The Underground

Chapter 1: Secret Life

By: Floodedmoon

Summary

Kinkou (Kin), a thirteen-year-old waterbender, and her two friends Tsuki, and Nairu, live in the North Pole. However, Kin wishes to leave because on the rules of how women can't waterbend. Kin and Tsuki have peeked in on Master Pakku's training in secret and practice elsewhere. Nairu, being more levelheaded and obedient, covers for them when they skip healing practices; no matter how much she dislikes it. On their escape, they will discover life beyond the North Pole, and an adventure they dream of. When they leave they meet new friends, they learn new things they never know and a life that they always wanted, the life of a secret underground rebellion (I'd love to tell you more, but I dont want to give it away)

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

A bright light reflected off the icecaps of the North Pole. The people of the Northern Water Tribe made their daily rounds, buying food, talking with friends, training, and the works. Most of the waterbending men were at Master Pakku's lessons… well the men and two girls.

"Shhh... practice is about to begin Kin." Tsuki warned. Kin sat opposite of Tsuki, as snowball clenched in her fist prepared to hurl it at any bystander. Kin obediently let her snowball down and turned towards the lesson.

Tsuki and Kin, both girls in their thirteenth year. Tsuki had light tan skin and blue eyes. Her hair was tied in two stumpy pigtails at the bottom of her head. (Think Temari, from Naruto, with just the bottom two pigtails) A single snow hawk feather hung from one of her stumpy pigtails. Tsuki wore the traditional Water Tribe wear and boots, except her clothing had the native symbol of the snow hawk, the symbol of her family. Even though Tsuki was a well-mannered kid around adults, inside and around others she was truly a free spirit.

Kin on the other hand was a wild, prankster and tomboy. She hated being told what to do and when. Kin's real name was Kinkou, but she preferred the cut down version, mainly because it drove her stepmother crazy. Kinkou had very short, stumpy hair, blue eyes and an attitude. She wore Water Tribe clothes, but they were men's colors, so they were a navy blue color.

Kin and Tsuki watched with a sharp eye, making sure to catch everyone of Master Pakku's motions in order to copy it correctly. Kin and Tsuki snickered as Master Pakku scolded a few newbies for accidentally freezing him to the wall.

After the morning practice Kin and Tsuki hoped up from their positions and ran, making sure they weren't caught by any students, or worse, Master Pakku. Kin burst out in laughter as she and Tsuki came to a stop.

"What are you laughing for?" Tsuki asked.

"Huh? Oh, its just that we've been doing this for a year now and we haven't every been caught!" Kin exclaimed before bursting out in laughter again. Tsuki chuckled a bit at the truth in Kin's words. After Kin's bout of laughter was over, she fell to the ground and gave a happy sigh. "Life can be pretty sweet sometimes." She smiled, as she began to make snow angels.

"Come on Kin get off the ground." Tsuki said, rolling her eyes.

"Make me." Kin challenged. With that Tsuki gave a sinister smile and gave the ground a good stomp. A pillar of snow erupted from under Kin, shooting her upwards. Landing on her feet Kin stood up angrily. "What ya' do that for!" Kin shouted.

"I made you get up."

"Oh yeah well…"

"Kin, Tsuki over here!" called a voice.

Kin and Tsuki turned around to see Nairu heading towards them. Nairu was also thirteen with tan skin, blue eyes and brown hair. Nairu's hair was longer than Kin's or Tsuki's, though. She generally kept her hair in a small bun in the back and let the rest of her hair run down to her shoulders; she also had a small braid on one side of her head. Nairu's clothing was more of a light blue and lavender color. On her clothes she had the Royal Mark on her clothes. Ever since Princess Yue became the Moon Spirit, Chief Arnook adopted Nairu as his new daughter. Nairu, much like Yue, wants to do what's right for her people, which makes her the sensible and much more of a worrier than Kin or Tsuki.

"Hey, Nairu!" Kin called waving her hand. Nairu dashed down towards her friends.

"Hey thanks for covering us when we skipped Healing Lessons today." Tsuki said gratefully.

"Oh, yeah, so what excuse did you give today?" Kin asked, slouching up against an ice pillar.

"Ummm, I just told her you went to help Lao today." Nairu explained with a slight look of worry on her face. "I just hope Yugoda fell for it."

Everyone knew the Lao. Basically she was the village Shaman woman. She spoke with Spirits and was a connection to the Spirit World. Helping Lao was a very honorable act for a child to do.

