Uhm... not on a roll. More of a roll than with other stories, but well...

We stay at the riverside for another while. Katara tries to coax Toph into bathing, but the Earth Kingdom girl stays where she is, lounging in the shadows of the trees. So she really doesn't bathe. Yuck! She even shamelessly picks her nose. Double yuck!

Note to self: Don't get near Toph unless absolutely necessary! Good thing Katara's Waterbending Bomb has splashed her. It's not perfect, but a start. Hmm... Wait a minute...

Preparing for evil, I get up from my resting spot in the shallower shore area and position myself so I face Toph. Then I take a deep breath, lower myself into the water so my mouth is just beneath the surface, and blow.

I can't create waves that way (not yet, anyways), but I can create spray. Toph jumps at the coldness, and she is not amused.

"Katara!" she yells, immediately suspecting the waterbender of the deed. Something of a logical conclusion, actually.

Katara, by the time totally engrossed in practicing with Aang, stops her whirlpooling or whatever move it is supposed to be and turns around.

"What is it, Toph?" she asks exasperatedly, probably annoyed at being interrupted in such a rude manner.

"You know exactly what it is!" the earthbender fumes.

"No, I don't."

Finally regaining my composure (I wanted to tease Toph a bit, not make her argue with Katara), I speak up, "Katara doesn't have anything to do with it!"

"Yeah," Aang joins the court of defense. "We've been training, and we didn't even look at you."

There is a splash and I turn to the source. It's Sokka, standing a few feet off and watching. He seems to be enjoying the show.

Toph crosses her arms. "Well, since leaves transforming into rain clouds is a rather rare event, I'm pretty sure one of you is responsible for it!"

"Yes guys, it was me!" I explain, rolling my eyes. Seriously, getting a word in in this group appears to be hard work. "Toph, water is not a hazardous substance! Take a bath, for Agni's sake! You're dirty all over!"

I guess, in a staring contest, Toph has the upper hand by default. For a blind girl, she's pretty good at glowering. The problem is, when I glower back, it's no reason for worry.

"Katara, please introduce our new member to the ways of the greatest earthbender."

Katara rolls her eyes. "Toph can't swim, so every time we try to get her to bathe, she thinks we're trying to assassinate her."

Toph continues to glower. Katara adopts an expression I'd almost call sardonic if it weren't for the fact that she's Katara.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" the Water Tribe girl... articulates with thinly veiled sarcasm, hands folded in a gesture of apology. "Of course I meant to say:" Her tone shifts to indicate imitation. "You call it dirt. I call it a healthy coating of earth."

I raise a brow at the statement. "Right..." Triple yuck. And man, I didn't expect Katara to have dark side capabilities! Surprise, surprise!

Aang looks decidedly uncomfortable. "Uhm, guys? Would you please stop going all sarcastic on Toph's bathing habits?"

"Relax, Aang!" Sokka decides to put his two copper pieces in, making a sort of swishing outward motion with his hands. "No one is going sarcastic on Toph's bathing habits. Right, ladies?"

He sends meaningful glances Katara's and my way, his cheery voice betraying the underlying... you guessed it, sarcasm. I share a look with Katara as well, and I'm pretty sure now about what is going through our three heads.

Of course we're not sarcastic about Toph's bathing habits. How would we do that? She doesn't have any.

"Right," Katara confirms.

"Totally," I agree.

Toph blows at a strand hanging into her face and settles back against a tree, miffed. I suppose we'll pay for those quips later, once we're out of the water. I wonder if Toph can bend the mud beneath my feet? Uh, blind earthbenders... Not even 24 hours and I'm already growing paranoid. But since she couldn't identify me before, maybe the... view? Maybe the view is too squishy? That doesn't even make sense! ARGH, my head is exploding!

Alright, just to be on the safe side, I'll take another swim where my feet don't touch the ground of the river. A bit off the group, I turn onto my back and float around a bit, enjoying the tranquility and the warmth of the sun on my face, thinking about Hide sitting in school right now and chafing at the fact that I'm not there for him to pick on and do his homework.

I sigh raptly. This is the life.

"KAMINA!"

"KYAAAAH!"

I'm not sure if I actually dozed off, or if Aang skipped the indoor voice approach, or both. Fact is that I start flailing like mad until I finally manage to catch myself and even out.

I heave a deep breath. "Turtle whiskers, Aang! You gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry," he says, grinning sheepishly. "Anyway, Katara, Sokka, Toph and me agreed that we should move on."

"Oh, okay," I shrug. "Let's go then. I'll be the last one to stand in the way."

