Voila! This is the final chapter of the first installment of the 'Avatar Niella' Series! There will be three more parts, or books, if you will. No, this series has the right amount of books this time, unlike the original.

'Avatar Niella Book 2: Firebending' will be posted after the first installment of another series 'Return to the Digital World part 1: The Rise of Rochemon.' So all those Digimon fans will like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar in any way.

Claimer: I own Niella, Tae Xing, and the blurb posted at the bottom (A preview of Book 2).

WORD COUNT: 839
TOTAL: 7007

The huge bump in the middle of the night did not go unnoticed. In fact, it awakened every passenger and crew member on board. "Am I going to get any sleep tonight?" Niella mumbled as she rolled out of bed. There was no running, no shouting; heck, it was just as quiet as before. She was positive it was nothing – maybe they'd bumped into a rock or something – but felt compelled to go on up and check it out anyway. She pulled on a warm cloak over her thin nightdress and left.

Outside, she saw Sokka having an intense conversation with the Northern Tribe chief, Hahn. A second ship was tied up alongside theirs. Standing and hiding behind the doorway, she could listen but not be seen. Sokka had often complained about Hahn becoming chief. The words 'jerk without a soul' were often repeated, among other phrases she probably wasn't meant to hear. Their hatred for each other now seemed more obvious than ever.

"My point is that because of the obvious issues between you and the Avatar, I have been put in charge of transporting both girls to Kyoshi Island, regardless of whatever you have to say in the matter."

"You can't do this, Hahn!" Sokka argued, "The Black Phoenix Society is about to start a full-scale war, and at this point, the people of Kyoshi will not allow any ship but mine into their bay. You'll only make things worse!"

"They will let me in. I am also a chief of the Water Tribes. And besides, I don't see any problem with these Black Phoenix people, or whatever they're called. They've been quiet for the full fifteen years they've been together."

"Long Feng is one of them, you know that, and he's the one pulling the strings on this whole conspiracy!" Sokka sounded like he was getting dangerously close to losing his temper. "If that isn't a sign that they're on the move, then I don't know what is! You're putting the Earth Kingdom Princess and the Avatar in danger!"

"Hmph! You're one to talk! Remember the Siege of the North twenty-one years ago?" Silence. Niella peeked out and saw that Sokka had a stricken look on his face. "Chief Arnook tasked you with keeping his daughter out of harm's way, but when she was sacrificed by that old Fire Nation general, you simply stood aside and watched my fiancée die. I'm taking the princess and the Avatar to Kyoshi Island, and that's final." He pushed Sokka aside and headed towards the doorway. Niella tried to duck out of sight, but she wasn't quick enough. Hahn caught her by the arm and dragged her out.

"Ow! Let go!" She pulled herself away angrily, her long, black hair falling over her tanned face. Hahn frowned down at her.

"And who are you supposed to be?" he asked, looking at her up and down, taking in her bare feet, rumpled clothes, and messy hair.

"She's Niella," Sokka replied, "The Avatar."

Hahn looked down at the girl standing before him. She was obviously of marrying age, what with her betrothal necklace, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what kind of man would find her desirable. He couldn't really judge her by her unkempt appearance – after all, she'd probably been in bed only five minutes ago – but her attitude repulsed him. Women were supposed to be quiet and obedient. But she'd fought back when he'd caught her spying. Impudence must be an Avatar quality; he'd noticed that in the other one a little. Or it could be a Southern Tribe thing. Or possibly both.

Niella glared them both. "I'll wake the princess so we can go," she said bluntly, turning and descending below deck. Sokka hurried after her. Hahn, foreseeing complications, followed. He was surprised at the Avatar's willingness to obey his orders. Perhaps the people of the Southern Tribe weren't as simple as he'd thought. Of course, he'd never actually been there, and the only southerner he'd really gotten to know was their 'great' Chief Sokka.

Sokka and Niella were arguing back and forth outside one of the cabins. A group of Sokka's men – along with an Imperial Firebender – peeked out from other quarters. Most paid attention to the fight, but one or two glanced curiously his way, throwing him dirty looks.

"Niella, you're safer with me! Trust me, please!"

"After hearing about what happened to that other princess? Not a chance! Why should I trust you with anyone's life? Besides, you can't tell me what to do. You're not really my uncle, remember?" The clever girl had found his weak point, even more quickly than Hahn had. Sokka stood by silently as the Avatar brought the princess out. She followed Hahn all the way over the gangplank to his ship, avoiding eye contact with anyone. What was her problem? Oh, well. Hahn didn't really find that to be too big of an issue.

"Men!" he ordered, "Set sail for Kyoshi Island!"

TO BE CONTINUED…

Alrighty, so that was a little short, but it IS the epilogue. Don't worry, Book 2 will come in a month or two.

Here's a sneek-peek at 'Avatar Niella Book 2: Firebending' -

Two weeks had passed since TaeXing and Niella had switched from Sokka's ship to Hahn's. They'd had to travel through the Ba Sing Se Canal (A/N: The canal was built after the series finale to connect Lake Laogai to Full Moon Bay), across the bay, and around the Serpent's Pass. Hahn had almost gone right through Serpent's Pass, but TaeXing, knowing even more stories about the monster than Niella, persuaded him to take a detour. Then they'd hit the open ocean at the eastern tip of the Earth Kingdom, and began sailing north around the whole continent to Kyoshi Island. If Hahn hadn't been so stubborn, they would've headed southeast, around the southern tip of the Fire Nation. But to him, that would mean sailing off the edge of his his seriously out-of-date map. So it really was no surprise that they hadn't arrived yet.

"Niella?" TaeXing's voice startled the young Avatar out of her thoughts. "Are we ever going to get there?"

Niella sat up and looked over. The princess was staring at the ceiling. "Of course," she replied, "It just might take a litte longer than we thought."

"Hahn really has no idea what he's doing, does he?"