AN: Still alive and kicking, just so you know. The lack of reviews greatly decreased my motivation to finish this chapter. Please review.

Disclaimer: ...I do not own any of the characters from Avatar the Last Airbender.

Scene #4 South Pole

Weeks later and not many leagues from the village of the Southern Water Tribe Chiaki requested they stop and let her off.

"Prince Zuko," Chiaki began, "the journey I shall embark on is not for the faint of heart. I shall be traversing miles of snow and ice to gather the information you seek. The dangers are few, but difficult to overcome. They will be made vastly less strenuous if I may know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this ship. Will. Not. Move." She gave Zuko a pointed look, as if daring him to argue, "Give me your word that this ship will remain here for three days. No. Matter. What." She paused to make her point clear, "If I have not returned within that time, you may deem me lost and continue as if you never knew me."

Prince Zuko blinked. What were you supposed to say to something like that?

~(*)v(*)~

After trekking through the snow for what felt like hours, Chiaki was cold, and wet, and ready to be done with the South Pole. Finally, found the meeting point. Taking her stance, she used her bending to reach through the ice looking for any bits of earth. Nothing. She sighed. Not a single bit of earth. Fine. Now, she had to figure out how to get her contact here… preferably quickly.

~(*)v(*)~

A young boy, almost 7 years old, walked through the snow, alone. Every day, at around noon, he took a walk. No one in the village understood the importance of this daily routine, nor could they remember when it had started exactly, about a year ago give or take. Even if he had met no one on his excursions, he did it regularly. He had to. There was no choice. He never knew when one of them would come. The only rule he had was that if they needed to contact him, they would meet him at noon near the penguin grounds. Approaching the grounds, he heard the clamor of the penguins. After a quick look around, he turned to walk back. No one. Again. He sighed, disappointed.

"Hey! Wait up!"

He stopped. Was someone actually here to meet him? Slowly, he turned to face the person calling.

It was a girl. She looked like she was about 2-3 years older than him and very out of place in the snow. Her coat wasn't blue, not really. It wasn't green either. It was somewhere in-between. Her black hair was done up into braided pig-tails with a large portion twisted into large buns.

She waved excitedly, grinning broadly, "Do you want to go penguin sledding with me?"

He nodded, "Maybe, haven't been sledding in AGES!" so far so good.

"First one to catch a penguin picks the slope."

"Good thing I know how to catch them then," he grinned, "You wouldn't know a good slope if you slipped and fell down it."

"Even better, I brought my own fish," she held the fish in front of her.

His eyes widened.

Instantly following this announcement her joking slid off like water off a koala-otter's back, "Chiaki, Earth Kingdom."

"Anik, Southern Water Tribe"

Chiaki nodded, "What information do you have on the Avatar."

A beam of light suddenly lit the sky, gradually thinning until it disappeared.

She sighed, "Nevermind."