Notes: There is a lot of different AU stories out there about Avatar. A lot of them are Modern Day AU's but I have also seen ones where Zuko and Aang swap roles or some, inspired by "Distorted Reality" no doubt, that are set in a world where the Water Tribe started the war. But I have never seen one where Zuko and Azula's roles were swapped (I have seen fanart but never a fanfic, if you know one please tell me). So here is my go at it.
A few things to start with; i have aged up the Characters quite significantly. At the start of the story/at their time of introduction Aang is 16; Katara, Mai and Azula are 17; Ty Lee, Sokka and Suki are 18 and Zuko is 20. Toph is Aged-up the least at only 14. As such, in some cases their personality can be somewhat different. This affects Aang especially. He is still carefree and fun-loving but he is less childish and naive so please don't be confused when he acts OOC, it's deliberate.
I also changed the timeline of the war a slight bit since the canon timeline doesn't make any sense. I basically just inserted two new, Fire Lords between Sozin and Azulon which doesn't really change anything except for the fact that I used it as an excuse to create a bit more political intrigue in the Fire Nations military structure (I.E. there is branch families of the royal family that have some power and the Fire Lords position isn't as unrealistically absolute and unquestioned as it is in the show).
As of writing this I am currently in Tokyo for another three weeks so I won't really be able to write much but after I get home I will try to write at least one chapter per month but i can't promise anything. I have already finished the chapter outlines for most of book 1 (only the north pole chapters are missing) and i have a rough outline and some scenes for the rest so unless I fall into a depression again i should be good to hit that target. However, I may take off a month or two after finishing book 1 and 2 in order to write the chapter outlines for books 2 and 3.
I haven't seriously written any type of fiction in almost a decade so feedback, both positive and negative, is of course welcome. My only request is that any criticisms are kept concrete and actionable so that I can implement it better in the future.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
P.S.: I am very bad at coming up with Tags so some help with those would be nice. For example, should i put the tags of character in already, even if they haven't appeared yet in the story?
He had sat in silence for most of the feast, simply listening in on the various discussions going on around the table with the crackling of fire from his father's throne as background noise. At best he had exchanged pleasantries with some of the generals who were in attendance. His uncle was the only person who he had actually held a conversation with, but it hadn't taken long for someone to whisk Iroh away to ask for his opinion on one matter or another. In spite of the great failure that caused Iroh his throne, the old general's experience and overall impressive military career still meant that his judgement carried a great deal of weight. So Zuko had simply tried to enjoy the various assortments of exotic dishes from the colonies that had been prepared, mostly local Earth Kingdom delicacies which had been adjusted to appeal to the more refined palate of the Fire Nation. The ingredients had been so graciously provided by Admiral Zhao from some of his new conquests in the Samhan peninsula.
His father too had watched on without a word. The Fire Lord sat upon his elevated Thorne, surrounded by flames meant to obscure the divine sovereign from unworthy eyes, only leaving his silhouette visible, and was completely still. Even during the feast, he hadn't so much as moved a muscle, much less eaten. Behind the fire it was hard to tell if he was even still breathing.
The War Meeting itself was much the same. Iroh had warned him. 'Don't speak out, especially not to criticize one of the generals.' He shouldn't have bothered. There was hardly anything Zuko could have commented on anyway. The majority of generals and admirals had only given Status reports on current operations to War Minister Qin, an old man from a prominent, and more importantly loyal, family. At most they requested minor reinforcements. On one hand Zuko knew this was good news. It meant that the war was proceeding smoothly and that the Fire Nation was making steady progress in spreading its prosperity to the rest of the World. On the other hand, it also made the entire meeting into an incredibly dull affair. Still, as crown prince it was his duty to be assiduous, so he did his best to learn as much as possible, so he listened and continued taking notes.
"Omashu continues to be a thorn in our side, disrupting out supply lines and impeding out progress in the south." Zuko looked up from his writing.
General Bujing had risen from his seat and moved closer to the large Earth Kingdom map which had been set up on the table. He was an older man with a long mustache and chin beard hanging from his face. In his long career he had made a name for himself with a fairly impressive track record resting on his intensely aggressive and straight forward tactics and he was also one of the most experienced officers in the room. However, out of the 9 Admirals and Generals that headed the Fire Nation's military apparatus he belonged to the 5 who were descendant from Fire Lord Sozin and his position was, at least functionally, hereditary. As such, he had only officially been appointed very recently, upon his father's passing, and was given command of military operations in the area around Omashu in the hopes that his tenacity would finally bring the city to heel.
"It has become apparent that we will not be able to achieve any progress in the south until we have dealt with them." The general gestured at a location on the map some distance north of the city. A mountainous region separating the hinterland of Omashu from the coast. "That is why I propose taking Hulao Pass. This would allow us to push further into the interior and cut most of their supply lines. We would also achieve a position where we can threaten them from multiple sides. To this end I recommend the newly trained 41st division."
Iroh coughed. Bujing had been one of the generals asking his uncle for advice, but he had apparently promptly disregarded it.
"The 41st?" War Minister Qin's eyes widened at the suggestion. "The pass is guarded by a fort and 6000 of Omashu's most elite troops. How do you expect to break through such a heavily fortified position with a bunch of green boys?"
A sneer appeared on Bujing's lips making the hair on Zuko's neck stand straight. "I don't" Bujing said looking around the room. "I will have them encamp on this small hill in view of the fort." Bujing produced a stick, indication the area he was referring to on the map. "One of my own Earthbenders will "defect" and give the defenders information about the weakness of the army and urge them to attack and destroy the camp before I send more experienced soldiers to reinforce them. At the same time, I will wait with a smaller veteran detachment form the 7th in the forest west and south of the hill. When they attack, I will lead them around hidden by the trees and crush them from the rear."
"An ambush?" War Minister Qin stroked his chin beard. "It sounds feasible at least. Are you certain that they will fall for the trap?"
"Of course, I am." War minister Qin smiled. "Those Earth Kingdom soldiers are very straight forward in their thinking. Seeing a weak and inexperienced army trying to entrench themselves combined with the threat of more dangerous reinforcements? They will not be able to risk letting us get into a position where we can threaten them."
