The reviews came from Kimjuni2, guyw1tn0nam3, and Wavebreeze. We're moving onto a different character now, and one that I feel is really interesting to do, given how observant she is. With the way she can analyze and sympathize with people, it's almost like Katara can speak for the POV's of many other characters. But for now, let's go a little deeper into her character, and see how she sees the world.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
Katara's POV
"Aang, this is the entire village," I introduced the people I lived and grew up with all my life to the newly-discovered air bender. It was an unusual fishing trip with my bull-headed brother Sokka, to say the least, when instead of finding fish, we ran into a huge iceberg. But once we cracked it open, we found there was a boy trapped inside, barely conscious and probably weak to the point of collapse. Originally, I was hoping to get him some medical help in our village, but then I got the shock of my life.
"Why are they all looking at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?" Aang asked, a sense of bewilderment and curiosity laced through his tone. Instead of feeling faint and weak, Aang's first question to me after I freed him was if I wanted to penguin-sled with him. I admitted that I was almost too shocked to answer that question, given it wasn't something someone stuck in an iceberg for who knew how long would ask. But then again, no one had ever seen an air bender for over a hundred years, so maybe there was something to the way they lived life that I hadn't picked up on yet.
My grandmother Kanna, better known to Sokka and me as Gran Gran, told Aang that she thought air benders were extinct, which seemed to be a surprise to Aang. That comment made me have some suspicions about Aang's background. Even as he turned his staff into a glider, amazing the younger kids while freaking out Sokka, I wondered why he seemed so afraid to address any issues on air benders. I knew the last Avatar was born from the Air Nomads, meaning Aang might be our last clue to seeking this person out. With the Fire Nation devastating the world, any hint on where to find this Avatar would be helpful. Now, if only I could get Aang's head out from our igloo, after he crashed his glider into the snow in his latest showing off attempt.
"Come on, Katara, you have chores." Gran Gran's voice sliced into my train of thought just as Aang freed himself from the snow. Aang's carefree lifestyle made me so relaxed so suddenly, almost like my tasks just slipped out into the ocean, never to return. I realized that from the moment I freed Aang from that iceberg, there was a bond between us. I couldn't quite explain it, but even from the way he kept looking eagerly and smiling at me, I felt he was almost going out of his way to get to me. Maybe it was his way of reaching out, and thanking me for saving him. But whatever the case, I would have to deal with Aang after my chores. Hopefully I could get him to answer my questions.
By the time I returned, it was already evening, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Aang was getting the younger kids to play with Appa, using his bison's tail as a slide. This was much to the dismay of Sokka, who wanted to train the children on being warriors and defended the village in case of another Fire Nation attack. "What's wrong with you? We don't have time for fun and games, with a war going on!" Sokka ranted, pointing an accusing finger at Aang, who was lying peacefully on Appa's back.
Aang's reaction pretty much confirmed my theory, as he expressed complete confusion over what was said. There was no way in any situation that someone would be unaware of the war, given that it had been happening for a hundred years now. Unless Aang was stuck inside that iceberg for a hundred years, there was no way he didn't know about it. "You're kidding, right?" Sokka responded, in as much shock as I was. Had Aang really been stuck inside that ice block for that long?
Before Sokka and I had a chance to inquire, Aang zoomed off, excited by the sight of a penguin. I could only stare on incredulously while Sokka asked me if Aang was kidding again. Well, Aang did say he wanted to do some penguin sledding, right? So here was my chance to see what Aang could do. Besides, with him away from everyone's sight, it was a perfect chance to flush some answers out from him. Taking a deep breath, I raced after the young air bender, trying to catch up to his almost superhuman speed.
By the time I caught up to Aang, he was already among the penguins, chasing them down helplessly but also enjoying every second of it. "I have a way with animals," he told me as he somehow floated his way back up from the icy ground. He even took it upon himself to impersonate the penguins, waddling around and squawking like them. I couldn't help but laugh as well. Given that the Fire Nation had been invading our shores for all my life, to the point where my mother was a victim of their attacks, having this carefree visitor to our tribe was truly a breath of fresh air.
Taking the initiative, I approached Aang and asked him if he could teach me water bending, in exchange I taught him how to catch penguins. If he knew the last air bending Avatar, then perhaps he would lead me to that great master. I could then learn water bending from the Avatar, and asked for help in ending the war. Two birds with one stone sounded like a good plan to me. "You're looking at the only water bender in the whole South Pole," I informed Aang. Even though I had friends who were proficient in or with water, none of them could truly bend. The Fire Nation captured all our benders, leaving our village defenceless. Had I not picked up the skill along the way, there was no way this tradition could survive here at all.
But that didn't seem to deter Aang, as he claimed he could personally find me a teacher, even if it meant going to our sister tribe in the North Pole, which was on the other side of the world. That offer made me feel a bit uncomfortable, as it meant leaving home for a long time. I had never left the tribe before, so was it really right that I ran off with Aang, in the midst of a war? "In the meantime, can you teach me to catch one of these penguins?" Aang chimed in, his eyes brighter than the light reflecting off the ice.
Smiling back at Aang, I pulled a small fish out from my parka and threw it at the bald boy. As the air bender juggled it in his hands, a swarm of penguins approached him, covering his body entirely. As he giggled along, I sneaked in from behind one and grabbed it by the tail, wrestling it to the ground before calling to Aang again. "Once it's distracted, just grab hold of it," I instructed. I hadn't really been one to do penguin-sledding, but given how Aang seemed to enjoy it, might as well try it out, right?
A wave of excitement washed over me as Aang and I raced down the glacier on our penguins, skimming over the ice in excessive speeds. For a while, the only thing in my mind was the shouts of happiness coming from Aang and me as we raced through the snow, with nothing but powder and flakes hitting my face. The usually cold wind didn't sting at all, offering a sense of familiarity, almost like Aang was some long lost friend who I reunited with just yesterday. All my worries, including that of the war and finding the Avatar, were thrown out as I enjoyed my time with him. It was times like this that I never had a chance to cherish when I was younger, and I hoped to enjoy them right now.
But memories of past battles resurfaced as the penguins skidded to a halt right in front of a large Fire Nation ship. It had been at the South Pole for years now, the result of a Fire Nation raid where our warriors fought back, using water bending to encase the boat on an ice shelf. While nobody had boarded that ship for years, all children growing up were told that there were potential booby traps on that thing, setting off at any second to warn surrounding fire benders of our location. "We're not allowed to go near it," I called to Aang, trying to stop him from getting closer. I understood that Aang was a newcomer to our tribe and one favouring curiosity and adventure, but it really wasn't the best idea.
