A/N New chapter, I've had this one done for a while. Read and review?
Chapter Two: Stand and Fight
Kija walked towards the village, her head held high. Katara trudged along next to her, hanging her head in embarrassment. The older inhabitants of the tribe scowled as the Air-Bender stopped a few feet from their group, a look of determination on her face. Sokka stepped forward.
"I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them right to us!" He pointed an accusing finger at Kija. Katara stepped up to defend the girl.
"Kija didn't do anything! It was an accident!" Kija grimaced. "Yeah... We were on the ship and there was this booby trap and-" Katara's grandmother interrupted. "Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger!" Her voice was sharp and scolding, and Katara hung her head.
Kija scowled. "Don't anyone blame her. It's my fault." Sokka narrowed his eyes. "Aha! The traitor confesses. The foreigner is banished from our village." Before anyone else could speak, Kija took a step forward.
"I'm not leaving. I'm going to help you defend your village." Sokka scowled. "We can handle it. Leave!" Kija crossed her arms. "Sokka, you already told me only you can fight! I'm an accomplished Air-Bender! You won't stand a chance without backup!" He took a step towards her. "No. Leave, now!" Kija's eyes darkened in anger. "Fine." She turned around sharply and walked away, her head held high.
Katara grabbed her shoulder desperately. "Wait! I'm coming with you." Sokka yelled angrily, "where do you think you're going?!" Katara didn't look back, and began pulling Kija toward Appa. "To the North Pole," she said bitterly. "Kija is going to find me a teacher." Sokka called to her retreating form.
"Katara! Will you really choose her over your tribe? Your own family?" Kija's eyes softened. "Katara, I'm not coming between you and your family,"'she said softly, pulling herself free of her grasp. "So... you're leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?" Katara's eyes were wide and sorrowful. Kija climbed aboard Appa, and waved at the younger girl, a sad smile on her face. "Thanks for penguin sledding with me..." Sokka interrupted rudely, "let's see your bison fly now, air-girl."
Kija shot him a scathing glance, and turned to Appa, and saying kindly, "c'mon Appa, you can do it! Yip-yip!" Appa climbed to his feet, and began to walk away from the village. "Yeah, I thought so!" Sokka said cruelly.
One of the little girls cried out, running towards the sky bison. "Kiki, don't go," she said, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'll miss you," Kija looked back at the little girl, and sad softly, "I'll miss you too..." She turned away, and Appa began to trudge down the icy hill. Katara didn't move, watching the girl as she disappeared. The little girl turned away, walking back to her tribe as tears slid down her face.
Katara didn't move. Gran-Gran approached her slowly. "Katara, you'll feel better after you-" she began to say. Katara whirled around angrily. "Are you happy now? There goes my one chance at becoming a Water-Bender!" Katara stormed off back to the village, and her grandmother sighed.
Kija and Appa lay in crevices of ice on the foggy shore. Appa growled, and Kija sighed despondently.
"Yeah, I liked them too," she said sadly. Kija lay silent, her hands behind her head as fog rolled in from the ocean. She looked around. Something was wrong- the fog was gray. She sat up and gasped. A giant fire navy ship plowed steadily through the ice, right towards... The village.
Kija narrowed her eyes. No matter what Sokka had said, she had to do something. She grabbed her glider, leaping into the air. "I'll be back," she called to Appa as she flew out into the misty air.
Sokka stood on the wall of ice that surrounded the village. He had out on the traditional gray and black warrior face paint, and gripped his club tightly as he waited. The fog was thick, and no one could see very far from the village. A crash rang out from the mist, and the tribespeople gasped.
The wall began to shake, and he stared straight ahead with determination, looking away only once when his prized snow watchtower toppled to the ground. "Oh man," he complained. The older tribe members began to usher the children into the tents, looking out into the fog with terrified eyes. A giant fire nation ship loomed out of the mist.
"Oh man..." Sokka repeated, almost whispering. The ship plowed into the ice, carving a path to the village. The older women rushed to get everyone to safety as the ice split.
"Sokka, get out of the way!" Katara cried as the wall he was standing on began to crumble into the ocean. An avalanche of snow pushed Sokka backwards. The ship slowed to a halt, and the village people peeked out from the tents. A hiss of hot air escaped from the ship as a bridge descended down, crab sing against the ground and sending Sokka stumbling backwards.