Zuko's heart sank. Hulao Pass was one of the Earth Kingdom's most important defensive structures. The garrison was strong and experienced. Even if the 41st managed to build halfway decent fortifications in such a short time, it would take hours to lead the veterans through the forest unnoticed. Casualties among the young soldiers were sure to rise nauseatingly high in that time.
"Very well," Minister Qin said. "I will assign the 41st to your command."
"What?" Zuko jumped to his feet. "You can't sacrifice an entire division like that." For what felt like seconds the only sound in the room was the crackling of fire. All eyes in the room were trained on him, most in anger, some in shock and his uncles in concern.
"Insolence." Bujing finally said after what felt like minutes. "I have served this army for decades and won many great victories. Are you doubting my judgement?" He slammed his fist on the table.
Zuko took a wobbly step back. "I mean you no disrespect general." A lump formed in his throat and sweat started to build on his forehead. "I was simply trying keep the Fire Nations best interest in mind"
The generals' nostrils flared. "First you accuse me of incompetence and now of treason?" His voice echoed through the throne room. "You have injured my honor enough. I demand an Agni Kai."
"Silence!" The flames of his father's throne roared as the Fire Lord rose, moving for the first time of the entire meeting. "Prince Zuko," he said, "Speaking against one of my generals, especially one appointed by my own hand, is speaking against me. Explain yourself but choose your words carefully. If your argument is not satisfactory your punishment will be severe."
Zuko's eyes widened. For a moment his tongue was tied. Ozai had given him an unexpected chance to get out of this predicament. He just had to figure out how, and an appeal to compassion and empathy would not lead to a desired outcome. He did have one idea.
"With all due respect General Bujing, The Hulao Pass garrison consists of some of the strongest warriors of the entire Earth Kingdom. Even with numerical superiority and an encampment, there is no guarantee that the 41st will be able to hold against such an enemy long enough for you to circle around them unseen. If they break before you are in position, you will find yourself trapped between the fort and its garrison with no easy escape route. Your entire force would be completely annihilated."
He could see the silhouette of his father lean forward, as if deep in thought. "You make a good point Prince Zuko. However, the general is correct in his assessment that taking control of the pass is of paramount importance and his plan, while holding some risk, shows enough promise to be worth the potential reward. If you are so willing to speak out and risk offending not just the General but also me personally you must have an idea that would lessen the potential damage our forces could take."
Zuko smiled. It was finally his time to prove himself to his father.
Icy wind howled around him. Raindrops and hail pricked at his face like needles, his skin burning from freezing wet robes sticking to his body. Aang clutched his mount's wet, hempen reins with stiff fingers. They were purple now and he had lost almost all feeling in them.
His lips tasted of salt from water that splashed against his face whenever Appa would momentarily dip low enough to touch the churning ocean.
"Hang in there, Buddy. We need to find shelter. Once we get out of this, I promise I'll buy you all the melons you want." An exhausted grunt was his friend's only response. Aang felt it more than he heard it over the rain and thunder. The Bison had been flying through the Storm for hours now and was steadily approaching his limits.
'Where are we?' He didn't remember what direction he was going or how long they had been in the air. He tried to scan the horizon, looking for any sort of Landmark. The salty wind stung in his eyes, forcing him to squint and the curtain of rain made it difficult to see anything past Appa's head. A gray smudge formed in the distance. Jagged edges rising out of the water. Land. Aang tugged on the reins and Appa turned toward the direction of salvation.
BOOM! Appa bucked as lightning struck only a few feet away. Aang was flung into the air. The hemp of the reins bit into his palms as he tried to hold on. His left hand slipped. He started to lose strength in his right. He bent a current of air to push himself back onto the bison. A wave rose before him. Aang tugged at the reins. Too late. He tried to take a deep breath. Freezing water filled his nostrils and mouth. He was knocked back by the force; the hemp rope was ripped from his fingers. He tried to grab for it, his fingers falling short as he sank.
The deck was empty, aside from her. Everything was silent, almost eerily so. Only the faint humming of the engine block beneath her feet gave any indication of human activity on board. She stood at the bow overlooking vast fields of ice tinted golden by the rising sun. The ocean was calm, disturbed only by the ship carving its path through the water.
The frigid antarctic morning air caressed her like death's hand itself. She clenched her teeth and balled her trembling hands into fists as goosebumps formed on her skin. She wouldn't shiver. She wouldn't show weakness. Never weakness. She was a genius. A prodigy. Her father's favorite and she would prove it again. She would prove that she was better than her fool brother. Her hand rose to the twisted white scar that marred her otherwise perfect face.
The clanging of iron soled shoes falling on the metallic deck rang out behind her. "I have brought you tea, Princess Azula" the fat man came to a stop next to her and offered her a small cup "You should drink. It will help your body stay warm." Steam rose from it and a pleasant fragrance filled her nostrils.
Her hand twitched, longing for the heat emanating from the drink. "I don't need your vile leaf juice uncle." She didn't turn to the man as she spoke in an even, measured tone. "What I need, is to capture the Avatar and bring him to father. I will prove my superiority over my brother."
Iroh shook his head with a frown. "You don't need to find anything. I am sure your father would be happy to have you back." Azula sneered at his gentle tone. Iroh sighed. "Four generations of Fire Lords have tried and failed to capture the Avatar and your grandfather gave up the search as pointless. We haven't found a single clue or rumor as to the Avatar's whereabouts in the Fire Nations territories in the Earth Kingdom and you won't find anything here either."
Azula turned her head with a glare. "It has been almost a century since the start of the war so even if the Avatar managed to escape Fire Lord Sozin, he would probably have died by now. The next Element in the cycle is Water so if there is a place where the Avatar could be, it would be one of the Water Tribes."
"And if he is at the North Pole?"
"Then I will deliver father the Avatar and the Northern Water Tribe with him."
Suddenly, the air started to tremble, waves lashing at the side of the ship. In the distance, a beacon of light burst into the sky, punching holes into the clouds.
"I've found him." Her hand traced the twisted white scar on her cheek as it started to tingle. "Helmsman, set course for the light. Full steam."