Aang, however, challenged me to approach the boat with him. "If you want to be a bender, you have to let go of fear," he replied, that wide smile still plastered on his face. I could only wince as he led me up the broken pieces of ice, the shadow of the tall ship looming over us and smothering us completely in darkness. This was a painful moment for the Southern Water Tribe, as that battle led to many of our benders to be captured. I felt totally consumed by the dim interior, almost like I had been taken prisoner myself as Aang and I wandered through the empty corridors. Other than the sounds of steps, there was nothing but an eerie silence in this chilled atmosphere, courtesy of the metal hull.
During the entire time, Aang seemed to be lost in the scene, almost shocked to see all the Fire Nation weapons stored on this abandoned ship. "I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation," he described, his tone hesitant and shaky, "I've never seen any war." That statement alone got me really suspicious, which was compounded by how long he felt he was in the iceberg. "A few days, maybe?" he guessed.
Then it hit me. Not only was Aang out of this world because of his supposedly extinct trait of air bending, but he was out of his time. "Think about it," I explained my logic to him, "the war is a century old. You don't know about it because somehow, you were in that iceberg the whole time!" It seemed kind of awkward to envision this naïve, fun-loving boy as an old man of a hundred and twelve years. But given the circumstances and what he told me, it was becoming more and more likely.
A wave of expression washed through Aang's face as he collapsed to the ground, leaning his back against the wall for support. "I can't believe it," he moaned, holding his head. Perhaps it was hard for him to absorb, especially if it meant most of the people he knew were either dead or very old by now. "Well, I did get to meet you," he stated, a small smile cracking back onto his face. For now, I had to help him through this, Avatar or not. Aang probably wasn't mature enough to face it alone, so I had to support him.
After making sure Aang was feeling better, we got back into the corridors and found a way out. This place was giving me the creeps anyway, so it was best we left before we ran into further trouble. As we made a turn at the next opening, a gate suddenly slammed down behind us, blocking our way. My heart sank as I desperately looked for an escape route, just as all the machinery around us sprang to life. "What's that you said about booby traps?" Aang commented amidst the hissing of pumps and ticking of gauges.
Before long, a series of fireworks exploded above us, the feared consequence of this abandoned ship signalling to a nearby fleet occurring as of we speak. With nowhere left to go, Aang and I rushed to the control tower of the ship, looking through the broken windows as another pop and flash flared above. "Hold on tight," Aang hollered, picking me off my feet. As he used his air bending to leap through the openings, I could only fret about what might happen. Hopefully, there wasn't a Fire Nation fleet nearby, and all I would get was a slap on the wrist. The last thing we wanted was an invasion, with the tribe weak as it was. As we got back to level ground, we hurried back to the village.
Katara's POV
"You can't protect him forever," Sokka pointed out, brushing the snow off of his head. Aang and I got in quite some trouble when Gran Gran and the others found us after our adventure on the abandoned Fire Nation ship. Aang was thrown out of the village for that, and before long a Fire Nation ship arrived at the shore. The team lead, a teen with a huge burn mark on his left eye, demanded to know where the Avatar was. I was quite upset that Aang was banished just like that, but whatever anger I had was soon replaced by fear when the attacker rendered Sokka useless, disarming my brother with his bare hands and prepared to bend fire at the younger children. Did he have no mercy at all?
Luckily, Aang returned to the village, riding on a penguin and knocking the assailant over. What shocked me wasn't the fact that Aang held his own, but that Aang revealed to everyone he was the Avatar. Originally, he went with the Fire Nation so they wouldn't harm our village anymore, but then Sokka and I decided to save him. It was there that we saw Aang display an unbelievable power, catapulting himself out of frigid water after falling overboard, and nearly sinking the Fire Nation ship he was held in. After further discussing with him, we decided to journey together.
"Katara, fire benders were here. You can't pretend they weren't." Sokka's voice sliced into my mind again, bringing me back to this beautiful yet haunting temple. This used to be Aang's home a hundred years ago, but now it was completely barren and dead, with no signs of life from anywhere. Earlier, during our ride on Appa, I told Aang not to have high hopes, given that the Fire Nation might have killed all his people and destroyed all the cultural artefacts. Aang, however, seemed completely oblivious to this, almost like he was certain there was someone familiar here, despite haven't seen this place for over a century. Somehow, I was reluctant to break the truth to him, even though I knew it was the right thing to do. What if Aang couldn't handle it, and broke down even more? With the fate of the world at stake, I couldn't risk letting him know yet.
Aang's excited voice pulled me to a statue of an Air Nomad monk. Even though I never met this individual, I could tell he was a wise, sagely man. The statue's details showed the creases in his face, an indication of his age, but also his serene and gentle wisdom as he glanced peacefully at us. "This is Monk Gyatso, the greatest air bender in the world. He taught me everything I know," Aang declared. Hearing Aang speak that happily of his former mentor made me even more determined to hide the truth from him. What if he found out that Monk Gyatso was dead already? And what if he found out Gyatso was killed by the Fire Nation? Aang would be devastated if he knew.
After a quick story from Aang about Gyatso, he led us into a large chamber blocked by a special wooden door. I couldn't quite describe the structure in front of it, but somehow it had something to do with the Avatar. "This is the Air Temple Sanctuary," Aang explained, "there's someone in there I have to meet." Stepping back, he unleashed two jets of air from his hands, letting them shoot into the appropriate slots. A series of nuts and bolts twisted and turned, followed by a loud hiss coming from the centrepiece. The heavy door creaked open, revealing a pitch-black interior. With only my wits guiding me, I followed Aang into the sanctuary, wondering what I would encounter inside.
The scene of a lifetime filled my eyes as the hall was filled with statue after statue of former Avatars. They lined in a neat order that reached several stories high, making the entire room literally one big memoriam of Aang's past lives. "Air, water, earth, fire, that's the Avatar cycle," Aang pointed out, indicating the way each Avatar was lined up. That meant whoever the Avatar was before Aang, they must be from the Fire Nation.
Indeed, Aang was paralyzed before the statue at the end of the line. It was a tall man with long robes and a beard. "That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me," he told me just as I snapped him out of the trance. Of course, Sokka had to break the moment by claiming the presence of Fire Nation in Aang's blood was one reason why he wasn't trusted at first, but I realized the greater implication here. If there was a way for Aang to reach into his past lives, he could get the advice needed to save the world.
Suddenly, the presence of a shadow looming from the entrance got Sokka all riled up. Grabbing us, we hid behind the statues of Roku and the earth bending Avatar before him. "Fire bender," Sokka whispered to us from the earth bender statue, "nobody make a sound." I thought it was completely bogus how he made a big fuss out of some shadow. Did he really think he was serious trying to tackle another attacker after his humiliation?
