being missing too, Aang was serious about this being fun.
Tricking Firebenders, to break into what was more than likely going to turn out to be a Fire Nation prison, was going to fun. Besides, it took his worried thoughts off of the Airbender girl for the moment.
"By this, do you mean intentionally being captured by an army of ruthless firebenders?" Sokka asked sarcastically
"Exactly, that's fun stuff."
Suddenly, it was show time. "Here they come, get in your places," Sokka warned, and Aang chased off the butterfly and Momo and got ready.
Then, in full view of the three Fire Nation soldiers, Katara and Sokka started a 'fight'.
"Get out of my way pipsqueak." Sokka started with
"How dare you call me pipsqueak, you, giant-eared cretin!" Katara retorted.
"What did you call me?" Sokka asked, pretending to be mightily offended
"A giant-eared cretin. Look at those things, do herds of animals use them for shade?"
Sokka leaned in closer, and glared at her "You'd better back off!" then in a lower tone he said, "Seriously back off."
"I will not back off. I bet elephants get together and make fun of how large your ears are."
"That's it, you're going down!"
Katara then gestured with a finger "I'll show you who's boss, earthbending style!" then he clenched a fist and directed it at the boulder on the air vent. Nothing happened "I said, earth bending style!"
Aang then remembered his cue and blasted an air current as planned down the vent in the front of him. As he did, the boulder on the second vent started to hover in the air. The soldiers gasped, and instead of seeing it was Katara 'earthbending' they saw a lemur.
"That lemur," the one in front said, "He's earthbending."
Sokka was in disbelief at the soldier's stupidity and gestured to his sister "No you idiot, it's the girl."
"Oh, of course." the soldier replied clearly embarrassed at himself.
The boulder dropped, and Sokka took hold of Katara's shoulders "I'll hold her," then he whispered in her ear "You've got 12 hours to find Haru and Mina; we'll be right behind you."
Then the soldiers led Katara away.
Aang watched her go, as Sokka self-consciously pulled at his ears. Then, the Water Tribe boy looked to the lemur on Aang's shoulder "Momo you, have some big ears."
The lemur only chirped lowly in response
0o0
Katara was driven to the dock and given a brown long tunic to wear over her clothes. Then, she was driven onto a grey metal ship, and they sailed away, with Sokka and Aang following behind on Appa.
The ship sailed further out to sea, and it was then the two boys got a good look at the place Haru and Mina had been taken too.
It was a metal platform built above the water, with no earth or natural land in sight to be seen.
"She'll be fine, Aang. Katara too, she knows what she's doing." Sokka assured the younger boy.
They flew away to find somewhere to land, to wait for 12 hours to go by.
0o0
"Earthbenders. It is my pleasure to welcome you aboard my modest shipyard."
They had been lined up and surrounded by guards, once they stepped off the ship. Katara looked around and noticed that the entire place was made only of metal. No earth.
"I am your warden. I prefer to think of you, not as prisoners, but as honoured guests," the man in charge continued to talk "And I hope you to come to think of me as your humble and caring host. You will succeed here if you simply abide-" the man was cut off by a cough.
Two men down from her, Katara watched as the older man coughed, interrupting the warden, to which the Fire Nation man wasn't pleased about. The warden sent a fire shot at the one who had coughed
"What kind of guest dishonours his host by interrupting him? Take him below," a guard started to lead the man away "One week in solitary will improve his manners," then he continued his 'welcome speech' "Simply treat me with the courtesy I give you, and we'll get along famously."
He leaned down and gazed at Katara as he said this, obviously hoping to scare her, and thinking she'd scare easier because she was the youngest there.
"You will notice earthbenders that this rig is made entirely of metal. You are miles away from any rock or earth."
As the warden spoke they were led around the rig. They passed some more prisoners who were nailing in replacement steel plates for a certain part of the ship, as two guards watched them.
"So, if you have any illusions about employing that brutish savagery that passes for bending among you people, forget them. It is impossible. Good day."
The warden left and they were ordered to walk through a long metal tunnel, and into open space beyond it. Once she was through, more than one door slammed shut behind her, blocking the only way out.