Prince Zuko began walking down the boarding ramp, dressed in red Fire Nation armor. He wore a maroon chest plate, helmet and gi with gold flames depicted on his clothes. Two firebending guards flanked him, dressed similarly. Four more guards followed behind, armed with spears.
Sokka stood up, and charged up the ramp with a yell, club in hand. Prince Zuko calmly waited until Sokka was a few feet away, and sent this club spinning out of his hand with a sharp axe kick, bringing his heel back into Sokka's head and knocking him off into the snow. The tribespeople gasped and huddled close together in fear.
Zuko stalked towards the group. He searched their faces, one by one. "Where are you hiding him," he said angrily. None of the tribespeople made a sound. Zuko reached forward, and pulled Katara's grandmother towards him.
"He would be about this age, master of all elements?" He shoved the poor older woman back to the group when no one answered. "I know you're hiding him," he snarled, sending a tongue of flame over their heads threateningly. The villagers shrunk back, a few of their children crying out in fear.
Sokka stumbled to his feet behind him, grabbing his club and running at Zuko again, yelling loudly. Zuko dropped to the ground smoothly, hooking one arm around Sokka's foot and sending him flying over his head, landing in a heap. Sokka rolled out of the way with a yelp as a burst of flame melted the snow where he was sitting a few seconds ago.
Sokka pulled out his boomerang and it spun towards Zuko, and he avoided it barely, a look of surprise on his face. He snarled angrily at Sokka, and a boy yelled quietly, "Show no fear!" A spear was tossed into Sokka'a hands and he charged towards Zuko again. Zuko raised his arm and blocked the spear thrust deftly, breaking the head of the spear off. He grabbed the remaining end, which was nothing more than a stick tied to a bone, and hit Sokka repeatedly in the head with the butt of the spear.
Sokka fell down, and Zuko broke the spear in half, tossing the pieces away. Sokka rubbed his head. "Owww..." He looked up to see a silver glint behind Zuko. Before he could do a thing, the boomerang Sokka had threw came spinning back, slamming against his helmet. Zuko snarled, and twin jets of flame flickered menacingly from his clenched fists.
Kija sped down the icy hill on the back of a smaller penguin, her hair tangling in the wind. She clutched her staff in one hand as she guided the animal towards the village with the other. A fire nation ship was moored right in front of the small tribe, and she could see a young man standing in front of someone- it was Sokka!
Her eyes widened as flames erupted from his hands, and she urged the penguin to move faster. She rocketed towards the teenager, and knocked him off his feet. The children of the tribe cheered as she slowed to a stop.
Kija flashed a smile, and the penguin unceremoniously dumped her into the snow. She sat up, and said brightly, "hey Katara, hey Sokka!" Sokka hung his head and sighed. "Uh... Hi... Kija. Thanks for coming." Kija. smiled, and turned to face the young man who had tried to hurt her friends. He slid into a fighting stance, and the guards fanned out around her. Kija stood on her toes, ready to move, her staff at the ready. "Don't touch them," she snarled, noting how the Fire Nation soldiers inched towards the tribespeople. At her threat, the soldiers headed towards her. She flicked the staff as the guards approached her, sending gusts of snow flying, knocking them down. She aimed a blast of air at Zuko, covering him in snow. He clenched his jaw and the snow melted. "Looking for me?" Kija asked, in a light fighting stance. Zuko looked at her in disbelief. "You're the Air-Bender?! YOU'RE the Avatar?"
Kija didn't move or say a word, but she knew that Sokka and Katara were staring at her, their expressions similar to the teenage Fire-Bender's in front of her. They began to circle each other warily. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter- training, meditating. You're just a girl!" He spat. Kija seethed silently before replying, "and you're just a sexist guy with a ponytail!"
He growled and sent a torrent of flame towards her, and Kija extinguished it with a twirl of her staff, retaliating by sending a gust of air forward. The young man stumbled backwards a few steps before shooting another blast of fire at the girl. She deflected it with ease. "Just a girl, huh?" She said mockingly. Zuko snarled, and a tongue of flame twisted toward her.