And to no one's surprise, Sokka's instincts were wrong again, as the so-called fire bender was nothing but a lemur. With Aang getting all excited about having an animal companion, while Sokka wanting to eat that lemur for lunch, they both bolted from the hall. That left me all alone in the sanctuary with the Avatar statutes while the goofballs chased after the animal. Well, at least it gave me some time alone to figure things out. Were there any clues left behind by the Avatars in their statues that might be helpful?
I wandered around for a few minutes, looking through each statue and trying to make sense of all this. Maybe it was time that Sokka had some fun with Aang, given how cynical he had been of all this. I understood that Sokka wasn't a spiritual type, and to be honest, I wasn't either, given all the things that happened in my recent memory. But for now, I knew Aang was our best chance to save the world, even though he could goof off at times. He might still shirk his duties just to play with animals or something like that, but at least I knew that Sokka and I would be there to support him all the way.
By the time I returned to Roku, I saw a strange light emitting from the statue's eyes. I squinted hard, wondering if it might be light reflecting from the outside. But then, every statue's eyes glowed light blue, creating an eerie lightshow within the sanctuary. Thinking hard, I could only recall one situation where this happened before: when Aang was in the ice-cold water, his eyes and arrow tattoos glowed the same way, indicating that whatever Aang was doing right now, it was quite serious. Immediately, I raced out of the sanctuary and back to the exterior, hoping to locate Aang.
As if the bright light emanating from the bottom of the temple, or debris from the now-destroyed roof of that shack wasn't enough, the tornado-like winds whipping around gave it all away. I hustled in as quickly as I could, navigating rocky ledges and snow-covered paths, before seeing an extraordinary but also terrifying sight. Aang was now surrounded by a ball of air, circling and spinning furiously while his almost paralyzed body glowed like the statues. "What happened?" I asked, trying to find Sokka.
Luckily, my brother didn't get blown too far away. A series of fallen rocks blocked his path, letting him hang onto them for dear life while avoiding most other flying debris. "He found out fire benders killed Gyatso," Sokka replied, his volume raised to the point of hoarseness. That triggered the Avatar spirit, which led to this situation.
Biting my lower lip, I advanced forward, my each step taking all my energy as I focused on calming Aang down. At this rate, he would destroy the world faster than he could save it. "Aang, I know you're upset, and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love," I yelled at the levitating boy, all the while straining to keep my balance, "I went through the same thing when I lost my mom." It was one of the darkest days in my life, with the burned body of my mother still resonating in my mind. But if I told Aang, then at least we had something in common, which allowed me to sympathize with him.
My muscles ached as I had to hold on to a nearby piece of debris, but I ignored all that just to continue getting through to Aang. "Monk Gyatso and the other air benders may be gone, but you still have a family," I explained to him. I wasn't sure if he could hear us or not, but I had to try. "Sokka and I, we're your family now!"
Then, to both our reliefs, the wind's ferocity died down, letting Aang slowly sink back to the ground. As he collapsed onto the ground, I raced in to grab hold of him. From beside me, Sokka promised that he and I would do everything to protect Aang, and we both assured Aang that it wasn't his fault. As Aang leaned his head into my lap, I felt my resolve harden even more. Not only must we find Aang a water bending teacher, but we were to make sure he succeeded in his world-saving mission. There was nothing more important to Aang than making sure his legacy continued. With him being the last air bender around, his culture was about to go extinct. Maybe, if we succeeded, we could return the Air Nomads to the world. But for now, Aang was the main focus.
Haru's POV
"So you got yourself arrested just to find me? You got guts, Katara, I'll give you that." I commented, seeing the water bender sporting a brown prisoners' uniform over her usual blue tunic. It was on the strangest terms that I met Katara, as she caught me in the ravine behind my town doing something taboo: earth bending. It seemed awfully ironic that I, an earth bender, was forbidden to practice an art unique to my culture, but that was the case for years, ever since the Fire Nation took over our region.
But my secret talent was soon discovered and reported to the Fire Nation, by none other than an older member of my own village, whom I had saved from a cave-in using said powers. Now, I was sitting in an off-shore prison with many of the benders from my village, captured from their last failed attempt to drive back the Fire Nation. The good news was, my father was among them, meaning at least I still had some company. But I guessed that wouldn't last me here forever, would it?
Katara, on the other hand, didn't see it that way. Even when I was with her back in the town, I found her to be an inspiring character, opting to fight the Fire Nation even when the odds were against her, rather than hiding or submitting to them. I told her it wouldn't be easy, given how my father, who taught me earth bending, was captured, but she had a similar story of her own, claiming the Fire Nation killed her mother. While I had earth bending as the last memento from my father, she had a necklace as the last memento from her mother. Perhaps that was the reason behind her strength, and how she urged me to not give up hope, even when things were dire.
But my father would have none of that, as he insisted the main priority was to wait out the war. "Katara, I admire your courage, and I envy your youth. But people's lives are at stake here," he pointed out, even as Katara schemed an escape plan, "the warden is a ruthless man, and he won't stand for any rebellion. I'm sorry."
I looked on nervously as Katara marched uncompromisingly to the middle of the open area, banging a spoon on a pot to get our attention. "You don't know me, but I know of you," she began, her strong voice echoing off the prison's walls. Somehow, when she told us her story of how every child in her village knew of the Earth Kingdom's people struggling against the Fire Nation, I felt a new sense of energy coursing through me. I felt more confident than ever of my abilities, and really wanted to fight the warden and his thugs. "So remember your courage, earth benders! Let us fight for our freedom!" Katara exclaimed, one fist raised high in the air.
Suddenly, I felt the urge to jump to my feet and applaud. For me, Katara just had that way with people. The way she spoke, the way she conducted herself, even the way she posed and walked, they resonated with the weaker ones. I wasn't sure what about her nature enabled her to do this, but it almost felt like her responsibility was to look out for the weak and the young, even though I wasn't weaker or younger than her. If only the rest of our people could feel its energy, then maybe we could truly fight back.
But to my utter shock, it was my father who placed a hand on my shoulder, signalling to me to sit down and not react. I could only grit my teeth as the bell rang, indicating that the prisoners must return to their cells. As I filed back into the interior, I saw a couple of guards escort Katara off into her cell. Katara did so much for not just me, but the rest of the villagers, yet the only thing we could do was shirk from our duty to defend our home? I was ashamed to even be a part of that! Silently, I swore I wouldn't let Katara down, and would do everything to make things right again.
Morning only delivered more shocking news, as now Katara's brother Sokka, and the very person they were protecting, Avatar Aang, arrived right at the rig. There were coal pieces everywhere, the same black stones that we were conquered for. With the Fire Nation navy increasing its appetite for energy, our mining town was the perfect place to control in order to secure the resource. What better way for them to enslave us than to force us to mine this stuff to them? As Fire Nation guards surrounded them, with the cruel warden taunting them to surrender, things were not looking good.