Katara walked in and searched every person she passed for a sign of an airbending girl and an earthbending boy. No such luck until "Katara?"
She turned and there was Haru. She smiled, and hugged him "Haru!"
He pulled back from the hugged and asked: "What are you doing here?"
Katara frowned "It's my fault you were captured. I came to rescue you." she explained
Haru gave her a wide-eyed look of shock and disbelief "So you got yourself arrested?"
"It was the only way to find you," she said, self-conscious
Haru huffed out a breath of bewilderment, and folded his arms, smiling at the girl stood before him "You've got guts Katara, I'll give you that. And you're not the only one either."
Katara then remembered, having forgotten for a single second "Mina, you mean Mina?" he nodded "Is she here? Please tell me she's here."
Haru took her by the arm, and led her forward "She's here. Now come on, there's someone I want you to meet."
He led her to a group of four men who were eating together out of the way "Katara this is my father Tyro," Haru the gestured to her "Dad, this is Katara."
Katara bowed "It's an honour to meet you."
Tyro held aloft a bowl of stew and smiled kindly at her "Have some dinner Katara," she took it, and then looked a little disgusted at how horrible it looked "It's not as bad as bad as it looks," and at that she ate a spoonful. Then scrunched up her nose, for it tasted awful "It's still pretty bad though." Tyro said smiling.
"Tyro, the prisoners are complaining there aren't enough blankets to go around."
Haru's father nodded "I'll talk to the guards, in the meantime make sure the elderly are taken care off. The rest of us will simply have to hope for warmer weather."
"If you don't mind me asking, what's your escape plan?" Katara suddenly spoke up, curious
"Excuse me?" Tyro said
"You know, the plan to get everyone off the rig, what is it? Mutiny, sabotage?"
Tyro frowned "The plan? The plan is to survive. Wait out this war. Hope that one day some of us can get back home and forget this ever happened."
"How can you say that?" Katara exclaimed, confused and shocked "You sound like you've already given up."
"Katara I admire your courage," Tyro said "And I envy your youth. But people's lives are at stake here. The warden is a ruthless man and he won't stand for any rebellion. I'm sorry but we're powerless."
She got to her feet "We'll see about that." then with fists clenched, she got to work.
Katara banged on a soup pot lid, gaining the attention of all around her "Earthbenders, you don't know me, but I know of you. Every child in my Water Tribe village was rocked asleep by stories of the brave Earth Kingdom, and the courageous earthbenders who guard its borders."
All those turned to look at her, and she continued on, hoping this was getting through to them "Some of you may think that the Fire Nation has made you powerless. Yes, they have taken away your ability to bend, but they can't take away your courage. And it is your courage they should truly fear because it runs deeper than any mine you've been forced to dig, any ocean that keeps you far from home."
The warden on the platform above stopped his men from going forth and silencing her, and simply watched, amused "It is the strength of your hearts that make you who you are. Hearts that will remain unbroken when all rock and stone has been eroded away. The time to fight back is now."
She lifted a clenched hand into the air, voice and tone filled with sincerity and determination "I can tell you the Avatar has returned! So remember your courage earthbenders. Let us fight for our freedom!"
And there was silence. Then, everyone went back to what they were doing before. No one paid her any attention, or stood to their feet and agreed with her. She was simply invisible as she stood on the table.
The warden walked away smile evident, as she stood in defeat, alone.
0o0
Katara. Katara was here. On the rig. I had heard every word of her speech just moments before, and I had been sure that it would rouse the earthbenders to action. Sadly it had not.
I felt sorry for the Water Tribe girl. Standing up there on that table, alone and with no one on her side. So ignoring the warning I had been given I sat up and went to go to her.
I had gotten to my feet, and walked a few paces forward, from where I had been lying down when I stumbled to a stop. I swayed a little, but thankfully someone held me upright and steady before I fell "Whoa, easy, easy."
I glanced up and smiled at Haru. He frowned, and led me over to where his father was sitting "Mina you should be lying down, that was a hard knock to the head you took."
I waved him off, as he helped me sit, still feeling just only a little dizzy "I'm f-fine. I just stood up t-too fast, is a-all."