"It is just a celestial light, Princess Azula. We have been down this road before" Azula turned a sharp gaze at her uncle. Iroh nodded with a sigh and the ship lurched forward.
He groaned. His body was sore all over and the hard ground he was lying on only made it worse. Freezing cold air touched his skin so he bent a current around himself to keep warm.
With another pained sigh he propped himself up on his forearm and opened his eyes. The glare of the sun forced him to squint.
As he adjusted to the light, he found a very pretty girl staring at him. She looked to be around his age, perhaps slightly older with large, blue eyes, dark skin, full lips twisted in a slight, worried frown and a small flat nose. Two thin strands of dark brown hair stuck out of the fur-lined hood of her thick, blue parka and a necklace with a blue pendant hung around her neck. Behind her stood another person. A handsome boy, slightly older than the girl, with similar features and a defined jawline. Likely her older brother. His hood was down, his hair shaved at the sides and longer on top, pulled back into a short wolf's tail which Aang knew was common among the water tribes. The boy scowled at Aang, a spear gripped tightly in his gloved hand and keeping a distance away.
"Are you alright?", the girl asked.
"I'm fine, thank you" still a bit dazed he tried to show her his brightest smile and sat up fully, "Just a bit sore". Aang looked around, trying to orient himself. There was nothing but ice floes in every direction, reaching far into the horizon, slowly drifting across the calm sea. He scratched his head. "What happened? I'm assuming that I am somewhere near the south pole, it is rather cold after all, but where is this exactly?"
"You were trapped in that iceberg, so I broke it open. We …"
The boy interrupted her. "Don't answer him Katara." He moved in between Aang and the girl, his bone-tipped spear pointed at Aang's chest. "That beam of light … What if he's a Fire Nation spy. He must have used it to signal reinforcements."
Ignoring the boy, Aang propelled himself to his feet with a small blast of air, pushed the spear aside and walked up to the girl. Now that he was in front of her, he could see how short she was, only reaching to around his chin while the boy was only slightly shorter than him.
"So, your name is Katara". The boy with the spear had been about to yell but he bit his tongue. "You have a very nice name. It suits you. I'm Aang, by the way. It's very nice to meet you". Aang put his fists together and bowed slightly. "And thanks for saving me."
"It's no problem." Katara smiled and bowed back. "It's nice to meet you too. The paranoid one is my brother Sokka, but you can just ignore him."
"Hey, don't reveal my name like that. What if he's a spy?"
"But you gave him my name too." Sokka shut his mouth and Aang chuckled. "Besides, see how polite he is. Could a Fire Nation spy put on such a friendly smile this convincingly?" Aang showed Sokka his toothiest grin. Katara shook her head. "I'm really sorry about him. He takes his role as the 'villages sole protector' far too seriously sometimes."
"Oh, I don't mind." Aang said. "I'm sure he's just doing it because he wants to keep you safe." The part about Sokka being the villages 'sole protector' surprised him, but he figured he'd find out later. "I've read about the south pole a lot, but I've never actually had the chance to visit. There's something I've always wanted to try". Aang grinned "Do you want to go penguin sledding with me? I'd just have to find my friend first, though." Aang took another glace around.
Sokka grabbed Aang by the shoulder and turned him around. "Fat chance I'm going to let you go ..." A low grunt interrupted Sokka in his rant.
"Appa!" Aang jumped up the ice-wall behind Sokka and slid down the slope on the other side before jumping onto his Bison's head, laughing and nuzzling his face into his friend's soft fur. "There you are buddy. I'm glad you're okay." Appa shook Aang off his head and licked the entire side of Aang's body.
He heard a high-pitched yelp behind him and hurried footfalls crunching on the snow-covered ice. Aang turned to see Katara standing at a hole in the ice-wall, jaw dropped and eyes wide as Sokka rushed towards him. "What kind of a monster is this" Sokka yelled and leveled the spear towards Aang again. "Who or what are you? You just jumped over a 10-foot-tall ice-wall like it was nothing and you have brought this giant beast near our village. Explain yourself and do it quickly."
"10 feet, really? It felt higher than that." Aang glared at Sokka with an exaggerated frown. "And don't call Appa a monster. He's one of the gentlest creatures you'll ever meet. You should see the mischief some of the other bison get up to back at the temple" Aang laughed, and Appa snorted in agreement.
Sokka took another step towards Aang and scowled. "Drop your jokes and answer."
Aang backed up and raised his hands. "Woah there Sokka. Be careful with that spear before you hurt yourself with it". Aang laughed, trying to defuse the situation slightly but Sokka just scowled at him and took another step forward. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry." Aang sighed. "I'm just an Airbender and Appa is my Flying Bison. I'm from the Southern Air Temple. But, you should have figured that out when you saw me jump over the wall."
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Sokka's scowl only deepened, and he fully closed in on Aang, the boney tip of his weapon only inches away from stabbing between Aang's ribs. "Airbender? Flying Bison? Did you really think I'd fall for such blatant lies?"
"Stop it Sokka!" Katara, who had managed to pull herself out of her shock, pushed Sokka's spear to the side and put herself between Aang and Sokka. "You saw it yourself, didn't you? He effortlessly jumped that ice-wall without any help. He might actually be an Airbender." Sokka gave a dissatisfied grumble and Katara rolled her eyes. "Look, just give him a chance to prove it. And if he can't, then you can still take him prisoner or whatever, ok?"
Sokka nodded and they turned to Aang. "You want me to prove it?" Aang rummaged in his pockets "Now, where did I put them? Did I lose them in the Storm?" Sokka started tapping his foot.
"Ah, there they are. Found them." Aang pulled out three small glass marbles and showed them to the other two.
"Now, check this out" Aang folded his hands over the marbles and created a small vortex in the space between. As he opened his hand slightly the small glass sphere started spinning along the tiny invisible tornado that was dancing on his palm for a few seconds before he dropped his hands and caught the marbles out of the air. "Pretty neat, right?" He formed a ball of air with his hands and sat down on it.
"Sokka! He really is one" Katara grabbed Sokka by the shoulders. "You know how incredible this is! A real Airbender, right here in front of us!"
