Author's Note: Hey! I got 2 reviews! Thanks so much bustamove and brian! You guys are awesome! Anyhow, I know some parts in the beginning might seem lame or weird right now, but trust me, it will all wrap up and make sense... just don't give up on me and you'll see :)
Disclaimer: Avatar belongs to Nickelodeon, so on and so forth, the concept and writing of this story along with any additional characters belong to me.
...Wow, that sounded all professional and stuff...
Chapter 2: The North
The monks watched in anticipation from their raised seats. All eyes were trained on the infant before them. The child looked so very small, it was almost hard to imagine that she could grow up to be someone so powerful. Breaths were held as the child looked at the seemingly normal assortment of playthings. Of course, they were normal... save for one. The one that would make the child's destiny clear. The young girl finally reached out toward the toys. Her small hand hovered above the Avatar's traditional toy of choice for a time before, with a wide grin, her fingers closed around the polished surface of a wooden figurine carved in the shape of a crane. The Avatar's toy lay untouched as she held her selected plaything in her hands, gurgling in delight.
"But how is it possible?" One monk whispered to another. "The next in the Avatar cycle is an airbender!"
"Perhaps the child has been born to the Northern Air Temple." Another monk offered.
All eyes turned to Gyatso.
"Gyatso, you said only days ago that you thought she was the Avatar." A monk said indignantly.
"I merely said she possessed characteristics similar to that of the Avatar. I am as surprised as you all." Gyatso responded coolly.
Like a gift sent from the Spirits to relieve the tension, a young airbender of about seventeen wearing the billowing attire of messenger ran up to the monks, his staff still unfolded halfway. The wings of the glider caught the wind as he raced toward the group, making the poor young man run harder just to fight the drag. "A message! I carry a message from the monks of the Fire Kingdom!" He gasped as he reached them, out of breath from his long route.
The monks glanced at each other and took the message from the bender's grateful hands.
"What does it say?" Gyatso softly questioned the monk holding the letter.
"The Avatar lives! The healers managed to revive him." The monk looked up at the others. "There was no Avatar reincarnation."
Monk Gyatso looked over at the child, now leaving with her mother, and nodded absently.
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Aang's eyes remained glued on the icy blue water in front of them. His gaze swept across the horizon line, looking for what he knew would be there.
"What are you looking for Aang?" Katara asked, moving up to the front of the saddle to try and see what Aang was seeing.
"My sister told me stories of it in her letters. She said the outer wall of the North Pole was like a glass fortress, made out of ice thicker than Appa."
Appa groaned his distaste at the comparison.
Taking no notice, Aang continued. "She was only able to send me a couple letters, but she always mentioned the wall."
"Why was your sister only able to send a couple...?"
"There it is!" Aang exclaimed, cutting her off.
Katara looked in the direction Aang was pointing, and sure enough saw the familiar glint of sunlight reflecting off ice.
"Sokka, look!" Katara cried happily, straining her eyes to get a better look at the outer wall of the North Pole.
Sokka crawled up the front of the platform and looked out over Katara's shoulder.
"We're actually here." Sokka breathed.
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The door to Zuko's cabin opened slowly, metal hinges groaning with the strain of years of poor maintaining. Iroh walked over to his nephew, who at this time was sitting motionless in meditation.
"You should come up to the deck, Zuko. We'll be seeing the outer wall of the North Pole soon... about an hour or so I would say." He said slowly. "You've been keeping yourself cooped up in here for some time."
"I need to be ready for the Avatar." Zuko replied plainly, not opening his eyes.
"It would do you good to get some fresh air..." Iroh continued. "The air down here can get pretty musty." He added, wrinkling his nose to prove his point.
"I don't need fresh air. I want to be alone."
Iroh sighed. "Very well then." He slowly walked over the creaking floorboards and left the cabin, closing the door gently behind him.
Zuko opened his eyes and stared into the dancing orange flames of the candles in front of him. He frowned and the flames rose higher, flickering wildly.
"No matter what, this time..." He clenched his fists, feeling every moment of the battle with his father and the eve of his exile flood back into his ragged heart. He clenched his fists, driving the flames of the candles into a violent frenzy. "...I shall not fail."