He shook his head but didn't push it, and handed me a bowl of stew. I had been on the rig a day and had gotten used to the food here. It was bland and mostly slimy, but it was better than nothing, and it was warm.
"Mina? Mina, you're ok!" I looked up in time to see Katara rushing forward, and she hugged me. I smiled, and then pulled back "We were so worried about you," then she frowned "How did you even get here in the first place?"
It was Haru's father who spoke up "Your friend here is as courageous and determined as you are. She tried to stop the soldiers from bringing Haru here."
Haru huffed "Despite the fact I told her not to get in the way."
His father gave him an amused look "She defended you, and for that, she has my deepest thanks." he smiled at me, and I returned it.
Then Katara asked, "Why didn't I see you when I first got here?"
Haru frowned "She was struggling, and one of the soldiers knocked her down, and she hit her head. I had to carry her in here."
I gave him a look for that, one that said clearly I was just as annoyed at him having to carry me in as he had been.
Before more could be said, a siren went off. Tyro said "That's lights out. Best get some sleep." Katara nodded and taking two blankets she led me away.
Then, once we were alone. She told me everything.
0o0
Later that night, I was woken up by a hand gently shaking my shoulder. I sat up and was relieved to see it was only Katara. She gestured with a finger for me both to keep quiet, and to follow her.
I got to my feet, and after greeting Aang we made our way to the edge of the prisoner platform. Kneeling in the saddle, was Sokka, and I was relieved to see him there "Your 12 hours are up," he said, "Where's Haru, we've gotta get outta here?"
Aang slipped through the bars, but Katara and I stayed put. "I can't," Katara whispered down to her brother.
"We don't have much time, there are guards everywhere," Sokka held a hand to help us both down, but neither of us took it "Get on."
"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang asked, seeing as how we still had made any move to leave.
"I'm not leaving," Katara said, "I'm not giving up on these people."
I watched as both Sokka and Aang shared uneasy shocked looks.
0o0
"What do you mean you're not leaving?" Sokka question as soon as all four of us were kneeling on the platform.
"We c-can't just leave them here, in this place. It's not f-fair to leave them to s-suffer the consequences of our escape," I said, unmoving and unwavering "The warden will p-punish them all severely because of u-us."
Katara nodded "We can't abandon these people," she sighed "There has to be a way to help them."
"Maybe they're right," Aang said, "What do you say Sokka?"
Sokka frowned, clearly not amused by this turn of events "I say all three of you are crazy," we ducked under a searchlight as it suddenly passed over us "Last chance, we need to leave, now."
Katara turned around and at the exact same time, we both said "No." tones firm and steady, and not to be argued with.
Sokka shook his head "I hate when you get like this," he said to his sister "Come on we'd better hide."
Aang sent Appa away to hide himself along with Momo and Raiu, and we all scrambled for cover, as two soldiers came around the corner, clearly on patrol.
I sighed in relief, as we managed to escape detection.
0o0
"Tell me exactly what you saw." the warden question two of his men, not a few moments later
"Well sir, it looked like a flying bison." One said
"What?" the warden exclaimed surprised
"It was a giant flying buffalo sir, with an empty saddle."
The warden frowned, clearly starting to lose his patience "What was it, a buffalo or a bison?"
The two guards merely shared unsure looks "Uh, I'm not sure what the difference is but that's not really the point is it, sir?"
"I'll decide what the point is, fool!" then the warden threw the man over the railing and into the ocean below "You!" the other man stood to attention "Wake up the Captain, search the entire rig."
"Sir."
"What!?" the warden stood mid-step about to waltz away
"That was the Captain you just threw overboard, so-"
"Then wake up someone I haven't thrown overboard and search the rig. There's something going on here and I don't like it."
0o0
We had hidden behind some stacked supply crates, and once the coast was clear, we breathed a little easier, and Sokka began to speak in low tones.
"We don't have much time. What are we gonna do?"
Aang sighed "I wish I knew how to make a hurricane," Sokka and Katara looked at him with incredulity, while I just shook my head "The warden would run away and we'd steal his keys." he smiled at the genius of his idea.
"Wouldn't he just take his keys with him?" Sokka replied
Aang shrugged "I'm just tossing ideas around."
