So, I spent the last two days without Internet connection, and in a writing frenzy, too. So I'll answer the reviews later.

It's pandemonium.

Aang savvies quickly enough that the earthbender guy is not my friend and engages him in a fight, once they start earthbending however, things get out of hand even quicker.

Katara is instantly by my side and asks for my worst injuries. I just point at my neck and a moment later, I'm wearing a glowing water scarf. I recognize the sensation, it's the same as back when I crash-landed on Appa's saddle.

"What happened?" she wants to know, eyes darting around, apparently trying to make sense of the scene.

"I'll explain later. Just take out the adults and get those kids the flubbering turtleduck out of here!"

"Those people are Earth Kingdom."

"They're slavers, Katara!" I insist, getting more and more upset. "Here to kidnap innocent children and probably ship them off to their homeland to be sold to rich nobles!" Apropos... I almost forgot in all that chaos. "That reminds me... They actually just took a group of little girls, which is why I took things into my own hands in the first place." I jump to my feet. "We have to save them!"

She doesn't seem to like the idea. Her worried gaze travels across the cave. I don't really know what to make of it.

"Please, Katara!" I beg. "I promised that girl I'll bring her back to her mum. I need your help!"

She looks unsure for another moment, then her gaze hardens and she nods with steely determination. "Let's do it."

Once again filled to the brim with energy, I look around to call onto someone and tell them we're off, only to realize that the fight is already over. Swordwoman and registry-guy are encased in earth, while earthbender guy lies on the ground, a very smug Sokka standing above him and smacking his club onto his palm.

"Well..." I comment flatly. "That was too easy."

I'm once again reminded how decidedly unamazing I actually am, compared to these guys. Even Sokka is a better warrior than me. At least he knows how to use the weapons he has. I was born to weaponize the very air everyone's breathing, and I have no idea.

The air everyone's breathing...

That thought carries some really gruesome implications. How did the Fire Nation manage to wipe out the Air Nomads again?

I shake these thoughts off and walk over to Judai. I think I've never seen a group more deserving of the title dumbstruck than the ex-slave kids. I give the nearest kid a gentle nudge into the direction of the exit. "Go on! Go see the sun. It's okay."

The kid gives a puffy-eyed nod and dashes off. I smile after him. Some of the other kids follow, and their joy is overwhelming. They're hopping around, climbing up the trees or simply lying down. Fire Nation people have a special connection to the sun, even those who can't firebend.

"Kami?" Judai grabs my attention. "Are those guys with you?" He indicates the rest of my group with his head.

I chuckle. "More like the other way round, but basically yes."

"Kamina!" I hear Aang call and watch him sweep across the cave. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Kuzon," I half laugh, half grumble. A part of me feels slighted by the worry implying that I can't take care of myself, but I'm mostly grateful.

"Kuzon?" Judai repeats, obviously trying his hardest to suppress a snort. The attempt fails. "I'm sorry. My great-grandfather was called Kuzon."

"He was?" Aang goes for the double take, piquing my interest. I wonder just what exactly he associates with the name. The most logical conclusion would be a friend from back in the peaceful days. Argh, my head smokes trying to comprehend that the kid in front of my nose is supposed to be a century old!

I put a hand on Aang's shoulder, giving it a subtle squeeze. "It was a common name during Firelord Sozin's reign. These days, it sounds a bit... out of place." I hope he gets what I'm saying: If you're searching for a certain Kuzon, the chances that he's Judai's great-grandfather of all people are very slim.

"Yeah," Judai confirms my explanation. "It's a bit hard to connect to a kid like you. You're colonials, aren't you?"

"I'm not, but that's about it," I respond, sighing. "That's also why I didn't tell you that there's a bunch of powerful benders about to bust the whole place. I wasn't sure how you'd take it that I'm associating with colonials."

"Well... Now I know where you got your confidence from." Judai shakes his head. "But, honestly, I'm beyond caring by now." He raises his arms and makes a show of tugging at the chain shackling his wrists together. "I would have put up with a southern snow savage to get out of that Agni-forsaken cage."

A very pointed cough announces Sokka, accompanied by Toph and Katara. Aang pulls a face, while I feel an overwhelming need to crawl under the nearest stone. Oh Agni, Judai!