It is only when we're paddling back to the riverbank that I realize Aang has asked for my opinion on continuing our trip. I'm a bit surprised. I wonder what would have happened if I told him I want to stay another while? Not that I do, I don't really care one way or another.

I scramble up the shore and I'm just about to go get my clothes when an earth pillar juts out from beneath my feet. I screech in shock as I'm catapulted right back into the river. Sputtering and disheveled, I stand up in the knee-deep water. The shore is empty of people save for a gaping Aang and a very smug Toph.

"What was that for?" I demand, noticing movement from the corner of my eye. Sokka and Katara have been subjected to the same fate, and it dawns on me.

"Oh, sorry!" Toph calls patronizingly. "Did you fall into the river? I bet you're feeling a bit put out now, Flame Princess. Good thing water is not a hazardous substance."

"Uhm, Toph..." Aang tries to intervene, then trails off. No idea what Katara and Sokka are doing, I'm busy massaging my temples. I guess I deserved that. I mean, me not being exactly satisfied with her lacking hygiene doesn't give me the right to take advantage of her blindness and startle her.

I sigh, dropping my gaze to stare at the water surface. "I'm sorry, Toph."

"What?!" the girl exclaims, half annoyed, half confused. Do all of them react like that to apologies?

And thus, I elaborate, "I shouldn't have sprayed you, and I certainly shouldn't have went on to tease you about it."

"Uhm, Fireflake?" Toph inquires, sounding... worried? "Are you in there?"

"Leave it, Toph," Sokka dryly cuts in before I can react properly. I get to raise my head, though. "We have two airbenders spouting random apologies now. Get used to it."

"Random apologies?" Aang repeats incredulously and slightly indignant. No one bothers with an answer.

The Water Tribe siblings trudge out of the river. When I see that they don't come flying back, I assume it's safe to follow them and traipse after Sokka, who happens to have his clothes stored near mine.

I'm not sure what's gotten into me to make me stop dead halfway and stare at the Water Tribe boy dressing himself. I've been so busy with Aang and Toph that I never noticed... Oh Agni, Sokka is hot! Tall, with that exotic complexion of his and muscles in all the right places... Wait, what? Brain, stop it! Hormones, shoo!

Cursing puberty under my breath, I force my feet to move and stomp over to the tree with my clothes. Normally, I would be reluctant to pull dry pants over damp underwear, but right now, I couldn't care less. I'm so embarrassed! I hope nobody saw that. Me, taking a liking to a snow savage's physique! I would never be able to live it down if anyone found out!

Thankfully, the moment is over soon enough. I spot Katara using a comb and jump at the chance to redo my braid. It has loosened considerably and already started to resemble a boarcupine.

The comb is of a light blue color, Water Tribe style. I never would have guessed that the water folks actually use combs. It bespeaks an understanding of hygiene I was taught to be non-existent at the poles.

I wonder what else of the things I believe to know about the other nations has been distorted. What I believe to know about my own nation has been distorted. Am I lucky that the truth is slowly revealing itself to me? Would it have been better for me to spend the rest of my life in ignorance and grow into a loyal Fire Nation citizen? Does it matter?

I return the comb to Katara. I feel numb and at loss, deeply at loss. I love my country. I love being Fire Nation, the power, the pride. While I never really felt like I belong, it's still my home. My people.

Am I loving a lie?

"Are you okay?" Katara asks. My discomfort must be showing, but I can't get myself to give a flaming fig.

I turn away and shake my head. "I just don't know what's right or wrong anymore..."

A hand is placed on my shoulder. "That's okay. You'll find out."

"You don't understand," I mumble and sweep the hand away, ordering myself to face Katara again. Doesn't work. My eyes prefer the river. "All my life, I've been taught that the other nations are somehow inferior, especially the Water Tribes. I always had that vague idea of an unkempt savage dressed in greasy furs, hunting seals with a spear made from bones, and eating raw meat and communicating in grunts rather than language." I laugh bitterly. "Can you believe it? And it doesn't stop there. I was taught that the Air Nomad genocide was justified. I was taught that the Air Nomads were so weak that it was offensive. I was taught they were so backward they'd pull humankind into the Dark Ages if let loose. I was taught to hate them." I was taught to hate myself, I want to add, but that's beside the point and I'm coming off whiny enough as it is. "The only nation which came off lightly is the Earth Kingdom. Stubborn, steadfast, human. But dirty. Toph pretty much embodies the stereotype. But the rest of you? Look at you guys. You're civilized. You're smart enough to hide an Avatar and a flying fluff monster in the middle of the Fire Nation. I mean, Sokka's machete is not from steel, and I'm pretty sure the same goes for his club. But they work anyway. It's not bad to make do with what you've got, you seem to be very creative folks to me. And Aang... he's so strong, actually. He's the Avatar, sure, but beyond that... He's lost his people. He was ripped from his peaceful life and thrown into a war-torn world. He's carrying so much hurt, and yet he enjoys life. Me, on the other hand, I haven't lost anyone I care about. I'm lucky. I live in the nation I was taught to be superior to all. I should be proud and confident." I sigh. My shoulders slump, I lower my gaze to the ground, feeling very uncomfortable after my rant. "I can't even look at the people I'm talking to. I'm Fire Nation, and yet I'm the weakest of us all. My whole world is shattered and I have no idea what to do with the shards."