Katara sighed, deeply and frustrated "I tried talking the earthbenders into fighting back but it didn't work."
I put a hand on her shoulder and shook my head "These people are b-broken. They have no heart left, and we c-can't blame them," I then glared with disgust at everything around us "Anyone w-would lose their hearts in t-this place."
Katara frowned, listening to my words but not really taking them in "If there was just a way to help them, help themselves."
"For that, they'd need some kind of earth, or some rock," Sokka observed out loud "Something they can bend."
"But this entire place is made of metal," Katara replied a little desperately, putting a hand to the floor we sat and knelt on.
I bit my lip. It seemed that our luck and cleverness had run out now. If we couldn't find a way to some sort of earth onto this rig, they earthbenders would never stand up and fight back.
"No, it's not," I frowned and then following where Aang's gaze was, show exactly what he meant "Look at the smoke, I bet they're burning coal. In other words...earth."
I gazed up at the smoke and steam pouring out of the big spouts on the rig. Aang was right, coal was earth. It was something the earthbenders, could bend.
I gave a smile.
0o0
"It's almost dawn, we're running out of time," Katara said, "You sure this is gonna work?"
We were gazing down into a deep, dark seemingly endlessly vent, covered with thick metal grate bars. Our plan, while not specific on details, was simple in nature, and the theory of it seemed like it would work.
"It should," Sokka ducked down next to us "These vents reminded me of our little trick back at the village. We're gonna do the same thing but on a much bigger scale. There's a huge deposit of coal at the base of the silo, and the whole system is ventilated. Aang closed off all the vents except one. When he does his airbending the coal has only one place to go. Right back here."
I suddenly looked up, feeling like we were being watched, and gasped. Before I could warn the other two, a voice called out "There's the intruder!"
We were surrounded by a group of nine soldiers, and watching on were some of the earthbenders on the rig. Katara, Sokka and I jumped to our feet and got into a fighting ready stance.
"Stay back!" Sokka ordered, pulling out his sharpened boomerang "I'm warning you."
"Katara stop!" I turned my gaze to see it was Tyro, Haru's father that was speaking "You can't win this fight."
"Listen to him well child" That voice, I knew that voice all too well. I turned and standing there was the warden "You're one mistake away from dying where you stand."
The soldiers started to close in, but none of us backed down. Suddenly there was a great whooshing sound of air, and then a fountain of black cola came shooting out of the grate, landing in a pile on the floor by the earthbenders feet.
I sighed in relief. Aang had been right on time for once with his execution. The Airbender boy came hopping out of the vent, and coughed, sending the coal dust covering himself everywhere.
"Here's your chance earthbenders, take it! Your fate is in your own hands!" Katara spoke, holding a lump of coal high into the air.
I noticed that Haru went to step forward, to help, to fight back, but his father held out an arm and stopped him. Some of the prisoners backed away, and the warden laughed at the sight "Foolish girl. You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank hopeless faces."
And I did, despite not liking doing what the evil man that was the warden suggested, I did look at the earthbenders there. And the warden was right. Everywhere, on every person, was an expression of despair, and hopelessness.
"Their spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh, but you still believe in them. How sweet. They're a waste of your energy little girl. You failed."
I watched as Katara's hand, that had held the coal in the air, dropped to her side, and her shoulders slumped. She looked sad, and alone, standing on that pile of coal. I glared at the warden as he retreated, and then...SMACK!
I jumped whirled around to see who had thrown that piece of coal at the warden's head. It was Haru. There he stood, twirling coal in the air, expression focused and intent on the warden.
I noticed the warden's expression, and his stance, and shouted out a warning to Haru, but it was too late. A blast of fire was heading right for him. Then it wasn't. A wall of coal arose and blocked the flames.
Tyro had used his bending. He'd fought back, and I knew that if Tyro had done it, then the others would follow his lead.
"Show no mercy." the warden ordered his shoulders, and all at once they shot out fireballs at us.
The earthbenders used the coal to create a shield again, five of them lifting it, and then throwing it at the firebenders "For the Earth Kingdom, attack!" Tyro called, and then the earthbenders did as Tyro suggested.