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"We're here! We're actually here!" Katara exclaimed joyously as she admired the waterbending skill that had been put into the outer wall.
"It's even better than I thought it would be!" Aang murmured excitedly.
A small group of canoes, dyed blue in the traditional waterbender style, approached the small band of travelers.
"Halt! Who wishes to enter the North Pole?" A bearded man, obviously the leader, shouted in a booming voice.
"The Avatar, and his friends from the southern water tribe!" Katara called back. Aang did a small bit of airbending between his hands to add a bit more believability to their story.
"Such visitors are always welcome." The man answered, trying not to appear surprised. He shouted out a command to the oarsmen and the group of boats quickly began moving back to the wall, escorting the group aboard the flying bison into the North Pole. Seeing the scouts returning, the lookouts on the top of the wall began bending the ice, so as to let the procession through. Aang, Katara, and Sokka admired their surroundings, in awe of the amount of strength and skill needed to perform such a task. Finally, they passed the wall and entered the city. The bearded man turned to face the odd group of benders, non-benders and animals.
"This is where I leave you. Welcome to the North Pole." He smiled, revealing a row of slightly crooked teeth. Once this was said, he shouted an order and the canoes began rowing back to their post.
"Thanks!" Aang waved as they left, steering Appa down to the snowy bank of the river and jumping off. Katara and Sokka climbed down from the bison and stood beside Aang.
"So, Aang... are you ready to find a bending master?" Katara asked without thinking.
"Am I ever!" Aang exclaimed, taking Katara's and Sokka's arms and running into the marketplace. "Someone here will have to know where she lives!"
"Oh, no Aang, I didn't mean..." Katara fumbled, furious with herself for having had such a loose tongue.
"That's great Katara, that's just great." Sokka grumbled, rolling his eyes. Katara shot him a piercing look and he didn't take the matter further.
Aang raced up to the first vendor he found and slammed his hands down on the makeshift wood counter.
"Do you know a one hundred and sixteen year old woman?" Aang asked, grinning at the shopkeeper. The vendor blinked a few times, but when he realized the boy was in fact serious, he shook his head from side to side. Aang gave him a sideways look and walked over to another stall.
"He must be new here... everyone else will probably know her." Aang muttered, half to himself. He approached the other vendor and smiled. "Excuse me, do you know a one hundred and sixteen..."
"Sorry kid, you're going to have to play your little game somewhere else, I have fish to sell." The man replied promptly, turning away to bellow out the quality of his produce to a nearby shopper.
Aang took a step back. "You don't know her either?"
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Katara made her way softly into Aang's room. The chief of the Northern water tribe had given them the use of a fairly large structure situated next to the palace. It had often been used in the days of old as a guesthouse for visiting chiefs, kings, and nobles. The chief had said it would be his honor to allow the Avatar and his companions to stay. Katara looked sadly at her friend, sitting in the center of the room, head turned down.
"How could nobody know her?" He asked quietly.
Katara gave a heartfelt sigh, and sat down beside him. "Aang, you have to understand... hardly anyone lives to be that old. I don't think she's alive Aang."
Aang gave Katara a look that reminded her, with a sharp pang of guilt, of the look he'd worn when he had discovered that Gyatso had been killed. "I know... but why do I still feel her? Her presence still feels so strong."
Katara wrapped her arms around the boy and squeezed him gently. "Sometimes we hold on to things so tightly... we have a hard time letting go. I'm sure she lived a good life Aang."
Aang nodded slowly. "I think you're right. I just... I just thought for sure someone would have at least remembered her." He looked up at Katara, eyes a bit brighter. "She was one of the best benders in the North Pole."
Katara nodded. "Well, if you're feeling better you should come to the dining room. Dinner's ready."
Aang nodded and stood up. Katara walked down the hallway with Aang in silence, Aang's question pestering her mind like a nagging insect. Why did no one remember one of the best benders in the North Pole? Why did no one remember the girl who bent air and water?
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(Sigh) Once again, I plague you with short chapters. Hope you liked it and uh... a cookie in the shape of Aang's head to all that review! xD