~~~~~~~~~~~~~*`~~: Chapter Twenty Three: ~~`*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next night found them camping on a beach next to a water tribe boat that had been stuck in the sand. Sokka's and Katara's father had been here. Ally laid down in the sand and looked at the sparkling fire pensively, the salt made the fire blue and green on the bottom and bright yellow at the top.

Fire was light, warm and beautiful when it wasn't attacking you, Ally thought then looked at the starry sky; how could the fire nation make something so beautiful then turn it into something so hated and ugly, fuelled by anger.

Kuzon had been an air bender at heart true; but he was a fire bender, and he'd never used anger to fuel his inner fire, he used the sun and he used friendship as a motive, his fire was stronger but gentler for it, bright purple in colour, and it never actually burnt the environment, it did however burn skin but he'd been careful when bending it close to people.

Ally looked around the silent camp then her head snapped up as someone approached, she air bended herself into a standing defensive position as Sokka jumped up with his boomerang. "Whose there!" he called.

A bandaged man, water tribe by the looks of it, was approaching they're camp. "Sokka?" he asked in surprise.

"Bato!" Katara and Sokka beamed, running up to the man.

"Who?" Ally looked at Aang, he shrugged.

"It is so good to see you two! Oh, you've grown so much." Bato said hugging her two water tribe friends.

"Hi I'm Ally–" Ally began bowing.

"I'm Aang." Aang said bowing too.

Ally and Aang shared a glance as the water tribe members completely ignored them. They were brought to an abbey, Ally was only half listening too Bato's story of being injured and Sokka and Katara's father carrying him here. "Superior," Bato said, "these are Hakoda's children. They've been travelling with the Avatar and his friend. I found them by my boat."

It bothered Ally that Aang was labelled as 'Avatar' and not a friend of Sokka and Katara's, and she wasn't a friend to her two water tribe friends. It made her annoyed that she and Aang were being ignored by Katara and Sokka.

By the time Sokka had made a latent joke Ally was not in the mood to even roll her eyes. Bato's chamber made Ally grit her teeth, so many poor animals probably suffered so the skins were not ruined, for comfort!

Sokka and Katara was not helping her mood at all, cutting off when Aang was speaking. Ally had asked about 'the great blubber fiasco' but Sokka butted Ally's attempt to join the conversation. Ally joined Aang at the back of the room, glaring at her water tribe friends.

Ally looked at Aang to see his eyes are closed; Ally closed her eyes as well and leaned up against the wall. "There's something I should tell you kids. I'm expecting a message from your father." Bato said.

Ally's eyes snapped open. "When?" Sokka asked excitedly.

"Any day now. Your father said he'd send a message when they found the rendezvous point. If you wait here until the message arrives you can come with me and see your father again."

Aang left the room, but Ally was angry.

"It's been over two years since we've seen Dad! That would be so incredible. Katara?" Sokka asked.

"I do really miss him. It would be great to see Dad." Katara said smiling.

Ally stormed out of the room before she could yell at them and saying things she'd regret. Some friendship! Ally kicked a stone in her anger. Ally valued friendship greatly, and saw it the highest dishonour among friends to abandon them, especially in times of need, she understood Sokka's and Katara's want to see their father but to abandon Aang when they promised. She walked over too Snow-fire and Appa, petting them, Nyx and Neo landed on her shoulders. "You didn't see where Aang went did you?" she asked them.

"He went down to the beach," said a strict looking sister behind her.

Ally bowed to her, "Thank you," offering a tight smile, it was all she could conjure at the moment.

"Is everything okay?" the Sister asked in concern, seeing her face taunt with ill hidden anger.

"Not really," Ally said, "only time will tell."

The Sister nodded and Ally left to find Aang. Ally stumbled through the forest and onto the beach, she found him huddled on the prow of Bato's boat. Seeing him without a grin made her heart clench in anger.

Ally sat down behind to him, he turned so to sit beside her. "You want to go flying?" Ally asked, he gave a small smile and nodded. Ally got her glider out and Aang took off on his, Ally quickly caught up and flew along side her best friend.