They fought. Sokka grinned, and soon we were following after him into the fight as well. The Water Tribe boy cut off the end of a spear and threw it to Momo was flying over ahead, and Sokka continued to do this as he went.
I ducked under a firebender's arm and blasted him off his feet with an air blast. I looked up to see Haru and his father solidifying a bunch of coal into hard stone, and then they threw it into the metal wall and created a hole large enough of people to escape through
"Get to the ship, we'll hold them off!" Tyro ordered, and some of the earthbenders made their escape.
"Do not let them escape!" the warden shouted.
The others and I ducked under the flames sent our way, and we came to a stop. Using his bending Aang created an air funnel, and called "Guys throw me show coal!"
As Katara and Sokka fed coal through Aang's air funnel, sending coal like fast projectiles and knocking out the soldiers, I helped in another way.
Taking a deep breath, I started to twirl my arms and hands around and around my head, gaining speed as I went. I spun on the balls of my feet, and pushed my hands outwards, forcing the miniature tornado I had created backwards like a tidal wave, and sending the soldiers flying.
The soldiers, and the warden too, were down for the count for the moment. The firebenders were then pulled back across the floor, and the three earthbenders that had stayed, two of those being Haru and his father, solidified the coal under the soldiers and lifted them into the air.
"No please, I can't swim!" the warden begged as the earth beneath hovered over the ocean
"Don't worry, I hear cowards float." Tyro brought his hands down, the coal separated, and the soldiers fell with shouts into the water.
Then we made for the ships.
0o0
Not long later we had made it off the rig. The earthbenders were on the ships they had stolen from the prison, and Aang, Sokka and I were riding on Appa who was swimming alongside one of the ships, which Katara was stood on with Haru and his father.
"I want to thank you for saving me," I heard Haru "For saving us."
I watched as Katara flushed with pleasure and put a hand to her head in a gesture of shyness "All it took was a little coal."
"It wasn't the coal Katara, it was you." And then I saw Katara blush even brighter.
"Thank you for helping me find my courage Katara of the Water Tribe," then Tyro turned in my direction and held up a hand, and smiled "And thank you for helping my son, Mina of the Southern Air Temple."
I bowed my head in respect, a way to say 'you're welcome'.
"My family and everyone here owes you much." Haru's father continued on.
"So I guess you're going home now?" Katara asked them
"Yes. To take back my village," Tyro replied "To take back all of our villages!" he cried to the others around him, hand held in the air "The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!"
All there cheered in agreement with Tyro's words.
"Come with us," Haru asked Katara
"I can't," I heard her reply, and I let out the breath I was holding "Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." she smiled fondly down at Aang, as he played with some coal and Momo gave chase to it.
"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar" Haru asked, "Katara thank you for bringing my father back to me, I never thought I'd see him again."
Momo leapt after the lump of coal, and Aang hugged him close and smiled up at his pet. I chuckled under my breath, and stroked Raiu's fur, as he lay curled up in my lap.
I turned my gaze upward again as I heard Haru say solemn but earnest "I only wish there was some way-"
"I know," Katara replied, reaching up for her necklace. "My mother's necklace! It's gone!"
I gasped. Katara continued to search for it, hoping it would be at her feet. It wasn't.
I looked to Sokka, and he looked as desperate and shocked as Katara did. I knew that necklace, while it was a woman's necklace, and he couldn't wear it, was as important to him as it was to his sister. It was the only thing they had left of their mother.
I reached out and placed my hand over his, gaining his attention, and then up to Katara "It'll be ok. We'll f-find it," I smiled kindly "It'll t-turn up."
Katara gave a small sad smile. Sokka squeezed my hand, but he didn't say a word in return. Aang glanced back at me, and I knew he would put every effort into finding Katara's mother's necklace and giving it back to her. As would I.
I looked back to the rig and watched as it faded away into the distance.
0o0
The sun was begging to set when a teenage firebender with a scar on the left side of his face, boarded the Fire Nation rig and prison.
There, lying on the cold hard metal floor of the rig, was a dark blue choker, with a lighter blue pendant attached, with a Water Tribe design engraved onto the surface.
He picked it up and gazed at the sun as it set slowly behind the horizon, the necklace clenched tight in his hand.
0o0