"Don't worry, everybody trusts you." Kin said.

Nairu gave Kin and Tsuki a weak smile.

"Come on lets go." Tsuki announced, before she turned waiting for her friends to follow. Kin ran forward after Tsuki with Nairu shortly behind.

Kin, Tsuki and Nairu and Nairu traveled for about two miles before they reached their destination. Before them stood a large place of snow and ice, a pool of water, obviously made by Kin and Tsuki previously, was at the center. Both Tsuki and Kin slide down the snowy hill while Nairu followed more cautiously behind.

"Guys, are you sure you want to do this?" Nairu questioned, in hopes they'd reconsider.

"Yes." Tsuki and Kin replied at the same time in an annoyed tone.

"I didn't think so…" Nairu said looking a bit disheartened.

Nairu sat in the snow looking out for anyone who passed by, while Kin and Tsuki went to the small pool in the middle. Kin and Tsuki talked for a minute, reviewing the motions from today's lessons, then like every day, they went to practice, and just like every day Nairu asked them to reconsider.

"No! You shift your weight!" Tsuki argued as a ball of water smacked Kin in the head. Nairu couldn't help but laugh.

"Shut up!" Kin snapped.

"Sorry Kin." Nairu replied between giggles.

Kin rolled her eyes as Tsuki streamed out some water, and they passed it back and forth.

An hour later Tsuki, Kin and Nairu made their way back to the main city. Kin and Tsuki told Nairu about the new boys in Master Pakku's morning lesson who couldn't even do the simplest of tricks. As the girls laughed they didn't notice they walked right into Yugoda.

"My apologies Yugoda." Nairu replied.

"Yeah sorry." Kin and Tsuki replied in unison.

"Not to worry, I barely budged." Yugoda smiled, "Say, Kin, Tsuki, I didn't see you at lessons today."

"Oh, well, yeah…we were helping Lao." Kin quickly replied. Tsuki nodded.

"Well what did you help her with today?" Yugoda asked with a sweet smile.

"Helped me with what?" A voice sounded from behind them. An elderly woman, with wrinkled skin, in a hunched over position came from behind Nairu. She wore her long gray hair in many braids and wore many beads and feathers in her hair. She looked at the group with a questioning glance.

"La…Lao…we were just telling Yugoda how we….he…helped you today." Tsuki replied nervously. Kin was glaring harshly at Nairu.

"I thought you said you covered for us?" Kin whispered roughly in her ear.

"I did!" Nairu insisted.

Lao looked at the three girls and smiled. Leaning on her gnarled branch she used as a walking stick, she answered, "Oh yes, Kin and Tsuki helped my make the climb to the mountain today, I'm getting too old to go on my own you know."

All three girls gave a sigh of relief and let the worry wash from their face. Yugoda smiled at the two girls.

"I'm very proud of you two for helping Lao today." Yugoda said looking at Kin and Tsuki with a satisfied smile before she walked away.

"Thank you Lao, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't lied." Tsuki said bowing slightly out of respect.

"Don't worry girls, your secret will remain safe."

Kin, Nairu and Tsuki gave smiles of gratitude before they walked on. Lao was the only one who knew of their secret. After all you can't hide anything from the Spirits. Luckily, Lao supported Kin and Tsuki's secret, she believed perhaps it was the only way for them to be truly talented.

"Well guys I'm off." Kin said aloofly as she passed her friends and Lao.

"See ya." Tsuki called.

"Bye!" Nairu added.

"Good Luck!" were Lao's last words, before she too left.

Upon arriving at home, late at night, because Kin had stayed outside doing chores for the past few hours. Kin snuck passed her stepmothers room, and into her room. Her room was dark except for the shaft of moonlight from her window. On the floor on one of her skin carpets, was a scroll, visible in the silver-light. Kin smiled, overjoyed and read the parchment. It read:

The boat will be ready tomorrow

at the time when the moons light reaches

its highest point in the sky

Good Luck.

Thanks Lao. Kin thought. Immediately she ran to her window and pulled back the pelt hanging in front. She lit a small lamp that hung outside the window, using the heated coals left over from dinner. In a matter of minutes a light flickered on from Tsuki's window across the stream, and later another from Nairu's window at the palace. They understood…they'd leave tomorrow night.

End Chapter 1

Comments from the Author

FM: Welp so starts The Underground please review, cuz it's the only way I learn. So I hoped you liked it!