Aang didn't look happy though, not even in the air. Ally furrowed her eyes in thought; she gave an attempted grin and called, "Hey Aang! Watch this!" Ally flipped her glider over so she was facing the sky and stood up on it, careful not to injure her wounded stomach. She wobbled a little but placed her feet on the thin plank of wood, looking down at the dark below where she could hear the waves.

Aang grinned, "Nice one!" He swang up and stood on his glider.

Ally whooped as she circled around Aang using her arms, she grinned and put pressure on the back of the glider it sailed up. Aang followed quickly. A breeze came in from the west and Ally grinned, "Want to go glider surfing?" she called to Aang.

"Nice name for a new game!" Aang laughed, they swooped up and over the clouds and into a strong current. It wasn't that bad of a game as Ally and Aang slowly learnt from trial and error the fundamentals of ridding the glider standing and doing tricks on it, ridding the currents like they were waves.

Suddenly the dawn came and Ally and Aang regretfully came back down to face the reality that their friends could run off if this map came before they could leave. At least Ally felt calmer now.

It seemed that Sokka and Katara hadn't noticed them gone, Ally and Aang looked at each other and silently communicated to go about that they were never gone.

"Ally," Katara came up to her, "you coming? We're going to the beach."

Ally said nothing but walked past Katara and towards where Aang and Sokka were waiting with Bato. Hey if you believed your friends were going to abandon you, you'd be pretty cold to them too, it feels like betrayal.

(A/N; I know the feeling.)

Ally was walking far in front of the group while Aang tried to talk to them. Katara's attention asked her what was wrong; "betrayal." was what Ally said curtly.

Katara looked confused, "why who's betrayal?"

"You promised Aang to take him to the North Pole, but now you're going to go back on your word when Aang needs you." Ally glared her best glare at Katara's shocked face. "I know you miss your father but maybe you should stop to think about who needs you more."

Ally sped up, Katara ran to catch up, and said "We're not abandoning you or Aang." At Ally's look she hastily explained, "It would be great to see our dad but we told Bato straight away that we promised to take Aang to the North Pole, we're not leaving."

Ally looked at Katara, "With the way you two were acting I thought that you didn't want to travel with us." Katara looked confused and Ally shook her head in disbelief, "You can't not know how you've both treated us!" Ally exclaimed, "Ignoring us, cutting over us when we try to make conversation, basically treating us like we are not worth a glance."

Katara was quiet, "I'm really sorry Ally."

Ally snorted and walked faster, "Don't apologise to me. Apologies to Aang, he needs it more then I do. This has cut him deeply because the promise was made to him."

Katara looked angry at Ally before looking hurt; she slowed down looking to the ground.

It turned out that Bato wanted to take them 'Ice dodging' on his small boat, but with rocks jutting out from the ocean. Apparently it's a rite of passage for young water tribe members.

Ally saw strange animal tracks in the sand, before Aang blew the tracks away. Ally sent him a questioning look; he merely looked away… looking guilty? Before she could question him Bato helped her onto the boat.

"Ice-dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery and trust. Sokka, you steer and call the shots. Lead wisely. Katara, Ally, you secure the mainsail. The winds can be brutal, so be brave and have endurance. Aang, you control the jib, without your steady hand we all go down. Your position is about trust." Bato said.

Ally and Katara looked at each other, Ally glared, Katara looked away sourly, guilt on her face. Things were going to get difficult. Bato took a seat and told them that to archive this they had to do it on their own.

Ally looked at the approaching rapids and incoming rocks sharpened by the ocean, she looked at Katara, two different shades of blue met; Ally gave a tiny nod with a very small attempt at a smile, Katara smiled as well.

Ally's cold wall broke and she gave a full blown grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Ease up on the jib. Ally, Katara, steady! Aang, less sail!" Ally copied Katara as she pulled the rope, she could feel the airs power through the main sail. "Aang! Helm to lee! Helm to lee! Ally, star board! Pull star board!"

"What does that mean?" Aang shouted, echoing Ally's thoughts.

Katara thankfully knew and did Ally's job, while Ally held the rope they both had been holding steady.

Ally looked ahead and paled; there was no way they could pass through those rocks.

Sokka was crazy.

But insanity was also connected to ingenuity, Ally thought as she and Aang stood five feet apart and as one started to sent massive currents of air into the sail while Katara bended as much water as she could so they could go over the rocks.

