XV/Up and down
Evening was falling as Elsa, Katara, and Sokka followed Haru and entered a barn near the house where the earthbender and his mother lived. As they stood inside the barn, Appa approached stacks of hay. While the sky bison started to engulf mouthful pieces of hay under the amused but a bit concerned eye of Elsa as she didn't want the family to be robbed of the hay they might need, Haru left the barn alongside Katara.
Elsa noticed the departure of the two people, but she allowed them some time to bond, understanding the importance of such interactions, especially for her friends who hadn't had much opportunity to connect with people their own age. She also knew how Katara understood to some extent Haru with her own personal situation on bending and the fear of Fire Nation. She was sure that both young people would know to be cautious, even so close to the house and barn.
Turning her attention to the task at hand, Elsa focused on preparing for the night.
"Sokka, can you please unfold the blankets?" she asked, her tone gentle but firm. "We all need to pitch in."
Sokka grumbled under his breath but relented, knowing Elsa was right. As he unfolded the blankets, he shot a playful glare at Aang. "Fine, but next time we're doing this your way."
The young Avatar grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Sure thing, Sokka! As long as your way involves less complaining."
Elsa chuckled softly at their banter, grateful for their camaraderie. She checked their supplies once more, ensuring they had everything they needed for the night. Glancing over at Appa, she approached him, a fond smile tugging at her lips.
"Hey, big guy, how are you doing?" she murmured, running a hand along his thick fur.
The sky bison rumbled contentedly, nuzzling against her hand. Elsa's heart warmed at the gesture, reassured by his presence.
"Aang, Appa seems to be doing well," she called out to her friend, seeking confirmation.
The young airbender bounded over, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his companion. "Yep, he's happy as ever! Aren't you, buddy?" he cooed, scratching behind Appa's ears.
The sky bison rumbled in response, seeming to confirm his words. Elsa smiled, acknowledging that Aang's bond with Appa was stronger than she could ever comprehend. It was as strong as the one between Kristoff and Sven, though Aang's bond with his sky bison sounded more normal as she had never heard Aang trying to give a voice to Appa.
As Momo flew overhead, Elsa's attention shifted briefly to the winged lemur, a fond smile gracing her lips as he landed nearby. She reached out to stroke his fur gently, feeling the softness beneath her fingertips.
"Momo seems to be enjoying himself," Elsa remarked with a soft chuckle as she watched the lemur flit about.
Sokka glanced up at Momo, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, he's always finding ways to entertain himself."
Aang glanced over at Momo, his eyes lighting up with amusement. "He's got quite the energy, doesn't he?"
Elsa nodded in agreement, her gaze returning to Sokka and Aang as they finished unfolding the blankets. "Alright, let's get these set up," she said, moving to help them.
As they worked, the barn fell into a comfortable silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of hay and the soft chirping of Momo. Once the blankets were laid out, Elsa took a moment to glance around, ensuring everything was in order.
Sokka cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "So, Elsa," he began, his tone casual, "what you said back there to Haru's mom... It was like you knew exactly what to say."
Aang nodded in agreement, curiosity evident in his expression as he moved back to them. "Yeah, it was like you understood her fear and uncertainty completely."
Elsa hesitated for a moment, her mind drifting back to her own struggles with fear and control. She knew she couldn't reveal everything to them, not yet, but perhaps she could offer a glimpse into her past without delving too deep.
"Well," she began slowly, choosing her words carefully, "let's just say I've had my own experiences with fear and the consequences of trying to hide who I am."
Sokka raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
Elsa sighed softly, her gaze dropping to the ground before meeting theirs again. "I... I was afraid of my powers once," she admitted quietly. "I thought if I could just conceal them, I could keep everyone safe. But it only made things worse."
Aang's eyes widened with empathy, his expression softening. "I'm sorry, Elsa," he said gently, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That sounds really tough."
Elsa managed a small smile, touched by Aang's compassion. "It was," she acknowledged. "But I had someone who never stopped believing in me. Someone who reminded me that love was stronger than fear."
Aang's eyes sparkled with curiosity, his interest piqued. "You mean your sister," he tried to guess, his voice filled with expectant understanding.
Elsa's smile widened at the mention of Anna, her heart swelling with love for her sister. "Yes," she acquiesced warmly. "Anna was always there for me, through thick and thin, even when I was in the dark, afraid to hurt her. And she taught me how to love and trust myself, even when I felt I couldn't do it."
Aang's gaze softened with understanding, a warmth spreading through him. "That's beautiful, Elsa," he said sincerely.
Sokka nodded in agreement, a newfound respect evident in his expression. "Yeah, it really is."