Aang dropped his Air-scooter and frowned. "What's so amazing about it?" Katara looked at him and Sokka managed to finally push her off himself. "I know that the southern Water Tribe is very remote and that Airnomads don't come here often but I've heard from a few monks that they would sometimes visit to go penguin sledding"
"What do you mean?" Katara knit her brow. "Nobody has seen an Airbender in almost 100 years. Most people think they are extinct.
"Extinct?"
A gust of wind picked up. "Katara, it's getting late. We should really be heading home right now."
Aang shook his head. This was an issue for later. He yawned and stretched his body. "If you want, I could give you a ride on Appa" The bison walked up beside Aang and snorted.
"Thanks, we'd love to" Katara smiled.
Aang grabbed her by the waist and jumped, carrying her into the saddle. "Do you also want a ride?" he asked, looking down at the boy who had his arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Yeah, no. There is no chance that I'm getting on that monster". Sokka turned towards the sea of ice floes and looked around as if searching.
"What are you going to do then? Walk home?" Katara released a cute little snort through her nose. "Or are you going to wait for some other kind of monster to come pick you up before you freeze to death? The boat got crushed by the ice, if you don't remember."
Sokka huffed and came back to Appa. Aang smiled and jumped down before bowing to Sokka, his arm extended as if asking for a dance. "May I?"
"Just get it over with" Sokka rolled his eyes.
Aang laughed and put his arm around Sokka's waist before lifting him into the Saddle as well. "Here you go, Sir." Aang climbed onto Appa's head and took the rains. "Now, please hold tight. Appa, yip-yip"
The bison took a few steps to gain momentum before leaping high into the air and then crashing right back down into the sea. Freezing cold water splashed into Aang's face and soaking his clothes which he dried with a blast of air shooting outward from his body.
"Wow" Sokka groaned. "How amazing. I can truly feel the wind, rushing through my hair"
"Sokka, don't be an ass"
"Oh, don't worry. Appa is probably just tired, on account of having apparently been trapped in an Iceberg for a while." Aang rolled his eyes. "Once he's had some rest he'll be soaring through the sky, won't you buddy?" He ruffled the bison's fur.
"Hey, Aang?"
Aang turned toward Katara who was leaning over the rim of the saddle. "What's the matter Katara? Do you need anything?"
"Oh, no. I'm fine. It's just …" Katara bit her lip and turned her head away. "Well, I just thought, with you being an Airbender and all … do you know what happened to the Avatar?"
Aang turned back facing forward. "No" he closed his eyes. "I've never met him. Sorry"
"Don't worry about it. I was just curious"
Aang could hear shuffling behind him as Katara moved away to sit back down. He opened his eyes again and sighed.
Aang opened the tiger-seal-leather flap of the tent and a gust of wind brushed against his face. The inside of the small tent was pleasantly warm, almost cozy, making the air outside feel all the more frigid by comparison so Aang bent the air around his body again before stepping into the sunlight.
It was already late in the morning. Aang could hear the shouts of a few small children playing somewhere and the women of the village were already going about their daily chores. Out, along the villages small, makeshift wall he could see Sokka struggling to teach some of the older boys of the village how to use weapons which put a small smile on his face. What was missing from the picture were the men. Sokka really was the only one in the village. He'd been surprised by it the day before, but he hadn't wanted to bring it up in case it was a touchy subject.
When they arrived late in the evening, Sokka and Katara, mostly Katara, had introduced him to the rest of the village, including Gran-Gran, who'd already prepared dinner and they invited him too. Most of the food contained some kind of meat so he just picked out the few things he could eat, which earned him a few confused stares from Sokka and Katara, and later ate some of the dried rations he had stored in Appa's saddle that were miraculously still edible.
"Good morning Aang. Did you sleep alright?" Katara said as she walked by the tent, carrying a basket filled with Oyster-crabs.
"Oh, yeah. The insides of your tents are surprisingly comfortable." Aang smiled at her. His eyes wandered towards the basket in her hands. "Do you need any help with your work?"
Katara shook her head. "You're probably still exhausted from being trapped in that iceberg, right? Don't worry about it and get some rest. And I'm also going to be finished with my work here really soon, so I'll be able to spend some time with you if you want. In the meantime, just explore the area a bit if you're bored." Katara smiled and winked at him. "If you're lucky I might even teach you how to catch a penguin later."
"I'll hold you to that" Aang smiled and watched her for a few seconds as she left to bring the crabs wherever they were needed. He sighed and decided to go for a walk.
Aang wandered out of the village to explore. It was situated on a small plain surrounded by hills to the south and the west and one side stretching out into the open sea. A path led up one of the taller hills. From the top he could see nothing but a vast, empty expanse of snow with some exposed rock and ice. The way the snow and ice shimmered in the sun was beautiful but the silence was rather sad and lonely.
A quiet squeak reached his ears and Aang perked up. Out of the corner of his eye he could see something move in the distance. The creatures were rather large, the biggest were only slightly shorter than Katara, with four flippers. They were waddling about in a group. Penguins.
A smile formed on his face. He moved slowly, silencing his footfalls with cushions of air as he tried to approach a penguin that had moved away from the main group. As Aang tried to grab it, the penguin hopped away, dropped onto its belly and slid back toward the rest.
"You'll never catch a penguin with those kinds of tactics." Aang turned around to find Katara standing behind him with a bemused smile on her lips.
Aang scratched his head with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I thought so too, but I figured it was worth a try."
Katara giggled. "I could show you how to catch one but perhaps I should let you suffer for a bit longer and make you figure it out for yourself. It does seem like it could be quite funny"
"Really? You would make me go through that for your own amusement?" Aang grabbed his chest with both hands and stumbled back a step.
Katara turned around and looked back at him with her nose high. "Well, maybe you can find a way to convince me to teach you"
Aang smiled at her and bowed deeply. "Please teach me the ways of Penguin Catching, Master Katara."
Katara released a melodious laugh and turned back to him. "Well, if you ask me this nicely, I can hardly say no." With a smile she reached into her pocket and pulled out a few small fish and she tossed one to Aang. "Now, watch and learn, pupil Aang."
