I didn't like the way Yue was protrayed in the series. I feel that she was probably the biggest misstep of the creators in terms of a woman protrayed as a character. So I changed her around a bit, too. Instead of the running-away-weeping girl she always appeared as in the series, this Yue is a put-on-a-brave-face-and-bear-it woman who only shows her 'weakness' to others she trusts and values. Doing this also made her relationship with Sokka a bit more believable.

Yue smiled as Sokka came close. His grin was wide and guileless, a welcome change from the faces of her courtiers and suitors. "I almost expected you not to show up?"

"What, and miss having some time with you? Never."

"We wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to engage in an activity," Yue teased. Sokka got a sour look on his face. "Oh, don't be like that. Come on. I know you're aching to see what the Northern Capitol is like."

Sokka fell in at her right side quickly enough. She expected him to say something funny, since he seemed that type; uneducated, witty but uncouth. Instead, he had a quiet look of sadness on his face. "Everybody says that forty years ago, the South Pole looked like this," he said. "We had Waterbenders to protect our borders and maintain our cities. But it's all gone, now. Everything crumbled. By the time I was born, it was just a memory that the elders were too sad to talk about."

"I never knew anything about the Southern Tribe, except that it existed," Yue said. Her eyes went down to the carved stone floor. "In truth, I've never been out of the capitol. Tell me, Sokka. What's it like out there? Outside of the ice and the sea?"

Sokka began to smile again. "Big. Bigger than you could have ever imagined. And hot. So hot, you start to sweat even if you're not doing anything. And there are places where you can go for miles and not see a drop of water."

Yue looked at Sokka, unable to viscerally believe that. "That sounds like a vision of Hell," she said.

"Hardly," he said. "There's always plenty to eat; not just tiger-walrus and penguin, but boarcupine, cowppopotamus, even deep fried lizard! And you can sleep outside, at night, and never have to worry about freezing," Sokka paused for a long moment at that, an uneven grin coming to his face. "Weird, how quick I got used to that, isn't it?"

"What else? Surely, there must have been marvels you encountered in your travels," Yue asked, a bit excited.

"I do believe I'm being used," Sokka said, that grin finally back in place. His tone became dramatic. Almost needlessly so. "Can't say I don't like it, though. I've seen the great, towering spires of the Air Nomad temples, both south and north. I've seen the unassailable walls of Omashu; I was even imprisoned by its king for a while. I saved an Earth Kingdom town from a battalion of rhinos."

"You didn't!"

Sokka faltered a bit. "Well, no, umm... Kinda? I had help."

Yue smiled, and brought him to a stop, overlooking the training fields. She could see the Avatar beginning his lessons with Pakku below. For some reason, the Avatar looked like he was trying very hard not to be angry. She turned to face Sokka, just as he turned to face her. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe!" he declared, proud as a monkey who stole a cup and wore it as a hat. "Scourge of the Fire Nation! Inventor, warrior, and explorer without peer!"

She continued to stare at him. Blue eyes met blue eyes, until his turned away. "Sokka..."

"I'm... not really anybody," he said. "I don't even know why I'm here. I said I was going to protect my sister, but she doesn't need me to protect her anymore. She's a waterbender, and now she's got a master who'll teach her. I'm just... along for the ride."

"No, you're not," she said. A quite unnatural chill ran through her. She could feel when the spirits were near her. She'd always been able to, since the day she was born. "You are exactly where you need to be," she said. She wasn't sure exactly why she said it, but knew it was right.

Yue glanced over, and quickly took a step away from Sokka, leaving him a little baffled. It wasn't until Father came around the corner that Sokka quickly turned back to the courtyard. "What are you doing up here, Yue?" Arnook asked. "It's a cold day. You could catch a chill."

"I'll be fine, father," she said. "I'm not helpless. You know that. I'm a grown woman now."

"By custom and law, yes," Arnook said, stepping between Yue and Sokka. "But in my heart, you'll always be that little girl that the spirits gave back to us."

Yue briefly rested her head on her father's arm. "You shouldn't worry so much," she said. Then she took a step back from the rail. "I take it things are not going well with the Circle?"