Elsa felt a sense of relief wash over her, grateful for their acceptance and understanding. She knew she couldn't reveal everything to them, not yet, but perhaps sharing a small part of her past would help strengthen their bond.
Using her powers, she then created a blanket out of thin air, shaping it with intricate patterns of ice crystals. Aang's eyes widened with amazement, his admiration for Elsa's abilities evident. Sokka scratched his head in disbelief. "I still can't get over how you do that," he admitted, marveling at her abilities.
Aang nodded eagerly, his curiosity piqued. "Yeah, me too! I wish I could do something like that with my bending," he remarked, a hint of wistfulness in his voice.
Elsa's smile softened as she glanced at Aang, understanding his longing. "Well, Katara has started to draw inspiration from my powers for her waterbending," she explained gently, gesturing to the nearby stream. "Maybe you could find some inspiration in my advice too, Aang."
Aang's eyes lit up with realization, a smile spreading across his face. "You're right, Elsa! I never thought about it like that," he said, grateful for her insight.
Sokka nodded in agreement. "Huh, I guess that makes sense," he mused, considering Elsa's words.
Momo suddenly perched on Aang's shoulder and chirped excitedly, eliciting a chuckle from Elsa and Aang.
Suddenly, the young airbender's expression turned somber as he thought about the injustices they had witnessed in the village under Fire Nation control. "I wish there was something we could do to help Haru and his people," he murmured, his gaze distant with concern.
Sokka interjected, pointing out their larger goal. "I know you want to help, Aang. But we can't stay long with all those Fire Nation guys around. We need to get to the North Pole so you can start mastering your powers and end this war," he emphasized, his tone serious.
Aang bowed his head, "I know," he said softly.
Elsa listened attentively to both perspectives, her brow furrowed in thought. "I understand the urgency of reaching the North Pole and ending the war," she began, "but I also believe that helping those in need is an important part of our journey." She looked at Aang, her eyes filled with empathy. "Aang, you have a great capacity for compassion and helping others. I don't think we should ignore that."
Sokka scratched his head, considering Elsa's words. "I get what you're saying, Elsa, but we have to be careful. We can't risk getting caught and jeopardizing our mission."
Elsa nodded, acknowledging Sokka's concerns. "I know. But we also need allies. Aang might be the Avatar and I know how important he is, but he is still very young and shouldn't bear this burden on his own," she remarked, her voice measured yet compassionate.
Aang looked up, his eyes meeting Elsa's with gratitude. Sokka sighed, realizing the weight of Elsa's words. "I guess we'll need all the help we can get," he admitted reluctantly, his gaze shifting to the ground as he processed the implications.
Elsa looked in understanding the Water tribe boy. "I know you want to end this endless war. If I was living in such a situation like your sister and you, I would want that. But ending the war is only part of the solution," she pointed out, thinking on her journey to the Enchanted forest and Ahtohallan. Her thoughts dwelled shortly on Anna, wondering if she had received her last message and had solved the issue that plagued her people, the Northuldra and the spirits.
Aang and Sokka exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the truth in Elsa's words. Just then, the door of the barn creaked open, and Katara returned from her walk with Haru. Elsa's face brightened at the sight of the waterbender, and she greeted Katara warmly. "Hey, Katara! How was your walk?" she asked.
Katara's expression softened as she smiled at the young queen. "It was good. Haru showed me around the village, and we ended up near the mines," she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of admiration and concern.
Elsa nodded, listening intently. "That sounds interesting. Did anything happen at the mines?" she inquired, curious about Katara's experience.
Katara's gaze turned solemn as she remembered the events at the mine. "Well, there was an accident. An old man got trapped under a pile of rocks," she explained, her voice carrying a hint of urgency.
Aang's eyes widened with concern. "Is he okay?" he asked, his empathy for the old man evident in his tone.
Katara nodded, a small smile gracing her lips. "Haru managed to free him using his earthbending," she said proudly.
Aang grinned, impressed and looking in admiration at Katara. "You must have really inspired him," he remarked.
Katara's smile softened, a mixture of pride and blushing flickering on her face. "I guess so, but I think Elsa also did it," she replied as she looked at Elsa.
Elsa's face flushed with a mix of pride and gratitude as Katara attributed Haru's act of earthbending to both her and Elsa. She appreciated the recognition and felt a sense of accomplishment knowing that their presence had made a positive impact on Haru.