But the Water Tribe siblings take the insult mostly in stride. "Care to inform us what this is all about?" Sokka asks with only a teeny tiny hint of a sneer in his voice. "Everything I gathered so far is something about slave trade."

I heave a deep breath. I need to keep my priorities straight. And first priority is to get into everyone's brains that they can't call each other by their actual names. I'd trust Judai with my life (wow, that sounds much more significant than it is), but not with everybody else's. Anyone call Aang by his obviously Air Nomad name and we're in trouble. "That's right, slave traders. But all in its proper time. So, may I introduce? Judai, these are my friends Sora, Kari and Toki. And Kuzon of course. Everyone, this is Judai, one of my fellow ex-slaves. He knows more about the whole thing than me, so ask him."

"What?!" Judai sputters. "That wasn't the deal!"

"Yeah, sorry, but Kari and me got a ship to chase, or at least I think so." I look from Katara, who seems worried, to Sokka, who has his arms crossed in dissatisfaction, and then at Aang, who looks skeptic. "You guys didn't happen to see a river around?" Turtle whiskers, I should have paid attention myself...

"There is a fjord about a mile west from here," Judai offers pensively. Point taken, he's a local. "It goes right to the sea. I think Kami is right, the girls must be down there. But I doubt you can catch up to them."

I share a look with Katara, and I see my own determination reflected in her eyes.

"We'll make it," she assures and Judai shrugs.

There is a sound coming from Toph. She's smacking her palm with her fist. "Sweet. Then Twinkletoes and me will free the rest."

Huh? "What rest?"

"That would be the firebenders!" Judai explains, sounding slightly agitated. "They're kept in sealed stone chambers, so they can't melt themselves out."

"That actually makes sense," I ponder aloud. Good thing we have earthbenders, whipping out the excavation tools wouldn't have been too ideal.

Sokka presses a hand to his face, not happy with the notion. "Firebenders... I didn't sign up for this," he mutters, before he becomes more business-like. "Alright, Toki and Kuzon can go pick up the firebenders, and Kamina and Kari can go ship hunting. I'll stay here and keep an eye on these guys." He points a thump over his shoulder at the slavers. "And when this is over, I expect a detailed explanation!" he adds with a pointed look at me.

"Aye aye, Captain Sora!" I jest and give a mock salute, before I steel myself and look over the group one last time, drinking in the determined expressions of my companions. I didn't ask to get mixed up in this, but now that it happened, I wouldn't want to face it with anyone else.

But before I turn around, my gaze catches at Judai's shackles. That reminds me... "Toki, a few of the teens are cuffed. Do you think you can do something about it?"

"No problem, Fireflake!" Toph grins and cracks her joints. "Get them here and watch in awe."

"Hm." I'm curious. Metalbending is supposed to be impossible. If anyone can do it, I want to see it with my own eyes.

Judai, who has no idea what's coming to him, wears a guarded expression when he reaches out to give Toph his wrists. The Earth Kingdom girl feels the metal for a moment, smirks ("Too easy!") and claws the first ring apart. Then the other. I grin like an idiot, Judai stares in disbelief. A moment later, he relaxes and throws up his hands.

"Alright, I get it, I'm done. I'll send in the others and then just... go find a mango tree."

I snicker. My father would have said "I'll go find a drink!"

I guess there is only so much weirdness a guy can take.

"Very nice, Toki." I give Toph a thumbs-up until I remember she can't see it. "Alright, let's get going then."

"Good luck!" Aang wishes.

"You, too," Katara takes the words right out of my mouth, then we split up. I dodge the kids resting or playing in front of the cave entrance, then let Katara take the lead. Neither of us speaks on the way down the mountain. Now that we made sure everyone is doing what they can to help, playtime is over. We only break our run when we reach the fjord and are forced to search for a path down. Which we follow until we're near enough to the water for Katara to draw it up and create a slide from ice, directly into the river.

Only then do I start to have second thoughts. I mean, I trust Katara to make her slide waterbender-proof, but how about idiot-proof?

"Uhm, Katara? Are you sure this is safe?"

She smiles encouragingly and reaches out. "Trust me."

I take a deep breath and grip the offered hand.