"No. They pull in every direction except the one we need to go. Water is change, and if we cannot change with the times, we'll be unmade by them," he said.

"I thought you were all working together on this?" Sokka said. Arnook turned quickly to the young man. "Isn't the Northern Tribe united?"

"In name, yes, but in deed..." Arnook trailed off. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've been properly introduced. Your accent marks you as Tribesman, but I've never heard its like."

Yue moved around her father and stood beside Sokka. "This is the son of Hakoda, chief of the Southern Tribe. He and his sister accompanied the Avatar to the capitol," she paused, since there was no recognition in his eyes. "He was at the feast two days ago?"

Arnook sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't remember. I haven't had much time to rest. Between Pakku's followers ranting and the schisms that I've been fighting to hold closed, I haven't had any sleep in days."

"Oh, I know how that goes," Sokka said.

"Well, you had best be getting to Pakku. He hates it when his students are late," Arnook said, turning away. Sokka scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Um, Chief Arnook? I'm not the waterbender. My sister is." Arnook turned back, his face had a look of tension on it.

"Oh, this will be a problem," he said. He turned to Yue. "I don't suppose you've brought the outsiders to speed on the political situation here?"

"I haven't had time or access," she said, she turned to Sokka. "Until now. Sokka, things aren't as they seem up here. Father is seen as a radical, and there are a lot of forces which are trying to keep the status quo intact. Pakku is a rallying voice for the conservatives, which includes much of the military. His ideas are old ideas. They might have sustained us before the Weary War, but we're losing manpower faster than the Fire Nation; they have more reserves, more technology, more supplies. They can take a hit to their population. We can't. Father has been making compromises, but if they ever split..."

"Then most of the military will go with them, and the city will be defenseless," Sokka finished. Then he paused. "Unless they simply throw a coup and take the city from you."

"It's a delicate balance," Arnook said. There was a crash somewhere behind them. Arnook frowned in that direction, then turned back. "Like I said, Pakku is full of old ideas. One of those ideas, I'm sure you'll hear about in a moment, is that women are forbidden any waterbending beyond the healing arts. I may be the mind of the Water Tribe, but Pakku, he is its beating heart."

"And what does that make Yue?" Sokka said. So he did pick up on that, didn't he?

"My daughter is the Water Tribe's soul," Arnook tweezed his brow. "If you'll excuse me, I have to mediate yet another dispute," he looked back up. "Sokka, son of Hakoda, chief of the Southern Water Tribe... please try to stay out of trouble. I have enough as it is."

Sokka nodded, but his eyes went back to Yue. Then, to the hall where they heard the crash. He waggled his head in that direction as Arnook moved past them to the Hall of Many. "The soul?" Sokka asked.

"I have always been close to the spirits," she said. "When I was born, I was not alive. I did not breathe nor cry, my skin was blue and cold. But my parents begged the spirits to save me; I was the only child they could ever have. They agreed to save me, but the spirits always exact a heavy price. Few can deal with the spirits and have deals which favor them. They lowered me into the Spirit Oasis, and I sank into the water. The water became cloudy, and when they pulled me back up, my skin was dark and my hair had become white. I was marked by the spirits, and I feel them to this day. I was chosen as High Shaman when I was six years old. I've been the spiritual leader for my people ever since."

Sokka just stared at her, an odd expression on his face. "I was going to ask about the hair, but I wasn't sure how," he frowned. "Wait a minute... You see dead people?"

"And living people, and things which were never alive," she said. The two rounded a corner. "My father might not be respected by the whole of our culture, but I am. Tui and La speak to me. They tell me things that – why is that door on the ground?"

Sokka look became one of alarm. "Oh. Pakku wouldn't teach a girl. Katara!" he said, running into the room. Yue followed behind. Inside the found his sister, covered in sweat as she furiously bend the water from a cup into a blade which was cutting apart the contents of her room. When she apparently had enough, she hurled it blindly at a wall. Sokka let out a loud yelp and dived out of the way as the forearm length icicle embedded itself into the solid stone.

