This is the last chapter I'm putting on today, I've gone a bit nuts, writing so much, think of it as a Christmas gift... It is Christmas Eve after all, well... where I am anyway. I can't say the same about you. If you don't live in New Zealand (like Me!) you really should consider moving here, we do get Christmas first after all (And the Boxing day sales!). well, Merry Christmas! Maybe a happy new year as well, I'm going on holiday for two weeks after Christmas so I probably won't be able to write any more for a little while.

Anyways... enjoy the chapter!

; )

Chapter 10

She hadn't stayed on her little island long. The next morning she was up and away on Suli again, she had to keep moving if she wanted to get to Omashu any time soon.

This time she wasn't as bored, she had found a good collection of rocks on the island and now she spent her time improving her power over the rock. She could keep herself occupied for hours by teaching herself to hover rocks in mid air. It was more fun than hovering water in the air for the hundredth time.

Soon she was good at that too. Once she had mastered the one stone she tried to hover two at the same time. After that she tried to juggle them. That kept her occupied for a few more days; it was much harder to control them when they were moving. Suli must have sore spots all over her skin where Kaiya had lost control and the rocks had gone flying. She had lost quite a few over the side as well.

Needless to say, she was sufficiently amused by the time she made it to Omashu.

About 1 km from the great city she and Suli had to stop. It was time for Kaiya to say goodbye to her friend. It was kind of a big giveaway that she came from the water tribes if she arrived on a great big water dragon. She'd never be able to lie about her heritage if Suli was around. They had found a big cave next to a lake not far from Omashu. There were plenty of fish for the water dragon to eat and plenty of water for the dragon to swim around in. The cave was hidden and practically sitting in the water so they didn't have to worry about concealment. Besides, Suli was an intelligent creature. If someone came along she would find somewhere safe to hide.

Kaiya opened her earth kingdom bag. There was plenty of stuff in there, a writing kit, clothes and a few possessions. It all seemed to belong to a typical earth kingdom girl. There was even some earth kingdom face paints. Looking though all the stuff properly for the first time made her wonder. Where did the Water Tribe priests get all this anyway?

It was time; she had to disguise herself as one of the earth kingdom now. She stared in distaste at the green, brown and cream items. Any second now. Any time now she would put those clothes on. She screwed up her face.

Suli nudged her in the back and gave her a meaningful look.

Kaiya sighed and turn back to the clothes. She picked out the first thing she saw. She dressed quickly; pairing up the items in what she thought looked an earth-kingdomy way.

She walked slowly over to the lake. She flexed her hands and snapped them open again sharply, freezing a small part of the water and raising it to stand opposite her. As she had found years before, the smooth surface of the ice made an excellent makeshift mirror.

Examining her appearance now a she had to admit she didn't look too bad. She had put on a white singlet and knee length skirt in a light shade of green. There was a cream trimming on the clothing to stop it from looking too boring. Over top of the t-shirt she was wearing a short sleeved loose jacket made of thin cotton. It was a dark green, barely above black. She wore a pair of leggings the exact same hue under her skirt. On her feet went brown sandals.

She didn't look too bad really.

There were a few things that still on her which screamed of water tribe though. She touched her necklace. She would have to take that off, she realized with a thrill. She turned her gaze to her hair, her soft, brown, shiny hair. It was still done up in her water tribe braids in loops. That would have to come down too.

She turned back to the earth kingdom bag. Rooting around for a few seconds she uncovered a small bag containing some green beads and a green velvet band, silky to the touch. She quickly undid her two braids and let them fall loose. Swiftly she pulled the loose hair to the back of her head, securing the hair with the green band. She let the beads drop gently back into the bag. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do with them yet, maybe it was best to keep her hair simple for the time being.

She gently took the necklace off and tucked it into her earth kingdom bag. Her Mama had said she had to keep it close to her at all times.

Lastly she transferred all her essential belongings into the earth kingdom bag. It all fit snugly in, she didn't have much stuff to begin with. After a moment she added one of her water tribe tunics to the bag. She wanted to take something that reminded her of home with her.

That was it. She was all set.

Now for the hard bit she thought to herself, I have to walk all the way to Omashu, mostly uphill, and convince total strangers that I'm an earth bender. And if I fail the whole world will now that I'm the avatar. No pressure.

She heaved her heavy bag onto her shoulders. She thanked the spirits that water bending training required her to be fit, fast and nimble. If she hadn't been in good physical shape this trip would be a total nightmare. Staggering under the weight she thought again. Water bending was about using your opponent's strength against them. Building up strength wasn't really something you concentrated on.

This might be slightly harder than she thought.

Somehow she managed to get moving, shoving one foot ahead of the other. She found her way to the road and started on her way to Omashu.

It was luck really, some random old guy just happened to be on his way to Omashu as well. He had a huge cart filled to the brim with his fresh produce. He took one look at the ten year old girl heaving a heavy pack down the road and had to ask.

"Are you going to Omashu little one?" the man sounded like someone's kind old grandfather. Kaiya made a face. She hadn't been a 'little one' since her eighth birthday.

"Yes" Kaiya told him, shading her eyes against the harsh midday sun as she looked up at him. "I'm to learn earth bending at the earth temple there."

"Well, it wouldn't be right for me to leave a little girl alone on her way to Omashu, even if you are an earth bender. That Pack does look heavy." The man smiled at her. "Do you want a lift into the city? I can take you to the market square; it's easy to find your way to the temple from there."

"That would be wonderful" Kaiya sighed in relief.

"Climb into the back then" the old man gestured to the back of the cart.

She trudged to the back of the cart and threw her bag in. Then she heaved herself up, tucking herself into a corner of the cart.

"Careful of my cabbages!" the man's voice got squeakier "my cabbages! My cabbages!"

"They're ok" Kaiya called to the distraught man. "I'll be careful back here."

"You'd better be." The man muttered as he nudged the ostrich horse forward.

Yay! Don't you just love the Cabbage guy? I reincarnated him here; this cabbage man is the like great great great grandson of the Cabbage man in Avatar the last air bender. He's carrying on the family business! Anyway, have a very merry Christmas!

; )