Without hesitating, Katara walked right into the crowed of penguins. Some of them turned to her and stared. She approached one that was almost as tall as her and reached out a hand towards it, offering one of the fish. The creature happily took the fish in its mouth and swallowed it whole. It didn't move away as Katara started to pet it.
"These penguins, at least those that live near villages, are pretty used to humans and they'll let you come close as long as you give them something to eat in return" Katara said as she returned to Aang, the penguin following her. "They are very friendly. Some of the children like to play with them and use them for penguin sledding as well."
Aang looked at the crowd, searching out a particularly tall penguin. "Well, now it's my turn".
Aang followed Katara's example and soon enough he found himself with a Penguin as well. His was just a little taller than Katara, it's plumage slightly lighter than most of the other penguins.
"Then let's go sledding" Katara said and started walking, her penguin still following her. "I know a really good spot where I used to go with my parents and Sokka when I was small"
Katara led Aang up a fairly high hill a slight distance away from the village.
"Here we are" Katara said as they reached the top. On the other side of a hill was a long slope with only very few exposed rocks and other obstacles. There were already some grooves carved into the snow where some of the children from the village must have gone sledding and that hadn't snowed over fully yet.
Off to the side the hill became slightly steeper and Aang could see a few exposed ice structures. "Let's go down that way"
Katara looked at Aang with a slight frown, brows furrowed. "I've never gone down that path before. It seems dangerous." Katara looked down the slope. "Sokka used do go down that way when he was a kid and one time, he actually dislocated his shoulder"
"Come on Katara. This way looks a lot more fun than just a straight line down the hill" Aang put his penguin on its belly made to sit on its back. "And besides, I know how to reset a shoulder, so there is nothing to worry about. Landing can be quite rough when the younger kids start to learn how to fly with their gliders."
"Hey! Wait!" Katara yelled as Aang pushed off with his feet and started to slide down, rapidly gaining speed.
Aang steered into every jump he could take, laughing and it didn't take long for him to hear Katara's giggling behind him as well. Soon enough, she had overtaken him as he constantly veered from right to left to take as many obstacles as possible and as she passed him, she stuck out her tongue at him and smiled.
Aang shook his head with a smirk. He made a paddling motion with his arms, pushing himself off of the air. "Hey, no fair" he heard Katara laugh as he passed her spraying her with powdered snow that was whirled up in his wake.
"Hey, where are you going?" she yelled as Aang veered off to the right slightly, aiming for a round tunnel that had formed in a crevice in the ice.
Aang pushed himself of the air again to pick up more speed. The sun shone through the side of the tunnel making the inside shimmer in blue and white and his laughter echoed from the ice walls. He looped around once before he exited the tube.
With a thud Katara landed next to him, having used the top of the structure as a ramp. "I haven't had this much fun since I was a kid."
"Who said adults can't have fun too sometimes" Aang laughed
Gradually the slope became gentler and gentler until they reached a plain of ice covering the sea. A large metal ship loomed over the center, the bow raised into the air by large icebergs.
Aang came to a stop in front of the vessel and stepped of the penguin. The creature yapped at him, perhaps annoyed at his reckless sliding and waddled off. Aang nodded after it in thanks.
Katara came to a stop beside him, the joy having vanished from her face as if it had never been there to begin with.
"What is this thing?"
"It's a Fire Navy ship" Katara sighed. "Gran-Gran said that it was part of one of the first raids the Fire Nation stagged when the war spilled over onto the water tribes. It's been here since she was a young girl."
"What war? What are you talking about?" Aang turned to Katara. "I've traveled all over the world, including the Fire Nation and I've never seen or heard about any war. And yesterday you said that nobody has seen an Airbender in 100 years. It just doesn't make any sense."
"Aang. The Fire Nation has been at war with the world for a hundred years. They whipped out the Air Nomads, conquered large parts of the Earth Kingdom, took all the Water Benders from the south pole and they even …" Katara trailed off, her fingers brushing over the pendant on her necklace. "They even killed my mother"
Aang stumbled backwards for a few steps before slumping to the ground. "But that doesn't make any sense" he muttered, his hands on his face. "I just left for a bit on Appa to cool off my head and then we got into that storm and then …"
"Aang, how long were you in that Iceberg?"
Aang looked up at Katara. "I don't know, but it couldn't have been more than a few days, right? I would have died if I'd been in there for longer."
"I think you were in there for 100 years"
Aang shook his head, a tired chuckle escaping through his nose. "That's ridiculous. Do I look like I'm 116 years old to you"
"But it's the only thing that makes sense. The world has been at War for almost 100 years now and yet somehow you have never heard about any of it. It's the only explanation."
Katara looked at him. Her eyes were filled with kindness and empathy which Aang was grateful for. "Perhaps there is a good side to all this. Maybe you were meant to break out of the ice now."
"I did get to meet you"
Katara smiled at him. He tried to smile back. He tried not think about the implications.
They fell silent for a moment before Katara looked towards the sky and spoke. "It's getting late in the afternoon. We should head back to the village"
Aang rose to his feet, shook his head and started towards the ship. "I'm going inside and have a look around."
Katara grabbed his arm. "Aang, stop! We aren't allowed to go into that ship. It's dangerous and there might be booby-traps."
Aang tore his arm from her grasp and continued to walk. "You can go back or wait here if you want but I'm going in. I have to see for myself."
He climbed through a large hole that had been torn into the side of the ship by one of the icebergs. It led into a hallway. After a bit of hesitation Katara followed. The inside of the ship was dark, the only light streaming in from a few places where the hull had been ripped by ice. Many of the metal plates on the walls and the floor were rusted through and braking off. Aang started to walk down the hallway and Katara followed, their footfalls echoing through the empty structure making it sound as if dozens of people were behind them.
Further down the hall, there was a door that had been torn from its hinges. Aang glanced inside the room behind it. It was an arsenal. Hundreds of weapons, most of them spears, were scattered about. Black, tarry oil had crusted on the floor where it had leaked from broken barrels, and it smelled of rotten wood.
They continued down the hall and reached a flight of stairs that they climbed all the way to the top of the command tower.