"WHAT?" she screamed. There were tears in her eyes, but Yue knew that they wouldn't be of sadness. Sokka took a long step toward her. "What do you want? Come to laugh at your little sister's insane and pointless plans? Find a waterbending master, go to the north pole. You were right. I should have stayed home."

"No, I really wasn't," Sokka said. He pulled her into a close hug. Yue felt a tug in her heart. She had never experienced that sort of closeness with another human being. How could she? She was an icon, something to be revered, not loved. Katara still breathed heavy, and tears still waited, pooled in her eyes, but she started to calm down. "It wasn't what either of us expected, but I know I wouldn't give up the trip I had for anything. You'll find a teacher, little sister. I know you will. And when you do, you'll come back here and beat the stuffing out of Pakku to show him what a Southern waterbender is all about."

Almost despite herself, Katara let out a laugh. She pulled back, sitting on the gouged bench. "You do know just what to say when I'm feeling mopey," Katara finally focused on Yue for a moment. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"The fete celebrating the arrival of the Avatar," she said. "I am Yue, daughter of Arnook."

Katara brightened. "Then you can tell Arnook to make Pakku teach me!"

Sokka shook his head. "Not exactly. Arnook and Pakku; think Aang and Zuko, except they have to see each other just about every day."

The waterbender looked a little crestfallen. "So what am I supposed to do?"

Sokka stroked an invisible beard. "I'll figure something out."

Yue looked closer at Katara, and noticed the band around her neck. She pointedly avoided touching her own. She sat down beside the girl. "So, who is the lucky boy?"

"What?" Katara asked.

"Your betrothal necklace," she said, tapping a finger to the blue soapstone. It was a very rare and valued shade, one which only the wealthiest could afford. "He must be really something to give you such an exquisite piece."

"This? Betr... no! No, no no. This was my grandmother's," Katara said, unhooking it to hold in her hand. "She gave it to my mother, Kya. My mother gave it to me. It's just an heirloom."

"But you're from the Southern Water Tribe. They don't have blue soapstone, there."

"Gran-gran was from the North," Katara explained. "She never said why she came to the South. I never asked. It was almost sixty years ago."

Yue frowned. "What was her name?"

"Gran-gran?" Sokka asked.

"Kana," Katara answered. "Why?"
Yue didn't answer her. She felt a presence with her. It was cold and malevolent, patient. She schooled her face to stillness. Not this time, Koh. She could feel his vicious chuckle in the hairs on the back of her neck, and she waited until the feeling had fled before she started paying attention to the world again.

"– and then the smoke started creeping out the door, and we thought you were burning the place down," Katara said, laughing uproariously. How long had Koh been there this time? She didn't know, and didn't want to ask. So she listened. Stories of a youth amongst people. A poor and dispirited tribe, clinging to the edge of oblivion, yet still so full of hope. Stories of pranks pulled, milestones reached. Sokka spoke of ice-dodging using rocks off the coast of the East Continent. Katara spoke of stealing a waterbending scroll from a pirate-ship, and the difficulties which followed it. For the first time in her life, Yue actually felt like she was a part of a culture, rather than just as symbol of it.

"That was exhausting," the Avatar's voice came from the door. Well, doorway; the door was still smashed to bits in the floor of the hall. "Pakku is relentless."

"And he's also a big jerk," Katara grumbled, her good spirits quickly curdling.

"I have an idea," Sokka said, raising a finger upward. "Why don't you teach what Pakku's teaching you to my sister at night?"

"But Pakku said," Aang began. Sokka cut him off.

"That way, she benefits from the tutelage of Pakku, you get a waterbending master, and nobody is violating any 'cultural rules'," Sokka said. Yue had to agree, it the Southerner was right. It did fit the laws as written.

"I don't know, Sokka," Aang said. For some reason, she had a hard time seeing him as the Avatar right now.

"Come on. What's the worst that could happen?" Sokka asked.

The banging wouldn't cease. Zuko tossed and turned as the sound continued to assault his ears. Zhao. That bastard son of a jackle. How dare he? Zuko was Crown Prince! He would be Fire Lord. Then, he remembered that he was now neither. Azula would be Fire Lord when Father died, if he ever did. He turned and faced the wall, staring at the great red and black standard of the ruling house. It had waved valiently for two thousand years. Now, it mocked him. He stood, facing that wall.