But quitting wasn't part of Katara's vocabulary. Even though I didn't know her well, I knew as long as there was a chance for her to help someone, she would give her full effort. Grabbing a piece of coal, she exclaimed, "Here's your chance, earth benders! Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!" And hearing the warden taunt Katara's every effort, I could feel the momentum shifting towards my body.
I leaped away from my group, darting into the fray before anyone, including my father, could stop me. Twirling two pieces of coal with my hands, I hurled them one after the other at the warden. They made perfect contact, with each plop on the back of his head sounding louder than any battle cry. As I glared at the angry old man, who had an equally angry stare on his face, I was prepared to defend my village and my honour. It was Katara who inspired me to fight, and with her watching, the least I could do was not let her down. You taunted my village, now you must face its entire people.
Katara's words seemed to have inspired the villagers into action, as they blocked the warden's fire blast with a wall of coal. Led by my father, they lined up horizontally and faced off against the warden. "For the Earth Kingdom, attack!" My father shouted. In one swift motion, the entire formation sent coal straight at the fire benders.
Soon enough, we had the guards on the run, just as a large ball of coal was compressed hard and used to dent the walls on the rig. With an opening now available, many of the villagers were ordered to escape while my father and I stayed to tackle the warden. Aang, with his usual creative self, created an air funnel used to propel coal at the warden, keeping him at bay. With so much coal around and beneath him, Dad and I took the chance to bend that coal, lifting the cruel man into the air. As we floated him to the opening, with nothing but water beneath him, Dad sneered, "Don't worry, I hear cowards float." With that, we dropped him into the water, freeing ourselves from the rig.
As we boarded the vessels, I had nothing but admiration, praise, and gratitude for Katara. In her short time with me, she inspired me to do so much. I now realized why she insisted on having me bend, as it established an identity for me. But more importantly, I saw what it meant to be a true leader, and to reach out to others to create a sense of sympathy for them. I knew someday, Katara would be a great leader, and might even lead us to beating the Fire Nation. Even though she had to leave us, I hoped our paths would cross again. I would love to show her what I learned from my short time with her.
Katara's POV
"Jet, why?" I asked, completely stunned by the turn of events. Our journey to the North Pole continued to be eventful, mainly with bringing unwanted attention to our group along the way. From being pursued by pirates hired by Aang's original attacker at the South Pole, the exiled Prince Zuko, to being involved in smuggling into the Fire Nation to let Aang meet his predecessor, Avatar Roku, in the Spirit World, the pace of events didn't slow down. It wasn't until we reached this part of the Earth Kingdom that we finally got a break, with a bunch of allies calling themselves the Freedom Fighters offering to give us shelter did things settle down.
But the Freedom Fighters' leader, Jet, was putting me in a very difficult spot. For the time I was here, I trusted and admired him, given our similar histories. Just like me, his family was killed by the Fire Nation, and he wanted to do something to protect others from the Fire Nation's advances. What I was originally told was that Aang and I had to water bend geysers to fill up a reservoir so the Fire Nation couldn't set flame to the nearby woods. But when Aang and I returned to the reservoir, we saw the other Freedom Fighters stacking the dam with blasting jelly, the same stuff they took after raiding a Fire Nation military camp earlier. Surely Jet didn't plan on destroying the whole town, killing all those innocent civilians, just to achieve his goal, right?
But Jet's own words were enough to convince me. "Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother," he explained. Earlier, Aang tried to fly over to the dam on his glider, only to have Jet confiscate it from him in the last second. Now, with every word, my deepest fears were coming true. "We can't let them do this to anyone else ever again." He turned around to face me, that compassionate and slightly pleading expression that he used on me last night reappearing. For the whole time, I believe Jet due to his noble goals and his dedicated following. But now, I realized his objectives were not just misguided, but twisted. "I thought your brother would understand, but…"
"Where is Sokka?" I demanded, suddenly realizing that Jet might have either imprisoned Sokka, if not downright killed him. During our stay here, Sokka viewed Jet with utmost suspicion, even branding him a thug after one of their missions. I thought it was only because Jet had much better leadership skills than Sokka, but now I found out why: Sokka knew about Jet's actions the entire time. Now I truly regretted not listening to Sokka, as my stubbornness to follow Jet blindly led me to having my own brother be hurt. As Jet leaned his face near me, I did the only thing possible. Reaching for my bag, I whipped out a blast of water and sent him flying back.
Soon enough, Aang and Jet was engaged in combat, with the Freedom Fighters leader snatching Aang's glider and goading Aang into fighting. Aang, in his air bender nature, refused to battle, opting to keep running into the trees while Jet pursued. I could only trudge into the woods, my eyes peeled for the canopy as my knees neared buckling. My stomach twisted and turned, threatening to propel whatever food I ate in the last day back out. How could this have happened? Did I truly become a victim of my emotions, opting to side with Jet because of how attracted I became to him, inadvertently or not? I admitted that at the beginning, I did like him a lot, so did that blind me to the truth?
"No, it couldn't be," I told myself, shaking the thought loose. Jet was a mass murderer, and many were about to die due to his sick scheme. I might have been seduced by his charm earlier, but now it couldn't be clearer. Jet was out for blood, and my lapse of judgment nearly allowed him to get away with it. Now, with every swish of Aang's air attacks, and every swing of Jet's hooked swords, we were seconds away from disaster. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for an attack, hoping to disable Jet as quickly as I could. I was angry enough with Jet's reckless plan, so it was time I evened the score.
Aang landed with a hard splay, missing his staff by a hair as Jet came down feet-first beside him. Seeing Jet's hunched back, heaving chest, and death glare, I knew Jet would not stop until Aang was injured, if not downright killed. Looking around, I saw a shallow stream right next to us, and used that to my advantage. Just as Jet made his ominous approach to Aang, I twisted my arms around, and blasted him as the water.
But even as Jet was thrown to the ground, I didn't stop there. Letting my anger loose with the water, I hit him again and again, pinning him against a tree and away from Aang and his staff. Once secured, I unleashed a unique water bending move, breathing into the water and freezing it instantly. Luckily, the temperature around us was cool enough to make this task quicker; otherwise I shuddered to think what damage Jet could do if he wiggled free. As Aang struggled to his feet, I confronted Jet once and for all. "I can't believe I trusted you," I stuttered, my voice racked with pain, anger, frustration, and above all, betrayal, "You lied to me. You're sick, and I trusted you!"
Then, out of my expectations, Jet started whistling into the air, giving a distinctive yet familiar call. "You're too late, Katara," he sneered at me, signalling with a tilt of his head to the dam. I could only gasp as the Freedom Fighters departed from the area, with the blasting jelly front and centre at the dam. That's when it hit me: they were going to ignite the dam, and the village was going to flood, despite Jet being immobilized.