Ally's stomach curled in anticipation, and then relief flooded her; they made it. They all sagged in relief, "Can we go to shore now?" Ally asked weakly, feeling like she was about to throw up, Aang nodded in agreement.

Ally jumped off the boat and landed softly in the sand, she never thought she might get sea sick. She dizzily stood up with air bending but shot ten feet in the air instead.

Ally took a deep breath and tried to settle her chi that seemed to be going eccentrically down the wrong path ways of her body and the vertigo seemed to be taking its toll on her. Ally landed on her feet, Ally took on a mediative pose and relaxed.

"Ally?" Katara asked.

Ally shook her head, "It must be cause of my chi being messed up, I was too dizzy and that affected the power I used."

Katara nodded, looking worried.

Bato cleared his throat, "Is it anything the sisters could help?"

Ally shook her head and glanced at Aang, "It's something that will sort out on its own," Ally looked back at Bato, "I'm just along for the ride."

Bato nodded and started to make black paste, Ally looked up at the sky. Was it just because of her messed up chi or was she too dizzy and over shot the power? Or was it both? Ally never thought much about her developed visions but maybe this was a bad thing.

That got Ally worried. But her enhanced visions allowed her to know about the volcano and warn Sokka and Aang so they could warn the village right? It allowed her to find Aang when he had been captured. It couldn't be too bad right?

"Common Ally," Katara grinned, pulling Ally next to her and getting in line.

"The spirits of water bear witness to these marks." Bato said, "For Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned." He dabbed his finger into the black paste and painted dot witha half circle mark above it on Sokka's forehead, it looked like a third eye. He came up to Ally, "For you, Ally, the mark of Endurance, only given to those who continue on when sick." Ally felt the black paste mark a full circle and two dots beside it, she didn't know if she should take that as a complement or not. "Congratulations Ally, you're now an honorary member of the southern water tribe."

Bato continued on, Katara got the mark of the brave and Aang the mark of trust. "And for Aang, the mark of the trusted. You are now an honorary member of the water tribe." Ally beamed at him but he stepped away, refusing.

"What? Of course you can!" Sokka said in confusion.

"Aang?" Ally asked.

"Aang, what are you talking about?" Katara asked.

Aang took out a crumbled piece of parchment and handed it to Katara, "Please try to understand, I thought you would. –"

"This is the map to our dad!" Sokka exclaimed, Ally blinked in shock, "You had it the whole time! How could you?" Aang flinched. "Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own! I'm going to find Dad." He stared to storm back up to the Abby, "You with me Katara?"

Ally looked at Katara, surely, surely after Ally had forgiven her she wouldn't turn around, it was a simple mistake on Aang's part, surely Katara realized that Aang was afraid he'd loose them. Katara lowered her eyes, "I'm with you, Sokka."

Those words felt like knives in the back to Ally, and she gave a full out glare. "Ally?" Katara asked hesitantly.

Ally marched up to Katara and raised her hand, prepared to slap her one time friend right across the face. But she saw Katara flinch and clenched her fist. "You were never going to keep your word in the first place." Ally said softly to her use-to-be friend, she walked up to stand beside Aang; she folded her arms across her chest as she stared emotionlessly at the two water tribe members.

Sokka glared at her and marched up toward the Abby, Katara and Bato in tow. When they disappeared beyond the trees Ally groaned, her outer front collapsed and she looked at Aang with a tortured expression, "Why Aang?"

Aang winced, "I thought they'd leave us when the map came, I thought they'd abandon us. I – I panicked," He slumped to the ground. "I'm an idiot."

Ally sighed in defeat and crouched down next to him, "Everyone makes mistakes, though that doesn't mean I approve of your actions." Aang's shoulders fell and he looked away. "But Katara and Sokka didn't even hear what you had to say, so I disagree with their actions more so, they blew things entirely out of proportion. I probably should have reacted better too." Ally admitted.

"I actually thought you were going to hit Katara." Aang muttered.

"For a moment so did I," Ally whispered, "And that scared me."

"But you didn't." Aang said firmly, noticing Ally's dejection, she had always struggled with negative Jing but always managed to be placid like other nomads.