It was not an official standard. Those were spun of silk and dyed in the thread. This was a canvas knock-off. With a heave, he tore it from the wall, balled it up, and hurled it into a corner. He wasn't Prince Zuko. He wasn't anybody. What had Zhao called him? Right. The Dark Prince. Well, if he was a Dark Prince, he would show the world what sort of Dark Prince he could be. He sat on is bed a moment, cradling his head, as that banging continued. Why were they still working on the ship? He decided to give them a piece of his mind.

As Zuko walked, his mind went to other times. The world faded away, and he was no longer walking down a dark and stained iron hallway; he was walking down the hewn obsidian of Sozin City. Much of the upper city's masonry was made of the sharp, black stone, abundant as it was. But the stone under his feet didn't hold his attention as much as who he was sharing it with. He didn't see her, at first. He never did. She always appeared out of nowhere, matching step with him at his side the moment he wasn't paying attention. "If you keep doing that, one day I'm going to have a heart attack," he said. She just gave him one of those small, shy smiles she always did.

"You know you love it," she said. She leaned in close and rested her head on his shoulder as he walked. Her hair was black, but it shone with every light they passed. "You seem tense."

"I am tense," Zuko had said. "I'm finally invited in to Father's war meetings. I'm going to see what it means to be Fire Lord."

"It sounds like it's just going to be another boring meeting," she said. Her small smile turned to a smirk. "Come on, let's just let this one slip passed. There are better things to do."

Zuko came to a stop, shaking his head. "No. There aren't. If I'm going to be Fire Lord, I need to see this war for myself. I need to understand the world if I am ever going to rule. I'm sorry, but I have my duty, and I can't just ignore it."

She scowled lightly. Her skin was hardly flawless, but they were both of the age where that wasn't unexpected. "You're starting to sound like an old man. Hidebound and obsessed with 'your honor'."

"Please," Zuko had said. "Honor isn't that important. Not as important as experience and responsibility."

"Alright. Who are you and what did you do with Zuko?" she asked sarcastically.

"Zuko grew up. You know that as well as anybody. What about you? What are you doing?"

"Trying to talk my father out of another idiotic assignment," she said. "His ambitions are going to get me killed. Or exiled," she sighed, shaking her head. "Parents."

"I wouldn't know," Zuko said.

"What are you doing after the meeting?" she asked.

"I don't know. Have dinner. See if Azula's stopped threatening the servants, maybe?" he had said. Her smile took on a predatory look.

"How about we meet after dark," she asked. The smile grew wider. "I'm considering leaving the knives at home."

"But why would you..." and then it hit him. "Oooooh," He started smiling like an idiot. "I guess I have something to look forward to after that meeting."

"You definitely do," Mai said, leaning down to give him a kiss. He wondered if she was still taller than he was, or if he'd caught up with her. She walked away, silent as a shadow. All the promises and hopes in the world amounted for nothing, though. He disgraced himself in the meeting, demanding better treatment of the troops, that the novice but loyal troops shouldn't be sacrificed so heartlessly. He had been challenged to an Agni Kai by his father, but Zuko was young. He couldn't bring himself to fight his own patriarch. Ozai didn't have a choice, though. The ritual had begun, it would end in fire. And it did. Fire, shame, and banishment. He never saw her face again.

Zuko was brought out of his reverie when he bumped into somebody's back. "Watch where you're going!" he barked at the man. The back was very broad, and hunched over something. Zuko's eyes widened when he looked at the engine room; it was packed with dozens of barrels of blasting jelly. "What are you...?"
He was cut off when a fist smashed into the side of his face. He was thrown into the wall, stars filling his vision and everything falling out of focus. He tried to defend himself. To throw some fire at the intruder. To even get out of the way. Something like a metal club smashed Zuko in the chest, bringing him to his knees. Mustering the last of his reserves, that pool of Chi Iroh was always talking about, he threw out his hands. The darkness of his blurry vision became brightness, but then snuffed. Zuko could only watch dumbly as the massive, blurry shape came before him. He didn't even have the strength to move out of the way when the last blow came.