She blocked it with her staff again, and the flame seared above the heads of the tribespeople. She flinched as the children cried out in fear. Her staff clattered to the icy ground. She hung her head in defeat. "If I go with you, do you promise to leave everyone alone," she said quietly, looking up to meet his amber gaze. Tension laced the air as she awaited his answer. The leader gave a curt nod, and Kija looked down as two guards grabbed her arms. Katara took a few steps forward and reached out her hand, as if to pull Kija away from the Fire Navy guards.
"No, Kija, don't do this!" She called out desperately. "It'll be okay," she said reassuringly, looking back at the girl and her brother. She stumbled slightly as the guard shoved her into the ship. The last thing she saw before the bridge closed was Katara'a face, tears in her eyes.
* * * * * *
Katara stood silently at the edge of the ice, staring off in the direction the ship had gone.
"We have to go after that ship, Sokka," she said determinedly as her brother came up behind her. "Kija saved our tribe, now we have to save him." Sokka crossed his arms.
"Katara, I-" "why can't you realize she's on our side?" Her voice got slightly hysterical as she continued. "If we don't help him, no one will! I know you don't like Kija, and-" Sokka let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Katara! Are you gonna talk all day, or are you coming with me," he said, motioning to the canoe drifting in the water. Katara gasped, and she grinned widely. "Sokka!" She ran up to her older brother and gave him a hug. He motioned to the boat. "Get in. We're gonna go save your friend." Katara's smile grew bigger.
"What do you two think you're doing?" A voice sounded behind them. Katara and Sokka turned to see their grandmother looking at the two of them sternly. "You'll need these," she added, smiling at the siblings as she handed them bundles of clothing. You have a long journey ahead of you." She walked forward to hand them the supplies.
"It's been a long time since I've had hope," she said quietly. "But you brought it back to life, my little Water-Bender," she said, hugging Katara. "And you, my brave warrior," she said, turning to Sokka. "Take care of your sister." She walked over to hug him as well, and Sokka replied awkwardly, "yeah, okay Gran..."
She backed away and said to the siblings, "Kijaw is the Avatar. She's the world's only chance. You both found her for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with hers." Katara glanced at Sokka and said blatantly, "there's no way we're going to catch a warship with a canoe."
Suddenly, a roar echoed out from behind the snowy hills. "Appa!" Katara said happily, running towards the sound of the fuzzy creature. Sokka sighed and commented drily, "you just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don't you," as he followed his eager sister.
The warship cut easily through the dark, icy waters. Surrounding the ship were sheer cliffs of ice and snow.
Kija stood silently on the ship's deck with her hands tied behind her back. Zuko held up her staff. "This staff will make an excellent gift for my father." He scowled at Kija.
"I suppose you wouldn't know what a father is," he said, slamming the end of the staff onto the deck. "Being raised by monks." Kija narrowed her eyes, and spit at the young man contemptuously. The two stood toe to toe as a snarl marred his face. "Don't test me," he growled out.
"Shut up. You're rude, and your hair is stupid, Mr. Ponytail," she taunted. Zuko took a deep breath before ordering, "take the Avatar to the prison hold." He thrust the staff into his uncle's hands. "And take this to my quarters." As Zuko walked away, his uncle handed the staff to a guard. "Hey, you mind taking this to his quarters for me?" He asked rhetorically, before wandering off to get something to eat, or perhaps play a game of pai-sho against the captain.
Kija was shoved unceremoniously below deck, guards in front of her and behind her preventing her escape.
"So," she said idly. "I guess you've never fought an Air-Bender before. I bet I can take you both with my hands tied behind my back." The guards continued to move, but one said in a deep, commanding voice, "Silence!" Kija pouted as the procession moved on.
"You're a wimp," she grumbled. "Scared to fight a girl," The guard behind her chuckled.
"You're an Air-Bender,"'he said gruffly. "Air-Benders will just evade. Not attack, just evade." Kija smirked.
"Well that makes me a misfit then," she said quietly as the approached a metal door. she took in a big breath of air and exhaled forcefully, sending the guard in front of her slamming against the door, and the guard behind her acting as a cushion against the wall as they flew backwards.
Kija stood up, shaking her head to clear it, and took off running back up the stairs. She ran across the deck, airbending with her feet and sending a current blasting the door that the guard with her staff had gone through wide open.
She raced forward through the narrow corridors, the pipes on the walls occasionally scraping against her skin. She looked back to see the guard who had hit his head yelling, "The Avatar has escaped!"