Ally smiled just a tad, "I didn't." she nodded, feeling better at the reassurance. She stood up, "Common, we should saddle up Snow-fire and Appa. Us Nomads need to stay together." She offered her hand to Aang and he took it.

"I completely ruined my chances with Katara. I should have told her how I felt when I had the chance." Aang said softly.

Ally looked at Aang, trying to hold back sympathy from showing too much. She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't go emo on me," she said. Aang gave a weak glare at her, Ally winced, "Sorry, that wasn't tactful."

Aang smiled and gave a feeble chuckle that died before it even started, it turned into a sigh. They walked in silence up into the Abby and saw Katara and Sokka putting on back packs.

Ally looked away before her eyes made contact with Katara's. Snow-fire was whimpering to Sokka, confused. "Snow-fire," Ally called. Snow-fire whined at Ally, asking her what was happening. "They're not coming with us." Ally said, jumping onto her saddle.

She took a sack that held assortments of fruit and dried meats (yuck) and threw it down to Sokka; it hit him on the head. He glared up at her and Ally stared down at him for a moment, before starting to get Snow-fire's reins in check.

Sokka looked at the bag and picked it up and looked into it, his shoulders slumped and he looked up at Ally, she wasn't paying him any mind. "Sokka, are you coming?" Bato said. Sokka looked down to his feet and walked over too his dads best friend, sending Ally a sad goodbye glance. She didn't see it, at least that's what she thought.

Ally tightened her mouth into a pout/scowl so she could hold back tears and continued packing. She looked over at Katara, she was saying something to Aang, when she walked away they're eyes met. Ally couldn't keep her glare for long and she sighed in defeat, looking sad and depressed, she lowered her eyes from Katara.

"Ally?" Katara asked hesitantly.

"Good luck." Ally said emotionlessly. "I hope you find your dad."

"You too; and thanks," Katara whispered, she began to walk away.

Ally sighed, "Katara?" she took off her air nomad necklace, "here," She threw it to Katara with a light use of air bending. Katara caught it with a look of confusion, "keep it," Ally said jumping down from Snow-fire, "It hurts what you're doing, but I still hope we're friends, I'm sorry."

"I," Katara began, she looked down. "I'm sorry too." They gave each other a hug, "bye Ally." Katara said letting go, she walked back too Sokka and Bato.

Bato and Ally made eye contact, his eyes looked apologetic, and then he looked to her forehead. Ally was suddenly aware she had the mark of endurance on her still and she rubbed it off and looked away.

She was an Air Nomad, first and foremost. Nyx and Neo flew up to her, chittering in confusion, their long ears flat in sadness. Ally smiled flatly, "No, they're not coming with us."

Ally flipped onto Snow-fire's head and steered her too where Aang was on Appa, "ready?" Ally asked Aang softly.

Aang nodded with a sigh, "Let's get going." He directed Appa towards the beach, Ally tugged lightly on the reins and Snow-fire followed behind Appa. "I haven't gotten everything secure on Appa yet." Aang said looking back at her. "So just give me five more minutes before we go anywhere."

Ally nodded. They reached the beach and Ally looked at the sun setting on the horizon. Her mind flashing back to a memory that felt like a life time ago.

"It's nice isn't it?" Damion stated.

"Hu?" Ally questioned.

"That even at the end of the day, no matter how bad the past has been, it ends with something amazingly beautiful."

Ally glanced at Damion and out to the sunset. "I'll have to keep that in mind when I feel gravity weighing me down."

Ally lowered her gaze from the horizon and looked at Aang; he was still getting ready. Suddenly her eyes flashed blue and she was pulled from her body in a rush of colour;

Going back through the forest and into the Abby, Ally came to a slow then suddenly the doors too the Abby were knocked to the ground.

A Shirshu with was snarling and sniffing around the court yard Ally blinked and looked at the young woman ridding the creature. Then she gasped, Zuko and Iroh were with her, and coming into the Abby behind them, ridding a large armadillo rhino each, was John and Commander Lee.

"We're getting close," The young woman said, brandishing her whip. She was holding a red robe, the one she had been dressed in when she had been aboard Zuko's ship.