Frantically, Aang tried to lift off on his glider, only to fall flat on his face. The rips and dents would take days to repair, meaning he too was out of commission. "Sokka is still out there," Aang murmured, his body still reeling in pain after Jet's last hit, "he's our only chance." Staring at the opening before us, I could only count down to the inevitable, when all the water would rush nonstop to the village downstream.
Things ticked down in slow motion as a fiery arrow sliced across the skies, aiming straight at the dam. The entire time, I felt truly guilty for everything I said about Sokka. I knew I doubted him many times in the past, claiming he didn't have the skills, both observational and analytical, to be a leader. But today, he proved me totally wrong, as I was the one who lacked the right judgment. I let my heart get in the way in dealing with Jet, and now many people were about to lose their lives because of it. Why wasn't I strong enough to resist Jet? Why was I so stubborn and refused to listen to Sokka? Had I been harsher and kept my feelings in check, could all these lives have been spared?
The rush of the water flooding the land soon took over my head, the force of the waves so great that I could feel its mist and rumbling all the way up the hill. As the town became swamped, my worst fears were all but confirmed as Sokka probably didn't make it on time. As I thought about the victims, my anger soon returned. Storming up to Jet like the rapids below, I snapped at him. "Jet, you monster!"
But Jet was defiant, claiming we scored a victory. "The Fire Nation would be gone, and this valley would be safe." His eyes were cold and uncompromising, further accentuating the fact that deep down, he truly was a ruthless killer. Maybe, if my skills in water bending were stronger, I would turn the ice around him into sharp icicles, and stabbed him in the heart with it. I'd like to see how he felt then.
"It will be safe, without you!" A loud voice boomed from behind me. Aang and I both turned, and relief washed over me as a large Sky Bison loomed into view, with a rider clad in blue holding the reins. I didn't know how he did it, but somehow, Sokka made it back to us. "I warned the villagers of your plan, just in time."
As Jet looked on in shock, Sokka explained how everyone in town thought he was a spy, and refused to believe him. Luckily, an old man urged the villagers to listen, and ironically, it was the same old man that Jet attacked in his earlier mission with Sokka. I admitted that I was at fault in that incident too, as Sokka accused Jet of bullying and robbing a civilian. I fell into Jet's trap when he pulled out a knife with poison, claiming the old man was an assassin out to kill him. But now, as everything took its due course, I realized Sokka was right after all, and I was truly ashamed of not believing him.
As we boarded Appa, Sokka gave Jet one last line. "You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people." As I looked on, seeing Jet plead to me, begging me to stay, I realized what it truly meant to take part in this mission to help Aang. Not only must we always be on guard, fighting off against enemies from all sides, we must also remember to protect the innocent, Fire Nation or not. And the reverse was also true, as we shouldn't let someone who claimed to be our ally to enter too easily, in case they were using us for negative purposes. Jet was a perfect example of how my guard was down when my emotions got in the way, and I now must be extra diligent, and be even more observant in the future. Nothing could be worse if more innocents were killed, and the only way we could prevent that was to support each other even more.
I turned back one last time, eyeing the one who misled me the whole time. In a way, I felt really sorry for him, and I could only wonder what led him astray. Even with his parents killed by the Fire Nation, the least he could do was channel that energy into doing something positive, but instead he chose to feed off of his rage, and turned him into the same thing the Fire Nation was: a heartless, ruthless, killing machine. "Goodbye, Jet." I muttered, just as Appa took off. For me, I hoped I never saw Jet ever again. People like him didn't deserve to help the Avatar, no matter how talented they were.
Katara's POV
The storm raged on outside as I cautiously stepped up to the mouth of the cave. The rain battered my body, soaking my clothing through and through as I could barely make out the silhouette of a kneeling Aang in the cavern. We stopped by a fishing port to buy supplies, and Sokka was hired by a local fisherman for temporary help, in exchange for some food and other goods. Unfortunately, the fisherman didn't take it too well that Aang was the Avatar, claiming Aang abandoned the world when we needed him. I tried to stick up for Aang, but it didn't work, as my friend merely hopped onto his glider and flew off. Now, with the storm raging, I barely braved the elements and found him here.
"That fisherman was way out of line," I commented, approaching the slouched figure that was Aang. I knew Aang had always been a fun-loving character, and perhaps that carefree nature rubbed people the wrong way. As the Avatar, he was expected to be big and strong, wise and powerful. But as a twelve-year-old, was that really within the normal expectations? Surely there was a reason why Aang appeared to be shirking, even though he wasn't really doing so, right?
"Actually, he wasn't," Aang responded, his voice barely above a whisper. Even though I couldn't see his face, the shadows showed me everything as Aang descended into an abyss of shame. "I don't want to talk about it," he concluded, sealing his lips.
I kneeled down next to him, seeing Aang's face for the first time. He almost seemed like he was in mourning, his head dipped low and his face stoic. Never in my short time with Aang had I seen this type of sadness before, and I was intent on figuring out why. Placing a hand on my shoulder, I assured him that I would be a willing listener. "I'll try and get a little fire going," I decided, grabbing some nearby rocks and twigs. We weren't going anywhere in this weather, so might as well warm ourselves up.
As the flames illuminated the rocky surroundings, I could see Appa and Momo both approach Aang. Their presence seemed to have lightened the mood on the boy, who felt the comfort and protection of his two animals. I smiled as his mood became more positive, finally willing to release his burden and unveil the truth. "I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar," he began, taking me back to the world that existed a century ago, when the Southern Air Temple was still filled with life and energy.
I could only listen on intently as Aang described his life back then, so carefree and fun, with new ideas for games and good friends to share them with. But that all changed when the monks approached him shortly after his twelfth birthday, in the middle of a demonstration in which Aang showed his friends a newly developed move: the Air Scooter. "I made it up myself, and I was really proud of it," he said, eyes twinkling.
But when Aang got to the part where the monks revealed his identity, things got a bit rockier. He stuttered through many parts, especially the sequence when his seniors, including his guardian Gyatso, informed him of his mission. "They told me storm clouds were gathering, and that war was upon us," Aang muttered, constantly scratching his lower lip with his upper front teeth. It was evident that, contrary to my expectations, Aang wasn't excited to be the Avatar; rather, he was upset about it.
The sad tale continued, as Aang started losing many friends, mainly due to them feeling the Avatar provided Aang an unfair advantage over them in their games. He was often isolated, forced to spend most of his time either training extra vigorously or stuffed up in his room. Gyatso would sometimes drop by to visit, playing a few Pai Sho matches with Aang, but it was evident that Aang was a prisoner inside his own temple. For me, I kind of understood how I felt. Given that I lost my mother when I was younger, I could no longer frolic and play the way most children do. Instead of fun and games, my life was occupied by chores and other duties that kept the tribe running. But then again, I wasn't forced into isolation by my own friends, nor was I given strict orders to focus on only my chores by Gran Gran. "So what happened next?" I asked meekly.