As he stepped through the door leading to the bridge of the ship, he felt some resistance against his foot as something snapped. He could hear a loud whistling sound from outside and gate crashed down behind them sealing off the stairway.
Aang rushed towards a large opening in the ceiling. He looked outside and found a trail of thick, dark smoke rise into the sky and something explode in a flash of bright, red light.
"What happened Aang" Katara came running toward him.
"I think I tripped a wire and accidentally set of a flare" Aang scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Now I get what you meant by the ship being booby-trapped"
"Aang, we should go" Katara grabbed his arm. "Can you get us out of here"
"Sure, no problem." Aang picked up Katara, his arms around her back and the back of her knees. "Just hold on tight" he said as he propelled himself several feet into the air and out of the hole in the ceiling.
Azula took a deep breath, her eyes closed. The salty, arctic air stung in her nostrils. She could feel the energy in her index and middle finger build. When her fingertips started to tingle, she opened her eyes and moved her arms in wide, fluid, circular arcs to guide the energy and keep it from bursting like a river through an old dam for as long as possible.
The energy started to build slower and slower. As the increase finally stopped, Azula brought both hands together to focus all the power into as small a point as possible. She jabbed her arm forward and a bolt of lightning shot from her fingers with a deafening crack. The ship trembled.
Around her, the crew, who had been watching her display, started to clap.
"Very good Azula" Iroh stood from his seat where he had been eating his lunch of roast duck. "Your form was almost perfect. You have made a lot of progress since last winter. You should take a break and have some roast duck. It is delicious."
"Almost isn't good enough" Azula said putting the hair that had come loose during the release back into its place. "I should have mastered this technique by now."
Iroh's put his hand on her should and squeezed gently. "Patience, Princess Azula. Lightning bending is a technique like no other. Proper mastery takes a lot of time and effort"
"I can't afford patience". Azula shook off his hand. "If I am to capture the Avatar, who has potentially mastered all four elements, then I will need every tool at my disposal and I will have to be able to use them without failure. I have to create more power and I have to create it faster." Azula got back into position in the center of the upper deck. "Again"
"Hey, what is going on there?" one of the soldiers on deck shouted, pointing at a gray line that rose into the sky in the distance and exploded in a flash of light.
Azula ripped a telescope from the nearest crew member's hands and peered through. She followed the line of dark gray smoke down to an old Fire Navy destroyer that was stuck in the ice. A bald figure jumped out from the inside of the ship and landed on the roof of the bridge, carrying another figure in his arms. He jumped down some 40 feet onto the deck and breaking his fall in midair to land softly on his feet before jumping overboard onto the plain of ice below.
An Airbender. "Uncle! We may not have found what we have been looking for, but this might just be a worthwhile replacement"
When they arrived at the makeshift walls of Katara's tiny village the entire population was already gathered at the small gate. Sokka was at the head, his face twisted in anger, and Gran-Gran right behind him shaking her head in disappointment as she looked at Katara.
"I knew it" Sokka pointed an accusatory finger at Aang. "You were a spy all along. You sent a signal to the Fire Nation with that flare."
"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden." Gran-Gran's voice stayed even and gentle belying the intensity in her eyes. "You know that the fire navy still regularly patrols the area. You could have put us all in grave danger"
"I'm so sorry" Katara started but Aang stepped in front of her.
"This wasn't her fault." Aang bowed deeply. "She told me that entering the ship was forbidden but I didn't listen and went inside anyway. She only followed me to try and stop me."
"That does it" Aang raised his head to look at Sokka. "The foreigner is banished from our village."
Katara tried to protest but Gran-Gran interrupted her. "I think it's best if the Airbender leaves."
Aang nodded and started to head towards Appa, his head hung low.
He felt a tug on his arm and turned around to Katara who was looking at him frowning and misty-eyed. "Are you really going to leave?"
"Yeah" he said turning fully towards Katara and she released his arm. "I should really be making my way back anyway. I have to see what happened at to the Southern Airtemple." He tried to put on a soft smile. "Thanks for going penguin sledding with me. It was a lot of fun." His expression fell again. "And sorry"
Katara's shoulder slumped as he continued to walk to where he left Appa.
The ship shook as they moved, the reinforced bow breaking through the thick layer of ice that covered the entirety of the sea in front of them. The crunching of the ice and the creaking of the metal created a cacophony that sounded as if the ship would come apart at any moment. A thick fog had set in not long ago, and if not for a large light that had been set up, she wouldn't have been able to see anything beyond the railing. Progress was aggravatingly slow. They had been moving at a worm-snail's pace for half a day now and her patience was wearing thin.
Azula was at the head of a small unit of 10 soldiers, all that the ship could provide, 4 of which were benders in heavy armor and the rest more lightly protected and armed with steel-tipped spears. All their equipment was marked by the Fire Nation sigil and dyed in the fire nation's colors of red, black and gold.
Azula herself was protected by chest and shoulder plates, and metal greaves on her shins. The rest of her body was unprotected, only covered by her normal clothing, as she preferred, in order to be able to perform her forms more fluently. On her head she wore a helmet with room enough for her topknot and her face was protected by nose and cheek guards, leaving room for vision and breathing.
Out in the fog, the silhouette of a structure formed and as they slowly drew closer, it became more and more clear. It was a pitiful excuse for a wall, it's alure not even reaching the upper deck of her ship. A lone figure stood on top, holding some sort of club in front of him.
As the ship crashed into the wall, the structure crumpled in an avalanche, sending the figure down with it. The bow of the ship collapsed outward, crashing into the bed of snow below, forming a gangway for disembarkation.
Without a word she moved ahead, her soldiers falling in step behind her. Halfway down, the figure, a boy barely old enough to grow a beard, his face painted in white, gray and black, and his hair tied into a pathetic excuse for a top know and shaved at the sides, charged at her, yelling.
The boy tried to bring down the club onto her head. Azula knocked it away with her fist and delivered a swift kick to his head, sending him of the gangway and headfirst into the mound of snow that used to be the wall.
In the center of the village a group of woman and children was gathered, shrinking away as Azula examined them. She could hear the boy's war cry behind her. Without turning fully, she grabbed him by his collar and his arm and threw him over her shoulder. The boy rolled off and threw a boomerang at her head. She dodged, swerving her head to the side.