Ally gasped and looked at Aang, a sudden galloping foot falls came from through the forest, "In coming!" Ally shouted jumping off Snow-fire. Aang jumped up with his staff ready. Ally looked around just in time to see the Shirshu pounce through the trees and onto the sand, snarling up a storm, its head facing Ally.

Snow-fire snarled and Ally tensed, ready for action. She knew that the Shirshu had her scent pinned down; if she made any sudden moves she'd be paralysed before she could do any damage and help Aang.

"So this is your girlfriend," The women said in a board tone tossing the robe away, Zuko got off to face Aang, "No wonder she left. She's way too pretty for you." She continued.

Suddenly the armadillo rhinos came through the trees with their riders. Ally glanced at John but snapped her eyes back to the Shirshu. A sudden stroke of insanity came over her; Ally blasted herself into the air and over the scent monster, she barely dodged the paralysing tongue as it jumped up to snap at her. The Shirshu fell onto its back, dumping its passengers. Ally skipped away from the tongue again just barely and flipped away from a whip from the Shirshu's rider.

The monster rider got back onto the Shirshu and went after Aang, Ally narrowed her eyes and intercepted them with a wall of air; Snow-fire came from the other side and snapped her fangs at the Shirshu's neck, efficiently knocking the rider off. Appa was growling at the Armadillo rhinos, the flying bison charged.

"What are you waiting for!" Zuko shouted to John who had been knocked to the ground, "Attack the girl!"

Ally lashed out a blast of air and Zuko was blasted into a tree. Emerald green fire came at her and she quickly conjured a shield. Ally jumped and twirled around from more green flames, she brought out her staff and twirled it around in front of her when a burst of bright flames came at her.

Ally dodged another volley of green flames then barely ducked a paralysing tongue. Ally jumped as John did a foot sweep.

Ally did a quick glance at the Shirshu hovering over a snarling Snow-fire, who was about to collapse under the pressure of too much toxin. Ally threw a quick smile at John before she lunged at the rider and kicked an air ball at her; she was blasted into the water.

The Shirshu snarled at Ally and charged at her, Ally slid under it but its large tail swung at her, she did a face plant into the sand.

Spitting out the tiny grains of sand and ignoring her watery eyes Ally looked up and noticed a tiny container had fallen out of her pocket… It was the thumb sized container Aunt Wu gave her, filled with that confusing liquid.

Ally smirked and took it in her hand and stood up. Suddenly there was a loud explosion, Ally looked around startled; and Aang was soaring and falling towards her. She threw up a cushion of air which softened his fall.

Suddenly a whip wacked around her wrist, Ally hissed at the unexpected pain and was yanked toward the young woman that owned the Shirshu.

Ally twirled her wrist around and enclosed her hand around the whip, she kicked her foot out and blasted a gust of air into the sand, which was kicked up into Zuko's face, and Ally propelled herself around and around her opponent until the women was tied up by her own whip. Ally quickly tied a knot with the handle so the woman couldn't escape.

Ally ducked as a tongue whipped out at her, Ally knocked the women out with a swift blow to the head, and she let her fall to the ground.

"Tangled in your own web," Ally smirked; she dodged as the Shirshu lunged at her, "Okay I'm really annoyed with you now, and I'm normally an animal lover." Ally said to the Shirshu as it growled, and attacked.

Ally flipped and put her hands on Commander Lee's shoulders; she pushed and went soaring into the air. Ally laughed as the Shirshu slammed into the startled Commander, the Commander in question glared up at her from his sitting position in the sand.

Ally brought out her staff and rotated it above her head, she landed softly. She put her staff into its hoister. The Shirshu charged at her again and suddenly Snow-fire jumped on top of it, Appa flew in front of Ally.

Smiling Ally looked back at the rider but her eyes widened as Iroh untied and awoke the women. The Shirshu rider looked right at her, a glare on her face. There was a sudden yelp, and Ally saw the Shirshu now limping because Snow-fire had bitten its leg.

Ally took the shot and threw the container at its nose. It howled as it the container broke and spilled its purple liquid all over its face. It shook its head and backed up, trying to rid the scent.

Ally cried out as a whip cracked against her back, slicing her back open. She turned around with a fierce glare and charged at the rider.