Deep down, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern as well. While she understood the immediate necessity of using earthbending to save the trapped man, she couldn't shake off the underlying implications of Haru revealing his bending abilities to someone outside of the village. With what Haru's mother had told them, she could imagine that the Fire Nation was using fear to impose their rule and to choke up the people. It reminded her a bit of what she had discovered with her grandfather. Perhaps the old man would be grateful enough for the help and would remain silent on Haru's secret. She hoped it would be the case as otherwise, it would bring a potential risk to Haru and his family.
Sokka, ever the pragmatist, interjected with a reminder of their impending departure. "Well, that's so good, but we should get some sleep; we're leaving at dawn," he announced, his tone commanding.
Katara's expression shifted, her unhappiness evident as she protested, "Dawn?! Can't we sleep in for once?"
Sokka's response was firm, emphasizing the necessity of their early departure. "Absolutely not! This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops. They have already noticed how noticeable Elsa is. If they discover you're here, Aang, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Goodnight."
As the young Water Tribe was trying to find sleep, Elsa looked at Katara, "Sokka's right. We can't take the risk of letting the Fire Nation find out about Aang's presence," she said.
Katara sighed, recognizing the gravity of the situation. "I understand, Elsa. It's just hard knowing we have to leave so soon," she admitted, her tone tinged with disappointment.
Aang chimed in, his voice laced with reassurance. "Don't worry, Katara. We'll be back someday. Right, Elsa?" he said, turning to the Queen with a hopeful expression.
Elsa nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Of course, Aang. We'll find a way to come back and help these people properly," she affirmed, her gaze shifting to Sokka who was already settling down for the night.
Sokka, despite his initial gruffness and being bothered in his sleep, couldn't hide a small smile at Elsa's words. Momo, ever the playful spirit, fluttered around the barn, his antics bringing a moment of levity to the group. Elsa couldn't help but chuckle at the lemur's antics, appreciating the brief reprieve from the seriousness of their situation.
As Katara blew out the lamplight to get some rest, Elsa settled down on her makeshift bed, her mind already turning to the challenges that awaited them in the days ahead. As sleep began to claim her, Elsa's thoughts dwelled on what she had witnessed of the brutality of the Fire Nation, of the impact of fear and of the war on the people, on the challenges that awaited them, on what role she would take to help Aang and his friends to end this war and to her home. The more days passed, the more she was wondering how much would have changed for her and how Ann would handle the situation.
The night went by rather quickly, and Elsa was the first to rise due to her habits as dawn was slowly coming. As the first light of dawn began to filter through the cracks in the barn, she moved to wake up her companions. She gently nudged Katara, Aang, and Sokka awake, her touch soft but purposeful. "Come on, everyone," she said, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. "It's time to get moving."
Sokka, still groggy from sleep, shifted slightly in his makeshift bed, mumbling incomprehensibly under his breath. But Elsa, accustomed to rising with the first light of dawn, took charge. With a gentle touch, she nudged Katara awake, her icy-blue gaze soft but determined.
"Time to wake up, Katara," Elsa whispered, her voice carrying a sense of urgency tempered with warmth.
Katara blinked away the remnants of sleep, her eyes meeting Elsa's with a mixture of gratitude and determination. "Right. Thanks, Elsa," she murmured, stretching her limbs before sitting up.
Aang stirred next, his movements languid as he reached out to pat Appa's side, rousing the gentle giant from his slumber. "Good morning, Appa," he greeted with a fond smile, his voice filled with affection.
Sokka stirred with a groan, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He was grateful that Elsa was accustomed to waking up early; her readiness always proved invaluable on their journey. Remembering their conversation from the night before, he quickly sat up, his expression becoming more alert. "Right, dawn departure," he muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, Momo, ever the playful spirit, fluttered around the barn, his antics bringing a moment of levity to the group. Elsa couldn't help but chuckle at the lemur's antics, appreciating the brief reprieve from the seriousness of their situation.
"We need to fold our belongings," Elsa reminded them, her tone gentle but firm.
Katara nodded in agreement. "I'll go retrieve some water," she offered, grabbing a jar before heading out of the barn.
Elsa watched her go with a small smile before turning her attention to the icy blanket she had created the night before. With a wave of her hand, she dispelled the frozen barrier, allowing the warmth of the morning sun to filter in
Momo fluttered over to her, his playful antics providing a moment of distraction. He landed on her shoulder, chirping happily as if urging her to join in the fun.
Elsa chuckled softly, reaching up to scratch behind Momo's ear affectionately. "Alright, alright, Momo," she said with a fond smile, appreciating the lemur's cheerful energy.