"Where are you hiding him." The villagers cowered away from her. "Where is the Airbender. I know you are hiding him". Not one of them made a sound. A blue flame shot from her fists, setting the nearest tent ablaze. "If you don't want your entire village to be reduced to ashes you will tell me where he is."
"Show no fear" one of the children threw a bone-tipped spear to the boy that had attacked her.
He grabbed it out of the air and charged again. Azula kicked. The tip broke of the shaft and crashed into one of the other tents. She ripped the rest from his hand and knocked him in the head with the weapons rounded butt. She heard the whirling sound of the boomerang returning behind her. She ducked her head out of the way. The sharpened tip of the boomerang imbedded itself in the snow.
Two blue flames appeared in the palms of her hands. "I guess you leave me no choice then"
Azula was knocked off her feet as something struck her legs from behind, crashing in between her and the villagers in a cloud of powdered snow. "Are you looking for me".
Another boy appeared from the cloud, this one younger, a blue arrow marked his forehead growing back over his bald-shaved head. Although his cheeks still held a boyish roundness in them his jaw already clearly showed sharply defined, masculine angles. His thin lips were curled in a confident smirk, his bright, inviting, gray eyes, and thin dark brown eyebrows separated by a narrow nose with a round apex. Another set of blue arrows peaked out from the sleaves of his yellow shirt, ending on the back of big, thin hands grasping a simple wooden stave with long, supple fingers.
He was the tallest person in the village, maybe even taller than her brother. Even though his baggy clothes hid most of his stature, his broad shoulders betrayed a muscular physique, although not as brutishly heaviest as those of many Fire Nation men.
"What, you're looking for me?" the boy grinned.
"It's you? You are the Airbender? But you are just a teenager." A young Airbender. There shouldn't be any left yet here was one in his teens. He would indeed make a great substitute for the Avatar, so long as she captured him alive.
The boy laughed at her surprise. "Well so are you." He shook his head, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. "The things that surprise you are quite amusing"
Azula jabbed, blue fire bursting forth. The boy deflected it with a gust of wind before slamming his stave downward. A torrent of air shot towards her. She jumped to the side. She was covered in the snow that was whirled up by the boy's attack. She heated her body, the snow melting of. She threw a combo of kicks and punches, the boy blocking all with his stave, deflecting the fire away from the crowd.
Azula smiled. In a wide vertical arc, she shot a torrent of flame at a young girl in a thick, blue, fur lined parka that was trying to usher some of the younger children towards the back of the village.
The boy jumped in front of it, deflecting the blow. He missed some of it, the flames shooting toward the children and the girl who ducked and screamed. The boy's face twisted in shock, looking back at the girl.
He dropped his stance and pushed the end of his stave into the snow. "If I come with you, will you leave the rest of the village alone"
Azula looked around at their pitiful faces and nodded. "They can continue to wallow in their misery for all I care. Razing this village wouldn't be worth the effort"
The boy walked up to her before handing her his stave.
"No, Aang." The girl in the Parka yelled. "Please, don't let her take you"
"Don't worry Katara. I'll find a way out." Azula could see through his feigned confidence immediately. "Take care of Appa for me while I'm gone. I promise it won't take too long."
One of the bending soldiers twisted Aang's arms behind his back and led him up to the ship. Azula followed. Just as the gangway pulled back up again the smile on his face dropped.
The soldier pushed him forward. They had tied his hands behind his back and made him wait at the railing for a few minutes while the girl had gone off somewhere with his glider. Something about it making a great gift for her father. Now they were walking him towards the back of the upper deck where the girl was now standing, changed out of her armor into more comfortable clothes, with an older man next to her.
Now that he could get a full look at her, Aang had to admit that she was exceptionally beautiful. There were no two ways about it. She was taller than Katara, reaching up to his nose, and her posture was confident and dignified. Although her clothes were loose and layered, he could still see that she was incredibly fit, yet still retaining some curves. Her raven black hair was pulled back into a tight top-knot held together by a red metal hairband adorned with a golden Fire Nation insignia which Aang recognized as a crown meant to be worn by Fire Nation princes and princesses. Split bangs framed her face. Thin black eyebrows sat atop sharp eyes that shone golden, and her face was divided by a narrow, sharp nose. Her full lips were twisted in a seemingly permanent scowl. On her left cheek the welts of a white scar twisted across her otherwise perfectly smooth, porcelain skin. There was something strangely ethereal about her presence. Alluring yet intense and dangerous like a panther-viper.
The soldier made him stop in front of her and she looked him up and down. The older man next to her smiled at him gently so Aang smiled back and gave a shallow bow. The man returned the gesture.
"You are quite young, Airbender. Tell me where the rest is hiding"
"What do you mean by 'the rest'? There isn't anybody else."
"Where are the other Airbenders hiding?" Her scowl deepened. "There shouldn't be any Airbenders left, yet here you are. A teenager. Meaning there has to be others."
"What?" Aang smiled at her innocently "I don't look 100 years old to you? I'm flattered" The man next to her chuckled and the girl glared at him.
"I see you haven't quite grasped the situation you are in yet. Well, no matter. I will get my answers out of you one way or another." She turned around and headed for the door to the command tower. "Put him in a cell. We'll see if he decides to become more talkative after he had some time to reflect."
"Yes, princess Azula." The soldier behind him pushed him down a flight of stairs on deck, another, one of those whose face was fully covered, joining him, walking in front of Aang.
The ship they were on was of a similar size to the one that he explored with Katara and the layout inside was almost the same so he could somewhat track where they were headed.
"That princess of yours is quite intense, isn't she?" Aang said, looking around as if curious about the ship. "Must be quite the handful to work for. I honestly feel kind of bad for you"
"Silence"
They continued to walk down the hall. "So, you guys are the strong and silent types, huh?" Aang made it a point to look over the shoulder. "But you guys don't really seem that tough. I bet I could take you both with my hands tied behind my back right now"
"I said silence." The soldier being Aang knocked him on the head with the shaft of his spear.