"Rebuild," Katara suggests gently, taking my hands. Surprisingly, I don't feel the urge to pull back. "Come on, look at me," she sorta orders. I don't really feel like complying, but I do it anyway. Katara smiles mildly, understanding in her eyes. No senseless pity. Understanding.

"I'd be happy to tell you about the Water Tribes," she continues. "Sokka is a bit paranoid, but you can ask him, too. Toph might be a bit of a problem, but don't be afraid to try. And as you have noticed already, Aang shares his knowledge with great zeal."

A smile tugs at my lips when I remember the look on the kid's face after Toph remarked on his babbling. It doesn't break through, and before I know it, I find myself staring at my shoes again.

"What if I listen to you and... turn around? I don't want to think about it, but technically, we're enemies. You don't have good things to say about my home." I squeeze Katara's hands, maybe a bit too tightly. "What if I end up hating the Fire Nation? I'm scared of the possibility. My life would never be the same again."

They poison the love we feel for our country. Mum, you've been so right.

"Kamina, I'm sorry to say this, but..."

"It's too late, anyway," I finish her sentence. This time, I do pull back. "I've already seen too much. I can't go back to where I was."

I should be upset, but I'm not. It all seems so unreal, like a dream. Like I can flip a switch and everything would revert back to normal.

"No Kamina, listen to me." Katara's voice is still soothing, though a frantic undertone has ratweaseled itself into it. "When I talked about Aang's knowledge, I meant his love for the Fire Nation, too."

I falter at that. "What? Why would Aang...?" I can't even finish the question. It sounds ridiculous!

"Aang was born before the war," Katara explains. "He used to have friends in the Fire Nation. And the way he talks about his experiences leaves no doubts about it. I'm sure he'd love to tell you everything he remembers."

That somehow makes it all the more tragic. For Aang, I mean. But it seems there is still some hope left for me.

"Thank you, Katara. And I'm sorry I made you listen to Fire Nation propaganda."

I trip over my own words once I realize what I just said. Propaganda? Is that what it boils down to?

"It's okay," Katara promptly snaps me out of it. "I'm happy to help."

Her smile gets the best of me and I find myself hugging the Water Tribe girl briefly, but infinitely grateful. How comes she always knows what to say?

"You're the best!"

She smiles, silently accepting the compliment. Maybe I'm going a bit overemotional here, but I haven't had a friend in a long, long while. It just feels so refreshing!

"Come on!" Katara points over her shoulder to Appa. "Let's get going."

I keep forgetting things I want to say...

So, last chapter... I don't know how you guys felt about Kami being able to stay underwater for 12 minutes (and Aang even longer), and I wanted to ask. I researched the world record on holding your breath, and I found out about that one diver guy who can stay underwater for 22 minutes. I also found out that you can hold your breath longer when underwater, because reflexes.

Right, and there is something about this one as well... Right, Kami's attraction to Sokka! It's more of a meta thing, kudos for those who noticed. It's not a romantic subplot, at least not one I plan. (Sorry, romance lovers! ... Okay, that pun I didn't intend.) It's a jab at the fact that Sokka gets them all. Yue, Suki, Toph, Ty Lee... Must be a Water Tribe thing.

And Agni and the turtle whiskers, yup. Agni is Sanskrit for fire and a fire deity in Hinduism. In fanon, he's the guardian spirit of the Fire Nation, much like Tui and La in canon are for the Water Tribe. He's seen so often in fanfiction that some fans actually believe the guy to be canon, I noticed, which is mostly why I wanted to go with "High Dragons" for this story. However, I noticed it sounds awkward at times, because it's quite long. I came to appreciate Agni. I decided to use both, depending on which one sounds better.
Turtle whiskers is nothing remarkable, actually. I wanted something to parallel Aang's favorite obscenity, "monkey feathers", though I keep wondering if it's something unique to Master Glow It Up. No one else swears in that fashion. Actually, I can't remember even one instance when someone apart from Aang swears at all.

So, I think that was it for now. Peace out, and don't run with your spears!