Appa swam leisurely through the icy water, his fur coat protecting him from the chill. Katara sat at the reins and Sokka relaxed in the saddle, trying to make the creature fly.
"Go... Fly... Soar..." He said lazily, leaning back with his arms crossed. Appa growled.
"Please Appa, we need your help. Kija needs your help." Katara said gently. Sokka uncrossed his arms and sighed.
"Up... Ascend... Elevate..." He propped his head up lazily on his elbow. Katara leaned down and petted Appa gently.
"Sokka doesn't believe you can fly. But I do, Appa! Come on, don't you wanna save Kija?" Appa snorted upon hearing his friend's name. Sokka sat up straight.
"What was it that kid said? Yee-hah? Hup-hup? Wahoo? Uhh... Yip-yip?" Appa's ears perked up and his tail rose out of the water, and came crashing down. The giant creature rose shakily out of the water, gaining more confidence as she flew higher.
"You did it Sokka!" Katara yelled happily. Sokka leaned over the saddle. "He's flying. He's flying! Katara, he's-" his sister smirked at him knowingly. "I mean- big deal, he's flying."
Kija turned a corner, her breath coming in short gasps. She looked ahead to see two guards blocking her way, swords at the ready. She stood still for a moment while her breathing settled.
"You haven't seen my staff around, have you?" The guards began to edge toward her, and she sighed before running up along the wall and onto the ceiling, her airbending allowing her to defy gravity.
"Neat trick, right?" She called back to the bewildered guards as she darted down the hallway. Up ahead was a ladder that she quickly airbended up, only to be stopped by another guard. He sent a torrent of flame towards her, and she jumped over the fire, flipping over the surprised guard.
The rope tying her hands snagged on his pointed helmet, and broke with a snap. She grinned to herself, sprinting onwards with her hands freed. She sprinted down the hallway, opening the doors along the way.
"Sorry," she whispered when one door opened to reveal an older man taking a peaceful nap. She glanced through an open door briefly before skidding to a stop and hurrying back to the room when she saw her staff resting against the wall.
"My staff!" She said, relieved. She ran into the room, grabbing her glider and smiling, feeling the familiar wood with all it's dents and scratches in her hands. She stiffened at the sound of the door slamming shut. "Looks like I underestimated you," Zuko said angrily. Kija winced comically. "Ahh... Yeah, looks like you did, Ponytail," she retorted cheekily.
He responded by sending a burst of fire towards her. She leapt to the side. "You missed," she said drily. He sent blow after blow towards her, and she dodged each of them smoothly. She rolled under his legs, coming up behind him and yanking his ponytail, moving with him to stay in his blind spot as he created arcs and torrents of flame. Zuko reached backwards, grabbing her wrist and turning to face her. Kija wrenched her hand out of his grasp, catching the flaming punch heading her way with a shield of air. She ran to the side, forming a sphere of air and leaping on top of it as it began to spin.
"AIRBALL!" She called out gleefully as she sped towards Zuko, knocking him clean off his feet. As he stood up and shook his head, she ran to grab her staff, turning to face him just as he shifted into a bending stance.
"You're outmatched now," she said simply, and used her staff to send the mattress in the corner of the room slamming into Zuko, crushing him against the wall. He fell to the floor on top of the mattress, and let out a groan. Kija flicked her staff up and Zuko was slammed against the ceiling.
"See ya later, Ponytail," she called over her shoulder as she ran out onto the balcony, opening her glider and jumping up, intending to fly away. She heard footsteps behind her and a sudden weight on her ankle.
"Spirits," she grunted. "Why are you so heavy?!" The glider began to wobble, and suddenly she was plummeting towards the deck of the ship. She hit the metal and tumbling forward. She stood up shakily to see Zuko in his bending stance, yet again. She winced. Her head ached horribly. A growl echoed through the icy cliffs, and she saw Zuko's stance falter. "What is that?" She turned to see Appa flying towards her.
"Uh... My flying bison," she said awkwardly. Zuko focused his attention back on her, and a burst of flame sent her stumbling backwards. She leaned precariously over the edge of the ship, but regained her balance as the prince rained blow after blow down on her. She leapt back and found herself on the railing.