"The worst thing ever happened," Aang murmured, his head sandwiched between his knees. In a last ditch attempt to convince the other elders that Aang ought to have balance in his life, Gyatso pleaded with the monks that as Aang's guardian, he had only Aang's best interests at heart. But the others didn't view it that way, as they saw Gyatso as not only being overprotective, but an obstacle in Aang's overall training. Gyatso was ultimately overruled, and the elders decided to send Aang to a different air temple to complete his training, separating him from the only man Aang could ever call a parent.
"How could they do that to me?" Aang ranted, suddenly shooting up from his seated position, "They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!" I could tell his fury was returning, as the arrows on his hands and head glowed brighter than the fire I created. Cinders were blasted my way, causing me to duck and cower. Some eventually made their way onto bare skin, causing me to yelp in pain. Luckily, it snapped Aang out of his trance, and returned him back to normal.
As he trudged back to his old spot, I finally understood why Aang would be upset. Just how I was angry and confused after my mother passed away, Aang naturally would feel the same with Gyatso being taken away from him. "You have a right to be angry after the monks sent you away like that," I pointed out after checking myself for burns.
But Aang told me it wasn't the case, as his cocktail of emotions rendered him too scared to do anything with the monks. In a move out of desperation, Aang grabbed his staff and fetched Appa from the pens that night, and took off from the temple. "I wasn't even sure where I was going, but I never saw Gyatso again," he concluded, squeezing his eyes shut, "the next thing I knew, I was waking up in your arms." By the time Aang lifted his head, wet stains painted the corner of his eyes, while snivels echoed from his nose.
Biting my lower lip, I now realized why the fisherman's words truly hurt Aang. Not only did he supposedly turn his back on the Air Nomads when the Fire Nation wiped out their culture, he also abandoned the world when they made their conquests. Yet, with all those negatives, I couldn't help but feel rejuvenated after the story. "I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed, you would have been killed along with all the other air benders," I suggested. Certainly Aang's training served him well, as not only was he already an air bending master, he started picking up the basics of water bending too, way faster than I did, at least. But even as the Avatar, there was no way he could fight off all those Fire Nation soldiers by himself. Perhaps running away was the least bad option?
Even though Aang challenged my assumption, claiming I couldn't have possibly predicted that, I knew one thing was for certain. "The world needs you now. You give people hope." I stated. Whether this world accepted Aang as the Avatar or not, it was Aang's responsibility now, and it was my job to give Aang what he needed to protect it from more harm. It would be a difficult journey, but it was one we would take together.
Sokka's POV
"Are you crazy, Katara? You're not going to win this fight!" I did everything I could to hold my sister back as she stomped down the snow-covered steps, ripping off her parka in a huff as she met up with her opponent. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the North Pole, and were welcomed by our northern counterparts. They were really thrilled to see the Avatar and his friends here, and I was really excited to be in such a large fortress. Not to mention that their princess Yue was one of the most beautiful people I ever set my sights on. I wondered if she would give me some attention.
But the attention we ended up getting wasn't the positive kind, as Aang got off to quite a rocky start with the lead water bending instructor here. The balding man with a large grey beard, Pakku, was a strict adherer to tradition, meaning no girls were allowed to learn water bending, unless they used it for healing purposes. That struck a nerve with Katara, who insisted to use it for battle. While Aang offered to teach Katara bending behind everyone's backs, he was caught by Pakku, and was expelled from his class. Now, to prove her point, Katara insisted on duelling with Pakku one-on-one.
"You don't have to do this for me," Aang chimed in just as Katara's parka hit my face. While I was used to Katara's stubborn and bossy side, given that she always had to get her hands on everyone's business, I was totally against this battle. While I did see some progress in Katara's water bending skills, it was way too farfetched for her to take on a world class water bending master. The show he put on at the welcoming party, where he and two students manipulated the water around them effortlessly, told me just how far that distance between Pakku and Katara was. I might always be thinking of ways to set Katara back in her place, but I would never want to see my own sister get hurt. Hey, a big brother had to do whatever it took to protect his little sister, right?
"I'm not doing it for you," Katara snapped, throwing me back into reality, "someone needs to slap some sense into that guy." It was so typical of Katara to speak her mind like that. Once she decided on a course of action, there was nothing stopping her from achieving that. Maybe it ran in the family, since I always trusted my instincts. Now if only she didn't inherit the lack of bending in our family, and could still stand up after Pakku smacked her around silly. Sorry Katara, but you're on your own now.
But Pakku's smug attitude when he stepped up really made me cringe. "Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong," he commented nonchalantly without even looking Katara in the face. I would be the first to admit that my attitude to females wasn't positive, and it took a smack-down from Suki in Kyoshi Island before I learned to accept girls as legitimate fighters. But for Pakku to not only talk down to, but undress Katara of whatever dignity she had, that was out of line. I would be the first to tell Pakku that Katara was a strong person, and did everything she could to keep my tribe alive when all the men left. If anything, Katara belonged with the leaders of a tribe.
I cringed even harder as Katara created a water whip, flinging it out and slapping Pakku straight in the head. As Pakku turned to stare angrily at Katara, his gaze colder than the ice around me, I could only duck away. Katara was either the bravest person I ever met, or the dumbest person I ever met, by challenging Pakku this openly. Whatever one was right, the wheel was set in motion, and she couldn't take it back.
Before long, Pakku surrounded them both with a large wall of spinning water. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," he taunted my sister as the vortex spun around them furiously. I could sense a crowd gathering around me, watching closely as the two combatants circled each other. I didn't want to show it, but I was rooting for my sister. Not only was this a good way to show the world what Katara had learned, but it was also a way for Katara to open up this Northern Water Tribe. During the time we were here, I felt this place being run by nothing more than age-old traditions that didn't allow the people to enjoy their lives. The fact that arranged marriages still existed here was quite alarming, and the difference between societal classes made it impossible for everyone to intermingle. Was that why Princess Yue refused to accept my gift last night?
Speaking of Yue, there she was, trotting up to the arena and standing right next to me. Glancing uncomfortably between Yue and the battle, I briefly filled her in on what happened. "And now Katara insists on showing her skill with a duel," I concluded. My eyes tilted back and forth, realizing that the people around me were in a similar position: they wanted to cheer for Katara, but didn't have the guts to challenge their customs. Why did this seem so familiar? Oh yeah, that's right, most people we ran into didn't dare to take on the old ways. From Haru and the earth benders on that prison rig, to the air bender mimics in the Northern Air Temple, none of them dared to tackle their opponents head on. It wasn't until we came into their lives that they started their change.