"Ready?" Katara asks and I nod, gulping hard. I have to do this.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

I close my eyes and down we go. It feels like I'm falling rapidly and my stomach doesn't quite keep up. The drop probably lasts about three seconds, but it seems like ages – way too long. Then there is a curve, and another one before we finally come to a stop. I carefully blink my eyes open. We're standing on a floe, and the slide and the curves are gone, like a bad dream. But I still feel the aftermath in my trembling legs and my queasy stomach.

"Do you need a break?" Katara asks worriedly. I'm tempted to say yes, but I shake my head instead.

"No, I'm fine. Go on."

I look the river up and down. No ship in sight, but there is a turn downstream blocking out the waterway. Katara drives us around the bend and...

"There!" I call excitedly, the rough ride forgotten. "That's definitely not a Fire Nation ship!" It's too small, and wooden.

Katara's eyes narrow and she steps it up a notch. We're spotted after a couple feet, but it's too late. I get treated to a feat of awesomeness on Katara's part when she bends us onto the deck together with a huge wave, freezing everything that moves.

I'm stunned for a moment, then let out a cheer. "Katara, you rule!"

But the Water Tribe girl remains all business. "Let's find the children."

"How about asking nicely?"

I recognized one of the crew members as skinny-sword-guy, the one who picked me up together with earthbender guy. He seems to recognize me, too.

"You!" he spits, but he doesn't seem too threatening anymore, being stuck up to the neck in ice.

"Yup, me," I retort grimly. "Sorry to break it to you, but you picked the wrong girl to mess with. And now you're going to tell me where the girls are!"

"Why don't you ask your friend?" skinny-sword-guy sneers and I turn around to Katara, who uses her waterbending to rip the planks off the deck.

"Kamina!" she calls. "I found them!"

"Seems to me that you still have a lot to learn, fire brat."

I grit my teeth and stomp off, silently chafing at my uselessness. Katara doesn't even need me. She could have pulled off the whole rescue all on her own.

But my mood lifts the very moment I join her and find the girls sitting down there.

"Kamina!" one of them even cries out and I recognize the little girl from my cell. I smile.

"Hang on, kids! We'll get you out of there! Katara, can you bend a stai...?" And a staircase appears. "Way ahead of me, I see. Thanks."

"My pleasure," she replies, almost sounding sardonic. I wonder if she takes the whole thing personal on some level. I don't think she's usually like this.

But I don't ask. A woman's past is her business. I half step, half slide down the stairs. "Okay girls, everyone out! Is someone hurt?"

"Rika can't walk," my little protegee reports and points at a girl who sits a bit awkwardly. She seems to favor her right foot. I walk over to her and pick her up. She whimpers and starts to cry. Oh Agni, no! Not again!

"Sh, it's okay!" I attempt a soothing voice, but the girl keeps crying. I rush up the stairs and basically scream for Katara.

"What is it?!" the waterbender reacts accordingly. As answer, I shove the crying kid into her arms. "Her right foot is injured. You take care of it, right?"

She nods perplexedly and I flee below deck again to support the other children. They're so young, and they don't look good. I have to make sure that everyone's okay. And this is just the beginning.

How do we get them all back up the mountain?

So, I got a guest review saying that said guest ships Kami and Judai now. My first thought: Yeah, me too! ^-^
Dang it! Ships are monsters. I CREATED A MONSTER! AND IT SWALLOWED ME WHOLE! XO
Alright, just kidding. Ships are only monsters if consumed in overdoses. I'll see where I take it from here, shipping shouldn't get in the way of a good story. (Keep in mind that Kami hasn't even seen the guy in sunlight yet. She doesn't even know his freaking eye color!)
But let's not spoil the fun just yet. Someone else who's already shipping those two? ^-^

Else... I'm surprised how many feedback I suddenly got. Still. I prefer writing slice of life, looking at character interaction, explore relationships... casual stuff. I think I'm better at that than action. But it looks like some action actually doesn't hurt, and the Avatarverse offers the possibilities.
So yeah... I'm not going to reply to every single review, only the longer ones. But I still appreciate the support. Thanks a lot, guys and gals! I have a lot of fun writing those chapters, and now I see that you like them so much, I'll be sure to write some more! Again, thank you so much!

Yeah, I think that's it for now. Peace out! See you in the next chapter (I hope)!