"Monkey feathers," she swore as a fireball pushed her back off the ship and into the icy ocean. The cold enveloped her and unwelcome water rushed into her mouth and nose. She felt herself losing consciousness and slipping into blackness when everything went white. She couldn't see, hear, or move.
"What is going on..."'she wondered to herself. Her face contorted into a cruel mask. She was unaware of her own body, but suddenly she could see. Not as herself, but as millions of others. A jet of water pushed her up to the surface, and back on to the gray metal warship. The torrent of water circled around her in a ring, and it steadily grew wider, knocking the guards and Zuko himself off the sides of the ship.
Kija groaned as her eyes returned to stormy gray, and she fell to the deck. Appa landed smoothly on the deck of the ship. Katara jumped off her back and ran over to Kija. "Kija!" She called frantically. "Are you okay?" She nodded weakly.
"Hey Katara... Hey Sokka... Thanks for coming," Sokka shrugged and replied nonchalantly, "Well, we couldn't let you have all the glory," Kija smiled weakly, but her smile quickly faded. "I dropped my staff..." Sokka searched the deck, spotting her staff hanging off the side.
"Got it," he called as he ran towards the staff. Sokka grabbed the end of the staff and pulled, lurching back slightly at the realization that none other than Zuko was hanging on desperately to the other end. Sokka grimaced, trying to shake him off. When that didn't work, Sokka bonked him repeatedly in the head. The Fire-Bender lost his grip, and fell down, catching himself on the anchor.
"Hah! That's from the Water Tribe!" Sokka crowed victoriously. Katara had helped Kija onto Appa's back, and turned around to see three guards approaching her warily. She rolled up her sleeves and began to move her hands in gentle patterns. A rope of water spiraled around her and she forced her hands out. The water shot out behind her and froze over Sokka's feet.
"Katara!" He complained, hacking at the ice with his boomerang. The guards continued to advance, and Katara turned her back to them, fashioning another rope of seawater. She thrust her hands forward, eyes closed, and the water froze over the guards. She turned around and smiled. Katara ran towards Appa, climbing into the saddle. Kija had grabbed the reins. "Hurry up, Sokka!" She yelled. Sokka was still whacking the ice with his boomerang.
"I'm just a guy with a boomerang. I didn't ask for all this flying, and magic," he grumbled, freeing his feet and grabbing Kija's staff, before running up to Appa and climbing into the saddle. "Yip yip, yip yip!" Sokka cried frantically as Zuko's uncle walked onto the deck. He looked at the flying bison in confusion and rubbed his eyes. He ran over to help Zuko back onto the ship.
"Shoot them down!" Zuko roared. The two moved quickly, using a basic form to combine their flame, sending a colossal fireball soaring after them. Kija let to of the reins and ran to the end of the saddle, whirling her staff and sending a gust of air out that sent the fireball slamming into a cliff. Tons of ice and snow started to rain down on the warship. She used airbending to amplify her voice and called down to the figures on the deck,
"WATCH OUT, PONYTAIL!" The ice and snow toppled down, and the figures moved quickly out of the way. She breathed a sigh of relief. Katara and Sokka were looking at her quizzically. She shrugged. "What? I'm just a nice person."
"Good news for the Fire Lord," Zuko's uncle said. "The Fire Nation's greatest threat is just a girl." Zuko scowled. "That girl just did this." He motioned to the ship. The prow was completely buried in snow and ice.
"I won't underestimate her again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" He ordered. His guards were busy thawing out the minions Katara had frozen. Zuko grimaced. "After you finish doing that."
The trio flew peacefully through the sky. "How did you do that? With the water!?" Katara asked in awe. Kija shook her head. "I don't know. I just... Did it." Katara paused for a moment.
"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" She asked. Kija sighed and looked out into the sky. "Because I never wanted to be." Katara looked at her sadly. "But Kija, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to finally put an end to this war." Kija furrowed her brow worriedly. "And how am I going to do that..." Katara smiled faintly.
"According to legend, you're supposed to learn Water, then earth, then fire. So, if we go to the North Pole, you can learn waterbending!" Kija looked at Katara and smiled. "We can learn it together." Katara turned to Sokka. "And I'm sure you'll get to bonk some Fire Nation heads along the way." He sighed contentedly. "I'd like that. I'd really like that." Kija jumped into the saddle. "Let's get planning!" She pulled out a map and grinned. The sun shone through the clouds as the trio chatted idly.