"Argh!" I screamed as a cold blast of water slammed into my body. I was hurled several steps up, soaked in freezing liquid as Katara broke Pakku's formation and now perched herself on a higher step. Even as I struggled to shake the water out of my face, I could hear Yue ushering people away from the battlefield. As the crowd filed past me, I could only hope that Katara was holding her own out there.
When I looked up, I saw Katara standing firmly on a pillar at the bottom of the staircase, freezing her feet in place as she stared down Pakku. "You can't knock me down," she yelled before charging at the old man again. To my surprise, all the people around me began cheering, urging Katara on as she attacked the master. I could only look on as Katara got dumped head-first into a pool of water, only to bounce right back up and created an ice block, shaving off razor-thin sheets and hurling them back at Pakku.
As blade after blade cut precariously close to Pakku, I realized this was what made Katara so inspiring. Personally, I thought all her speeches on hope were cheesy at first, but after seeing her fight, I realized they were all true. Destiny wasn't bestowed, it was achieved by taking all the chances we came upon. How many chances could one get in life? And how many could take full advantage of them? Katara came from a small water tribe village where she was the last water bender there, travelling across the land to help the Avatar, and now she finally got to meet the greatest water bender in the world. With such great promise before her, why wouldn't she take the chance?
"Well, I am impressed," Pakku commented as he pushed Katara back with another huge wave, "you are an excellent water bender." Well, took him long enough to say it! Was Pakku so dense that he couldn't see Katara's talent, or was his ego so big that he couldn't accept the fact that a girl was keeping him on his toes? At this rate, with her energy, Katara could beat the tar out of that geezer no problem.
But things took a turn for the worse, as Pakku not only continued in his refusal to teach Katara, he got her to fall into his trap. As Katara shot in her attack, Pakku spun around and skidded around her, knocking her over from behind. With Katara struggling to get up, the master pulled out some water from a nearby pool and turned that into sharp icicles. Clenching my teeth in nervousness, I couldn't watch as Pakku slammed his palms down, sending the ice daggers straight at Katara. Water bender kabob, anyone?
Yet the ending was even more humiliating, as Katara was completely trapped by the icicles, so much so that she couldn't even lift her arms. She told me movement was the most important aspect of water bending, so without it, Katara was officially out of the match. Part of me felt deflated as Katara's stance against Pakku was lost all because of the blindsiding, but it also fuelled my determination even more. Katara did so much to show the world what she was about, and now she had to be sent home with her tail between her legs all because this old fool couldn't take the fact that he might be wrong? Where was the justice in this? Maybe I ought to take Pakku on, if I knew water bending!
Despite Katara's cries that she wasn't done with Pakku yet, the old master was already strutting away. Around me, I could see people dipping their heads or turning away in disappointment. Somehow, I echoed the same feeling as a cool breeze from the frigid seas blew into the courtyard. Was this truly the end of Katara's career as a water bender? Was she doomed to only be a healer and not a fighter?
Oddly enough, it was Pakku who answered my question, as he bent down to pick up a necklace. Taking a quick glance, I recognized it as the same one Katara had always worn, as inherited from Gran Gran. "This is my necklace," Pakku stated in shock and awe, a complete change from his arrogant saunter away from Katara, "I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life, for Kanna."
Just as Pakku stared into the distance, looking for some individual he lost half a century back, Katara managed to bend the icicles, one by one, away from her body. "My Gran Gran was supposed to marry you?" she asked in surprise. Given Pakku's attitude, I was surprised too. What did Gran Gran ever see in this old grouch? If Katara and I were to be his grandchildren, I doubted we got to do anything. Pakku refused to train girls, and I doubted he was interested in setting battalions. Life would be boring with him around!
As the crowd dispersed, leaving Katara and Pakku with Aang, myself, and Yue, we heard Pakku's story for the first time. "I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long happy life together. I loved her."
"But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara retorted, her aggressiveness toned down significantly as well, "It was an arranged marriage. Gran Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage." Even though Katara sounded more conciliatory, I could tell she was quite adamant in teaching Pakku a lesson. And seeing how Gran Gran acted in leaving the tribe to go south, I could see where Katara got her iron will from. It wasn't from any male in my tribe, it was from my own grandmother who helped raised us both.
Suddenly, Yue burst into tears and sprinted off, leaving me quite surprised. Aang told me to go comfort her, and I immediately knew what happened. Yue was not just embarrassed by what she saw, but also ashamed. Even though I was quite certain before of our tribe's gender roles, I was very shocked that things were even more separated here. My own father, the chief of my tribe, recognized Katara's bending and tried so hard to convince someone to teach her. But had he been in this tribe, this possibility would be out of the question. So for Katara to not just speak out, but act out, against this type of sexist stereotyping, it truly took guts. Besides, if I could be changed in my views towards the female gender in general, then certainly Pakku could be changed as well.
But for now, my focus was on Yue, hoping to at least reassure her that I truly sympathized with her situation. I was really impressed with how Katara stood her ground against Pakku, and realized that it was with being out in the world with Aang and me that she could display such courage. For Yue, perhaps the same ought to be true, as based on what she told me, she simply hadn't the chance to see the world outside her tribe. I didn't believe she didn't care for the world and its different customs, but it was that she merely didn't understand them. Perhaps, if I engaged her enough, she might feel better, and could integrate herself with us again.
Katara's POV
My head ached and spun as I slowly boarded Appa, the pain still resonating from the hit I took in an earlier battle. Indeed, the Fire Nation launched their full-scale attack on the North Pole, placing us under siege by bombarding us in the daylight, then slowing down completely at night. Even when Aang tried fighting them off, he was completely overwhelmed, with the Fire Nation navy fleet so large that it was impossible for him to do it alone. Now, with daybreak nearing, it wouldn't be long before they attacked again.
"They'll survive, and we'll find them," Sokka stated with determination as Appa flew into the ice fields before us, right in the middle of a blizzard. By they, Sokka was referring to Aang and Zuko, the former entering the Spirit World for advice while the latter captured Aang's body, which was without its spirit. Zuko infiltrated the Spirit Oasis, the most sacred spot in the Northern Water Tribe, just as Aang passed through to the other side. While Yue ran to get help, I tried to hold Zuko at bay, using all the water bending I could muster against his fiery attacks. For a while, I held my own, freezing the exiled prince at least twice. Thanks to the full moon, water bending powers were at their fullest, meaning I had an advantage despite not being as proficient at bending as Zuko.
But my luck ran out when the sun came up, giving fire benders the advantage. With two blasts, Zuko freed himself from the ice mountain I created and slammed me back-first against a wooden pole. The back of my head made contact with the pole, and that even now I was seeing stars. Zuko managed to grab Aang as I tried to shake off my dizziness, but somehow they wandered into this blizzard. Now, with a blanketing snow and nearly no visibility, things were getting dire. My heart sank as I squinted hard into the flying flakes, hoping Aang could at least make it out alive. We came too far in this battle to lose him now, so no matter what, he had to hang on.