They arrived at a door at the end of a hallway. The soldier in front pulled a keyring from his waistband and inserted a key into the lock. Aang took a deep breath. The man turned the key and reached for the door handle. Aang blew out the air, pushing the soldier in front flat against the door and knocking himself backward into the soldier behind him, who fell to the ground.
As he started to run down the hallway, Aang could hear a horn being blown and then a second, louder one replying to the call.
He rounded a corner, and two more weaponless fully masked soldiers were already waiting for him. Aang ducked as fire was shot at him.
"Have you guys seen my stave per chance?" Another burst of flame came at his face. Aang jumped and flipped over one of the soldiers, hooking the rope around his wrists on the horn of his mask, pulling the man to the ground and cutting his hands free. "Thanks anyway."
Aang ran up the stair that led to the command tower and towards where he remembered some of the nicer quarters to be. The footsteps of his pursuers grew evermore distant.
He opened the first door. Inside was the man who had been standing next to Azula earlier. He was lying in his bed on top of the covers, still fully clothed and snoring exaggeratedly. Aang smiled and shook his head.
"Sorry" he whispered before closing the door again.
The footsteps became louder again. Aang continued down the hallway opening door after door as he went. One of the doors stood open, and his staff was leaning against the back wall. The room was far better furnished than any of the others. There was a large, comfortable looking bed resting against the wall, twin Dao handing above it. The walls were otherwise mostly empty, only covered by a few tapestries bearing the Fire Nation's insignia. On the wall opposite the bed a small shrine was built from wood, adorned with incense sticks and half burned candles.
Aang hurried inside and grabbed his stave as the door fell shut behind him and the locking mechanism turned.
"I guess I shouldn't have underestimated you" she moved in front of the door she had just closed behind the Airbender. "Since you are a master after all." Azula pointed at her forehead. "Quite impressive for your age. It is rare to find someone else who has become a master while under the age of 20."
"Why thank you, princess Azula. I didn't think a Fire Nation princess of all people would know what the tattoo means" the Airbender smiled.
"Uncle makes it a point to bore me with lecture about the other nations." Azula approached the Airbender slowly, like a Tiger Lizard stalking its prey. "I make it a point to ignore him, but you'd be surprised how much can get stuck if someone talks at you for long enough."
The Airbender also started to move. They circled each other. He held his stave in front of his body protectively.
"Doesn't it almost feel like we are dancing right now? Circling each other in the dim candlelight." he grinned at her. "Why did you lock the door anyway? If you wanted to spend some alone time with me, you could have just asked. I wouldn't have minded talking with you."
Azula quietly continued to circle him.
"By the way, what's the story behind that scar"
Azula stopped in her track. "There is no story. Non that you'd need to know"
The Airbender also stopped, taking a step back. "Oh, sorry. I guess that's a sore spot." He laughed awkwardly. "I didn't mean anything bad by it, if that's what you are worried about. I actually think it suits you quite well. Finishes of that sort of intense atmosphere you give off. I quite like it in fact."
Azula relaxed her fists which she had unconsciously started to clench when her mark was brought up. For a moment she dropped her arm before she tensed up again, her knuckles turning white. "Shut up!"
"No really, it looks really nice on you" The Airbender raised his hand.
"I said, shut up"
Azula shot a fireball. She jumped right after it and threw a burning punch at the Airbenders face. The Airbender deftly dodged both. She pirouetted, aiming to dig her heel into his side. He pushed himself back with a gust. She lost her balance and rolled of before leaping straight back at him scratching at him with her claws. She drew some blood on his arm.
The Airbender flipped over her, putting himself between her and the door. She threw another punch which he extinguished in her hand before it connected with his stomach. He pulled one of the tapestries from the wall and wrapped it around her. She ripped the cloth apart with the help of fire, ready to pounce again. The Airbender whirled his stave around. Her futon crashed into her, pushed her into the wall and she fell on the floor.
She heard the locking mechanism of her door open. She jumped back to her feet and ran after him. She sprinted up the stair and through the bridge. The Airbender threw the stave into the air, wings spreading out. He jumped after it and grabbed on, ready to fly away.
Azula jumped, boosting herself up with fire shooting from her palms and the soles of her shoes. She reached out after him, and grabbed his ankle. They fell to the deck, the Airbender creating a pillow air under himself and her.
Azula jumped at him, shooting fireball after fireball. He twirled his stave, deflecting the shots, taking step after step back until he reached a gap in the railing meant for a gangway.
A loud roar thundered through the sky. "Appa" the Airbender smiled.
Azula shot another fireball. The Airbender's stave slid across the deck. She shot another fireball. The Airbender leaned back over the edge, arms flailing. Another fireball. The Airbender fell headfirst into the freezing depths below.
"Aang! Aang!" she could hear the water tribe girl wail from the back of the bison.
Azula pulled back, readying to shoot the beast out of the sky. The ship started to shake violently. The icebergs surrounding them rumbled, large chunks breaking off. Next to the ship a giant waterspout burst into the air. The Airbender was riding it, his eyes and tattoos glowing a glaring white. It was bright, even in daylight. He landed on the deck, twirling the spout around him.
The Airbender expanded the circle of water. Azula was pushed back, thrown over the railing. She flailed in the air, trying to right herself. She pushed herself towards the ship with fire from her soles. She reached out with her arm and managed to grab the chain of the anchor, the cold metal biting into her hands.
She heated her palms and started climbing. As she reached the top, the Airbender, the Avatar, sat on the head of the beast and the bison took off.
"Uncle, stop them" Azula yelled at Iroh who slowly came out of the command tower yawning.
A large combined torrent of flame launched form their firsts at the retreating Bison. The Avatar jumped up and with his stave, deflected the attack into an iceberg. The iceberg shook, an avalanche tearing free.
"That was awesome" Aang couldn't bring himself to look at them as Sokka shouted in excitement. "How did you do that?"
"I don't know. It sort of just … happened."
Katara sat down next to him, her hand squeezing his shoulder gently. "Why did you lie? Why did you not tell us you were the Avatar?" There was not a hint of accusation in her voice.
"Because..." Aang sighed deeply, his head hanging low. "I never wanted to be"