Meanwhile, Sokka and Aang began folding blankets with Elsa, their movements coordinated and efficient. Sokka glanced over at Elsa, a playful glint in his eye. "You know, you're pretty handy with those ice powers of yours," he commented, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Elsa chuckled, nodding in agreement. "They do come in handy, don't they?" she replied, a hint of pride in her voice.
Katara suddenly entered the barn in a hurry, her expression wrought with emotion. "They took him! They took Haru away!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with urgency.
Aang's eyes widened in surprise, while Sokka's expression hardened with concern. "What?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
Katara continued hurriedly, explaining the situation with a sense of desperation. "The old man turned him in to the Fire Nation - it's all my fault - I forced him into earthbending!" she confessed, her voice cracking with guilt.
Elsa's heart clenched with empathy as she listened to Katara's words, her mind racing with concern for the young earthbender. She reached out a hand to Katara, offering her silent support. The slight concern she had felt the previous night turned true for the worse. But seeing the young girl in disarray and feeling guilty clenched her heart
Sokka stepped beside his sister, taking her hand in his and laying his other hand supportively behind her shoulder. "Slow down, Katara. When did this happen?" he asked, his tone gentle yet firm.
Katara took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she relayed the details. "Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight," she explained, her voice wavering with emotion.
Sokka's brows furrowed with worry as he processed the information. "Then it's too late to track him, he's long gone," he concluded, his tone heavy with resignation.
Katara's eyes turned defiant and determined as she clenched her fists. "We don't need to track him. The Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru," she declared, her voice ringing with determination.
Elsa's heart clenched with concern and surprise, but she understood Katara's determination. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice gentle but tinged with worry.
Katara met Elsa's gaze with unwavering determination. "I'm sure," she replied firmly, her voice resolute.
The young girl's glance and words reminded Elsa of Anna, making her protectiveness grow stronger.
Sokka protested, his concern evident in his voice. "But Katara, that's ridiculous! You can't just-"
But his sister cut him off, her tone firm and resolute. "I'm doing this, Sokka. I have to save Haru," she insisted, her voice filled with conviction.
Aang was confused by her words as he asked, "And... why would they do that?"
Katara looked at her companions with a determined glance, "Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending."
Aang and Sokka looked at the waterbender with horrified glances. Sokka protested, "That's madness! How the Fire Nation would believe you to be an earthbender?"
Katara's expression faltered a bit but she stood firm. "I have an idea, Sokka. Trust me."
Elsa felt a mixture of worry and reservations about Katara's plan. As much as she understood Katara's desire to save Haru, she thought her idea was dangerous and dubious. It reminded her of Anna for her determination and the lack of self-preservation, but Katara was also a child and being the sole adult taking care of the young waterbender and her brother and Aang, Elsa couldn't afford to let her friend going on her own. "Katara, I understand why you want to help Haru, but are you sure it's wise? You are putting yourself in danger," she said gently, her voice tinged with concern.
Katara listened intently, her expression serious but determined. "I know, Elsa. But what if it was one of us in Haru's place? Wouldn't you do everything in your power to save us?" she countered, her voice unwavering and her eyes challenging.
Elsa's heart clenched at Katara's words, knowing she was right. And as much as she wanted to protect her, she couldn't stop her as much as she couldn't prevent Anna from following her to the Enchanted Forest. All she could do was to help her and to prevent harm to befell her friend.
"Of course, Katara. I would do anything to protect my family and my friends," she admitted, her voice soft with emotion. "I'll help you to save Haru", she said, her voice still soft but more resolute despite her worries. She placed a comforting hand on Katara's shoulder, offering her silent support.
Katara's eyes softened at Elsa's words, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you," she replied, her voice filled with emotion. She knew she could count on Elsa and the others to stand by her side.
Sokka, though still hesitant, relented in the face of Katara's determination and the united front of his friends. "Fine, but let's make sure we're prepared," he conceded, his tone tinged with concern.
Katara nodded, her resolve unwavering. "Don't worry. I've something in mind," she replied, determination shining in her eyes.
Elsa tilted her head in agreement before turning her glance at the group, her expression determined. "Alright, but first, we need to inform Haru's mother," she declared, her voice decisive. "Then we prepare your plan to trick the Fire Nation into believing you're an earthbender, Katara."
Aang and Sokka exchanged a glance, silently acknowledging Elsa's leadership. They trusted her judgment and knew that together, they could overcome any obstacle.
Katara nodded, her resolve firm. "Let's do it," she said, determination ringing in her voice.
As the group made their way to Haru's mother to inform her of their plan, a newfound sense of unity and determination filled the air. They knew the challenges ahead would be great, but they were ready to face them head-on, driven by their shared purpose and their unwavering commitment to doing what was right.