Suddenly, a bright flash streaking across the sky caught my eye. Realizing it might be Aang's spirit returning to the body, this would give us the perfect chance to locate him. "That's got to be Aang," I shouted. Immediately, Sokka pulled on Appa's reins, guiding the bison to that direction. Hopefully Aang wouldn't be in a large block of ice, like we first found him. Hey, he did survive before, so maybe he could do it again?
Indeed, there was Aang, tied up like a stack of seal pelts as he tried to escape. Zuko appeared from behind, lifting him into the air tauntingly. That alone got my anger going, as if hurting Aang wasn't enough, mocking me was even worse. Just as Appa got lower, I leaped off the bison and confronted the fire bending teen, who tossed Aang aside like garbage. "Care for a rematch?" He sneered, turning to face me.
"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match." With one smooth move, I lifted some snow to block Zuko's first shot. Being observant had its perks, as I knew Zuko would go on the offensive. By blocking his shot, it gave me enough momentum for my big finish. Controlling the snow, I lifted Zuko high into the air, before slamming him back down. With a sickening thud, his body hit the snow, completely motionless.
But even as we freed him, Aang refused to leave Zuko behind, opting to bring him with us, as he believed Zuko would freeze to death here. Sokka and I crossed an uncertain look, not sure what Aang was trying to do. Why bring this troublemaker who nearly killed him with us back to the oasis? As Appa took off into the skies, I could see an ominous sign: the full moon, which used to be so bright before us, was an eerie red. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but my entire body felt numb.
Turning to the side, Yue, who joined us in searching for Aang, fared even worse. Complaining of dizziness, she constantly leaned on Sokka for support. "I owe the Moon Spirit my life," Yue described, telling us how her sickly childhood was healed when she came in contact with the Moon Spirit Tui, which gave Yue some of its life force. Now, with the spirits in trouble, it was evident that the life force Yue received was making Yue weak as well. Now, with water benders likely losing their power, things were quite dire.
By the time we landed in the oasis, it was a scary sight. Admiral Zhao, who was Zuko's rival and pursued us just as viciously, now held the Moon Spirit in its mortal fish form in a large bag. Threatening to light it on fire, we could only tread cautiously. I had limited water bending to work with already, so attacking him would only make things worse. As I looked on, Aang tried to reason with him. "Destroying the moon won't just hurt the water tribe," he explained, "It'll hurt everyone, including you."
Just then, General Iroh, who we identified as Zuko's elderly uncle, also appeared, telling Zhao to back down as well. As Iroh threatened to attack Zhao, the volcanic man finally relented, letting the fish back into the pond. I breathed a huge sigh of relief as the moon returned to its natural colour, while my bending skills seemed to have returned. But still, with all these Fire Nation troops around, it was still very dangerous. Was there some way we can get out of this alive?
A huge flaming blade got my attention, and for all the wrong reasons as Zhao sliced it into the pond. As we all stared in shock, Tui took the brunt of the hit, leaving the fish floating belly up in the pond. This time, the moon darkened completely, and I felt my water bending skills drain out as well. As General Iroh fought off the others, we raced to the pond, where we checked on the condition of the fish. "It's over," Yue murmured as the lifeless body was pulled from the pond.
General Iroh grabbed the fish, examining it while we looked on. The man was wiser than any we knew, so surely he had some idea how to bring it back to life, right? As I wrung my hands nervously, another beam of light caught my eye. The night was just filled with strange lights as this time, Aang entered his Avatar State and stepped into the pond. I tried to stop him, but Iroh intervened, leaving me to watch incredulously as Aang was sucked into the pond, fusing with the Ocean Spirit La and became a large humanoid with a fish head. For some reason, Sokka felt the name Koizilla was appropriate. Who knew he was now an expert at naming weird creatures, especially those involving Aang?
I looked on nervously as Koizilla went on its rampage, going down the village and wreaking havoc at the Fire Nation troops. With everything now out of balance, I could only wonder what could fix this situation. Did anything matter now, given we were all pretty much doomed? What would happen to Aang as he continued to be possessed by that spirit? I couldn't imagine the world without its saviour once again if La chose to keep Aang and ended up hurting him during the storming of the Fire Nation fleet.
"It gave me life," Yue's voice suddenly sliced into my thoughts, "so maybe I can give it back." I was shocked as the Northern Water Tribe princess was about to reach for the dead fish in Iroh's hands. Sokka held onto Yue tight, preventing her from reaching the fish. Somehow, I wanted to help Sokka restrain her, but my gut told me to stay put. Oh, why was this so hard? Was it really right to watch Yue sacrifice herself right in front of my eyes? But then again, if Yue didn't do it, what would happen to the world?
I didn't have time to think as Yue pressed her hands onto the fish, a beam of light transferring from her body to the spirit. Sokka could only scream as Yue collapsed, her body motionless and lifeless. "She's gone," Sokka reported, trying to feel her breathing and pulse, "she's gone." Biting my lip, I could only hold back tears as our companion gave herself up. It was truly one of the bravest and noblest things I had ever seen.
Soon enough, Yue's physical body disappeared, with only a bright spiritual form appearing before us. Taking a look at her changed appearance, I guessed now she became the new Moon Spirit. As Sokka bid her farewell and continued to mourn her, I could see the moon regaining its brightness. It was certainly a bittersweet sight as I felt my strength returning, all the while the Ocean Spirit splitting apart from Aang and returning to its place in the pond. Somehow, with this move, everything did turn out alright for us.
By the time morning arrived, Sokka and I told everyone, including Pakku, of the events. While Pakku was indeed devastated by the news, he also saw it as a fresh start. Speaking with some of his best bending students and a few healers, he chose to journey to the South Pole. "It's time we help rebuild our sister tribe. As for Aang," he stated, tilting his head at the figure standing alone in the distance. Aang was still shaken by his Koizilla incident, and with Pakku gone, his training would be interrupted. But Pakku insisted, "He better get used to calling you 'Master' Katara."
Upon hearing that, I couldn't be more excited. I had been taking care of Aang for this entire time, and now I had a chance to not just train with him, but also watched him grow. Things were about to get interesting, with a more difficult journey ahead. We must return to the Earth Kingdom to find an earth bending teacher, and afterwards we would have to stop the war. But for now, I was truly grateful that Pakku recognized my talent, and I was truly looking forward to working with Aang. I knew, together, we could truly accomplish anything, including bringing peace to this war-torn world.
Well, that's all I got so far. I admit that I didn't get to her "bossy, prickly" side yet. I personally didn't see as much of that until Toph showed up, so maybe I'll include more of that in the next chapter. Until then, thank you for reading.