"You've ticked me off on the wrong day." Ally snarled, sounding like her Ermine-wolf. She ducked around the rider and spun a high kick at her, hitting the rider on the back.

"Why is it your time of the month?" The rider snarled with resemblance to her Shirshu. Ally gripped the woman's whip wrist and twist, forcing the rider to let the weapon go. Ally pushed the rider away from the whip.

The rider managed to kick Ally's shins with a swift chopping low kick; Ally let her body fall then spun a median kick, getting the rider in the chest. "Almost," Ally said after she landed in a crouch in front of the winded rider.

She laughed, "I like you girl, you can take teasing, so don't take this personally." She punched Ally right where her healing scar was.

Ally stumbled away wincing at the sudden bout of pain, "That was a low blow," Ally grunted, "And the names Ally not girl."

"June," the rider said before bounding forward and trying to land punches which Ally dodged easily despite her injured throbbing stomach and her stinging back.

Finally Ally managed to give as much as she got as she jumped a foot sweep and spun her staff around; June did a face plant in the sand. She didn't get up and Ally rolled her face up so she could breathe with air bending.

June groaned. "Nice name, June, I don't recommend you get up again, too many blows to the head in one day is bad for you." Ally said, I should banter more often, she thought as she placed her staff back in its holder.

Ally looked around; Zuko had knocked Aang down and advancing on him with a flaming blade, Aang wasn't down for long however and was flipping over Zuko's head. Ally smiled, Aang didn't need her help.

Green flames were sent to her again. Ally stooped backwards and kicked up the sand with a tornado, she kicked it to John; John dodged it easily and sent small green disks of fire at her. She flipped over them and smoothly stood behind him. He swooped down and spun a kick around him, Ally flipped over him, and John stopped his foot spin to face her.

Simultaneously they brought their element punches around and time seemed to slow. Ally's stormy blue orbs locked with fiery liquid gold, Ally felt her heart skip a beat, they both looked down as the two elements, fire and air danced around each other, united and coexisting, the swirl looked so beautiful; until it blew up in her face – literally.

Ally landed in the sand and skidded to a stop in front of Aang, "Yeah, you might want to be careful of fire punches on air punches, it packs a punch." Aang said, looking at her after he sent Zuko flying into Iroh.

Ally looked up at him drily, "That's hilarious Aang."

"Who's laughing? It hurts." Aang said, giving her a hand up.

"You could have softened my fall."

"Sorry." Aang said smiling, "I was a little preoccupied."

Ally and Aang observed their surroundings. The Shirshu as down and so was its rider; Iroh was trying to wake her, Commander Lee standing near them, watching Appa and Snow-fire that were circling them.

John was standing up a little dazed at what had just happened, and Zuko, he was also getting up, but he looked far from dazed, he looked down right furious.

Ally tucked her fringe behind her ears, "I don't think John is gonna be in the fight for a bit. If we knock Zuko out we may be able to get out of here before –" Zuko was hit in the head with a water whip, and a boomerang flashed in the last raise of the sun, knocking out John.

Commander Lee and Iroh only just managed to dodge but Snow-fire was having none of it and knocked them to the ground with a blast of air from a sweep of her wolfish tail.

Ally blinked, she looked at the forest and hardly believed her eyes, and Katara and Sokka were standing there. "We're gone for only an hour and you two can't stay out of trouble." Sokka smirked and caught his boomerang with ease.

"Common, before they wake up." Katara said walking over to Snow-fire.

"So, where do we go?" Aang asked as they were in the air.

"The North Pole of course," Katara said, smiling from her place on Snow-fire's saddle.

Ally beamed at Katara, but quickly saddened, "but don't you want to see your dad?"

"Of course we do. But, you guys our family too, and right now, you guys need us more." Sokka said.

"Your fathers in the earth kingdom at the moment, right?" Ally asked, Katara and Sokka nodded, "Well, after Aang gets water bending down packed we need to go and find an earth bending teacher, I'm sure we could make time to stop and meet your dad then."

Sokka and Katara smiled. "That sounds great," Katara said. "Oh! And here." She held out Ally her necklace.

Ally shook her head, "I gave it to you, use it as a bracelet or anklet, it's yours to keep," she smiled.